The setting is Elizabethan England, with the elderly Virgin Queen making several cameo appearances. The characters are familiar, even if you may know them from another series. Indeed, some twists that may well be seen from afar by fans might be a more pleasant surprise to new readers. The way the characters are transposed into the setting, and guessing their present day counterparts, is half the fun. Gaiman is clearly having a great time writing the story, and if you want the fantastic blended with the mythic then he is definitely one of the best authors you could hope for. The story itself is a globe-spanning romp, featuring humour, magic and terrible folk songs, and the artwork is the best I've seen from Kubert. If you aren't entirely familiar with the Marvel Universe, or if you've only ever seen the films, this is an excellent place to start from.