The comic was meant to continue the four part arc that ran in the last month of Valiant comics seems to clash hard with this comic. The comic is decent - but the clashing X-O comic is really how much of Valiant feels now. Sad to feel such little continuity in each comic - and what will come - Birthquake - is a hard attempt to turn that around. Instead, it feels like yet another turn in the comic. Funny that the effort of the company is turning so much of the company around - to keep positive swinging comics going more often - in fact kills the line. When the line gets back over to itself - it's list too much to ever gain footing back.
Leaping into... Uh...
Let's start with Shellhead. This is where the new Bronze Age is forged. We see a bunch of serious consequences, real life stuff. Now, it's balanced with yet ANOTHER character coming back from the dead, who also happens to be hit on the head, to cause amnesia. But - the art and dialogue seem quite relevant - even with the Mandarin - a poster child for serious judgmental characterization. The Cap story, on the other hand, is disturbingly painful. Seeing a character like Batroc, the Leaper, is sad. Disgusting accent - akin to some Satuday morning cartoon - which of course was the target audience.