Avengers # 28 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Frank Martin with Anres Mossa (Color Artists).

The Story: Hulk Smash, Banner deduce.

The Review: Now this is what I’ve been waiting for! Hickman’s long form Avengers epic has been a frustrating beast at best, I’ve wanted to like it so badly but have often been frustrated by how disparate all of the elements Hickman and his horde of superstar artists have introduced thus far are. I recall being curious but ultimately disinterested during Hickman’s first year on the Fantastic Four title only to be blown away by FF and the confluence of all the seemingly standalone stories that the writer had been crafting. And so it is that I’ve been following Avengers, New Avengers and now Avengers World,  waiting patiently to see how the puzzle pieces fit together.

With issue #28 it seems as though two mysteries are revealed, one to the reader and another to Bruce Banner who’s unravelling of the continued existence of the Illuminati provides the meat of this issue. I’ve often thought of the Avengers as a very epic but ultimately cold book, devoid of much characterisation or humanity but this issue goes a long way to reversing that paradigm by focusing on the conversation between Tony Stark and a Bruce Banner who repeatedly injects himself with tranquillisers in order to keep his monstrous alter-ego at bay. The tension that builds through these scenes is palatable and riveting, bravo to Hickman and Larroca.

The other reveal shows us exactly what the Map-makers are and how they come to be, further marrying the narrative of Avengers to New Avengers and finally giving readers an answer to help orientate themselves within the deluge of mysteries that Hickman has heaped upon us so far in this run. If this issue is an indicator of what to expect from the third act of Hickman’s Avengers saga then I’m cautiously optimistic about what comes next. That last page reveal/cliffhanger should have readers on the edge of their seat like a good episode of 24 or Breaking Bad it’s such a cinematic, ominous can’t-wait-for-the-next-issue reveal.

Uncanny Avengers #17 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Steve McNiven, Jay Leisten (Artists), Laura Martin, Justin Ponsor, Matt Milla, Larry Molinar (Colorists)

The Story: The fate of the Earth is decided as the heroes fight for the survival of everyone.

The Review (with spoilers): Rick Remender can be a bit dark at times. With his penchant to throw several hardship and put his characters through many severe miseries, the writer knows that it’s through adversity and conflicts that actions actually hold a lot more weight. Through his work on Uncanny X-Force, his Fear Agent and many other of his books, there is a tendency to make the life of everyone there as hard and painful as possible.

With this in mind, it seems that Remender took this particular quirk of his to a whole new level. In this very book, which is the finale of a long story-arc that got started in issue five of this series, the heroes lose. Despite all the effort of everyone on Earth and aboard the ark, Exitar manages to destroy the Earth, shattering it to multiple small pieces as the attempts of everyone to save it fail.

In a genre where the usual good versus evil fight is painted in a low amount of grey, this kind of ending is something that is decidedly unusual, something that defies the norms established. Using the traditional non-ending to make things continuous for the next issue, the conclusion to this saga is something that is a bit disconcerting, yet in a good way.

Still, the ending isn’t the only thing of matter in this issue, with plenty of the strengths of Remender being on display here. With a penchant for merging dramatics with plenty of action, this issue is able to switch the focus from one character or set of characters very well, enhancing the scope of things as they escalate to their paroxysm. The way Remender switch from Thor, Wasp, Captain America to the heroes left on Earth makes for a very exciting narrative that makes the buildup to the conclusion that much more effective.

Avengers #26 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Frank Martin (Colorist)

The Story: Adaptoids versus fascist Avengers from another universe. Fight!

The Review: If there’s one thing that I really enjoy about super hero comics, it’s the inherent ability of writers to bring in multiples universes in their stories. While not a norm nowadays with every series, there is a certain tendency to bring out beings and concepts from alternatives universes and dimensions to the fold that bring out twists to familiar elements that always add a touch of nostalgia and innovation in fun ways. While this concept is not exclusive to capes comics, there is always a certain appeal to see how things might have deviated from the norm with but some simple actions or changes.

With Hickman playing with those very concepts presently in his big Avengers/New Avengers story, there is a lot with which he can advance his ongoing threads in interesting ways. Having dealt with the Marvel universe at large along with its cosmology in his previous big storyline, can he manage to build things up in ways that feel good enough to entice readers to go along with the slow build for the next biggest thing?

The writer, in his ways, does a lot of interesting things in this issue, yet stumbles in a few moments as well. Where he mostly succeed is when he plays with A.I.M. and the approach this organisation has with science. The balance between mad and super science is a sound one with their scientists, with Hickman showing he has some fun with them as he builds them up to become rather big in terms of antagonists in the larger Marvel universe. The adaptoids, their purpose and how A.I.M. tests them make for some rather intriguing threads that could become very interesting down the line.

Uncanny Avengers #16 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Steve McNiven, John Dell, Jay Leisten (Artists), Laura Martin (Colorist)

The Story: Thor and Captain America bring the pain to the Apocalypse twins as the world reacts to the apparition of a celestial here to execute them all.

The Review: While Rick Remender, like every single writer there is, has his share of strengths and weaknesses in terms of plotting, there is a certain something in which he excels: action. Considering the fact that super hero stories are massively known for being action-driven more than anything, it is a nice thing to know about a specific writer. However, plot should never take a back-seat in a book, which means a certain balance must be maintained in order for any capes comic to work well. Does Remender provides what is necessary for his tale of grand proportion to continue in a way that is satisfactory?

In many ways, the writer does advance the story in ways that count, providing many excitement and upping the ante for the characters. Knowing very well that super heroes are beings that usually faces high threats and confronts situations that are far larger than them, Remender gives an emphasis on action without sacrificing much in terms of the scope of the tale. While the overall action focus heavily on Thor and Captain America, the story does allow readers to understand how big it is, involving other characters from the Marvel universe in the cataclysm that is yet to come. It is event-worthy storytelling dedicated to a single issue, which does allow for a good level of excitement and entertainment on the page.

Still, despite the fact that everything feels big, it’s really the action that sells the whole issue. The fight between Thor and Uriel is something that is decidedly fast-paced, yet not so that the impacts of their words and blows comes off as secondary in importance. It’s the son of Archangel against the god of thunder and those two powerful beings duke it out in a most satisfactory way. With snippets of characterization thrown in for good measure, it doesn’t simply devolve to mindless fisticuff anywhere in the issue, with the motivations being inserted for good measures in the dialogue. Let’s just say that, in a way, the dialogue of Thor does get to the point rather quickly.

While the issue is mostly dedicated to Thor and Uriel, there are still scenes given to Captain America and Wasp, with some good developments done by these characters. While not everything they do or participate in tend to result in payoff straight away, their scenes do add to the general rising of tension, building up to the general whole that is about to blow up in the coming issues. The conflict escalate and their part in the action does not detract from the rather amazing events on display here.

Avengers #25 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (Writer) Salvador Larroca (Artist), Frank Martin (Colorist)

The Story: A version of the Avengers steps into the main Marvel universe, courtesy of A.I.M.

The Review: With Infinity well behind us, there is a certain air of mystery as to what exactly will be the new direction for the main Avengers title. With Jonathan Hickman always having a relatively big plan for each of his storylines, it would be hard not to be curious as to what bigger schemes he has in mind.

Fortunately, it seems that the writer is already hard at work at planting new seeds, with this story picking up on some of the ideas established previously in the series as well as in New Avengers. However, if the new seeds are too nebulous or are simply not interesting enough, it does not bode well for the future of the title. Which one is it, though?

On a first look basis, the newer elements are rather interesting, with the arrival of a team that is rather familiar for Marvel fans, with the arrival of one of the earliest incarnation of the Avengers from somewhere else in the multiverse. Using this new team as a focal point in this issue as well as A.I.M., Hickman provides a certain aura of mystery and nostalgia that manage to makes this issue rather interesting conceptually. Playing with the incursion events and the whole plethora of universes and its infinite possibilities, the writer hints at how different those Avengers are from the norm established in the series until now, teasing at possible confrontations and revelations that makes this opening chapter to this current arc an effective one.

Revisiting Avengers Forever

by Kurt Busiek, Roger Stern (Writers), Carlos Pacheco, Jesus Merino (Artists), Steve Oliff, Olyoptics.com, Graphic Color Works (Colorists)

There are several stories that are hold with high regard in the industry. Marvels, Kingdom Come, Watchmen and many others are such stories that people are still talking about to this very day, leaving an impact that can be debated for hours amongst fans. Most of them are cherished for their unique stories or with their presentation, which is the stuff that comic fans are living for. Still, amongst all of those critical darlings, there are some stories that represent either a specific character or concept at its best, like Batman: Year One or Daredevil: Born Again, which can be used as the summary and explanation of why this specific character is great.

Avengers Forever is sometimes referred to as one of the very pinnacle of the Avengers franchise, namely the pre-Bendis era of the title. Written by Kurt Busiek of Marvels and Astro City fame, it tries to hold the very essence of what makes the Avengers what they are while telling a story of cataclysmic proportions. Still, with the present era of Avengers being definitely different than the previous one written by such like Roy Thomas or Kurt Busiek himself. With such a big disparity between styles, can this book actually provide entertainment with a more modern outlook on it?

Uncanny Avengers #15 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Steve McNiven, John Dell, Dexter Vines, Jay Leisten (Artists), Laura Martin (Colorist)

The Story: As Wasp fights the revived Sentry, the plan of the Apocalypse twins takes a rather sinister turn.

The Review: With the way the previous issue went down, I suppose it’s fair to assume that Rick Remender is not kidding around with this storyline. While I did enjoy this series in a general way, there was always something holding it back a bit. Either it was too much buildup for not enough payoff or the fact that the cast was so divided it provided for too many subplots at the same time, the book had its problems. However, with the arrival of Steve McNiven and the rather explosive last issue, does Remender actually succeed in upping the ante for this title?

It finally seems that yes, Remender actually did end up giving the gravitas and the high energy this title needed in some of its previous issues. Due to many elements handled very well, he is able to give the fans that were following the book quite a lot of great moments as he continues to make the conflict bigger with each issues.

Where he goes right, in a way, is in how he switch the focus on other characters instead of those that were in the conflict where those who died were situated. Putting Captain America, Wasp and Thor on the spotlight, he is able to not only rotate the focus a bit more on some characters that did not receive that much focus to begin with, but get in their head as well. We get to know how Captain America perceives this team and how he thinks he failed them, how Wasp sees her super heroic side and how some characters reacts to some unseemly news. It seems a bit of a waste to put characters like Sunfire, Havok and Wolverine on the side, yet he does quite a lot with this trio of characters in order to advance his plot.

Uncanny Avengers #13 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Daniel Acuña (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: The members of the Unity squad are trying in their own way to solve the problems posed by the Apocalypse Twins. Meanwhile, the twins are themselves plotting for the fulfilment of their plan.

The Review: Even though I rather like the creative team, the themes and most of the characters featured in this series, something didn’t seem to click for me with Uncanny Avengers. This lead to me being rather harsh (though fair) in my review of the previous issue of this series, which seemed to represent many of the problems I had with the series to begin with, putting them to the forefront in a way that lead to an unsatisfying read for me. I, however, believe in the fact that not all issues in a series can be great, that missteps can be made. Was the previous issue simply a fluke or would this issue provide another assessment of a lot of the problem I had with the series so far?

In a lot of ways, this issue corrects a lot of what annoyed me a bit with this series as it tweaks some elements and move at a faster rate with its many plot points and characters. It’s not a complete reversal in terms of quality, with some of the problems I have still being present, yet it is definitely a step in the right direction, with all things considered.

Uncanny Avengers #12 – Review

by Rick Remender (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Frank Martin (Colorist)

The Story: As Havok and the others try to infiltrate the lair of the Apocalypse Twins, Wanda and Simon needs to make a decision concerning the future relations between humans and mutants.

The Review: We all have an author or an artist that we’ll follow wherever he goes. As the careers of those in the industry continues, they may produce a piece of work that gathers them fans for whatever they may do next, which is how the whole thing functions. When Rick Remender made his excellent run on Uncanny X-Force and the superb independent series Fear Agent, it would be safe to say that he gathered a particularly strong following. I can definitely say that I was particularly pleased with those two runs, as I had decided that I’d give a shot to a lot of things he would write from now on.

It’s a bit sad to say, but considering this series, I am getting a bit uncertain about the wisdom behind my choice, as Uncanny Avengers never did meet the same quality level that some of his previous work had once reached (although there are some moments where it did came close to that level), with this issues providing plenty of examples as to why. While it clearly isn’t supposed to be the same type of book that Remender did previously at Marvel, there are simply some elements that he isn’t handling in the best of ways.

One of the best example is the main dilemma that fuel the series itself, the human vs. mutant debate. While the main plot do tend to gravitate toward a new take on the whole thing, bringing along Kang, Red Skull and other elements in order to make things more interesting, it seems that Remender is spinning its wheels a bit before actually moving things into place. While the debate and the arguments that are said by the characters are pretty faithful to the characters speaking them, most of them either are ill-placed in the story or slows it down to a crawl as the other elements suffers because of it.

Uncanny Avengers #11 – Review

Rick Remender (Writer), Daniel Acuña (Artist, Colorist)

The Story: Quite a lot of the members of the Avengers unity squad gets explanation about what is happening and what might just happen if things continue the way they are.

The Review: Exposition is always useful. It can bring people up to speed on the status of certain events or characters quickly, reinstate the gravity of a situation and throw new concepts to the readers to appreciate. It’s the perfect tool to bring in new readers to make sure they won’t be lost and to make sure that the regular reader don’t forget the important information in the wait between each issues.

However, it is also something that can severely hinder an issue if it indulge too much in it, which this issue unfortunately does. There are a good number of things to explain, of course, as the connection between some of the horsemen and what made it so has to be explained and certainly put on spotlight for it to be effective, yet there is simply not a lot going on in this issue because of the heavy emphasis on the dialogue and exposition.

It’s not an issue-breaking problem, fortunately, as there are some good concepts brought up front which does advance some of the themes of this series forward, however slightly it does. The scene with Scarlet Witch and the Apocalypse twins does bring some interesting ideas as it mixes some of the older ones like Magneto’s brotherhood of evil and Archangel to the newer ones like what Red Skull is trying to do and what he might achieve if he succeeds. It creates an ominous conflict that plays well with the ambiguous antagonism of the Apocalypse twins, who seems to possess larger plans and a certain nobility despite their methods. It does make those characters a bit more interesting as villains.

Uncanny Avengers #10 – Review

Rick Remender (Writer), Daniel Acuña (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: With the teams divided and searching in their own ways for what is going on with the children of Archangel, the horsemen of death each gather their own specific target.

The Review: There will always be a gap between generations when it comes to appreciation of a particular title. Every fans of a certain franchise always will look up to a certain era or a certain writer when it comes to the very best representation of what they like. Some people prefer the Chris Claremont era of Uncanny X-Men, while others loved when Grant Morrison went in with his New X-Men, as the future may see the construction of a generation that will praise the Bendis era with All-New X-Men. Each team, characters and general franchise in superhero comics have been handed down throughout the years to others, with some resonating with their audience and their time. However, does Rick Remender, with his dual X-men and Avengers team make something that caters more to one group or the other?

In ways, it is admirable to see him try to combine two of the biggest franchise that Marvel has the right to. In a purely conceptual level, this is a book that could work in a big way, as some of the biggest characters comes together to fight threats that are new to some of its member, creating a melting pot of the best that Marvel could offer. In theory, the fact that Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, Havok and others need to fight the Red Skull, Kang, the children of Archangel and other likely foes to create a better reputation for mutants is sound as it should be exciting.

However, while the concept is grand, there are some problems in its execution, which can be seen in this issue. One of the bigger one, so far, is the narration and some of the bizarre throwbacks Remender use in its dialogue and explanation of events. In a way, this title tries to emulate both the old Avengers and Uncanny X-Men comics, providing us readers with narration enhancing the visual effects as well as somewhat melodramatic dialogue that makes things somewhat akin to a soap opera, a practice that was very popular in the 70’s and 80’s in comics. While it is an efficient and sometime well-handled throwback to those comics, it can be sometime a bit too much, even used in ways that slow down the pace and effect some scenes have. While the way some of the characters talk gives the readers a touch of mystery and a good showcase of their personality, it is also rife with tons of exposition and an over-abundance of melodrama, creating something that may be a bit goofy at times. It is, I suppose, the very point of such a practice, yet it does its job a bit too well as it just slows down or dumb down some of the better elements of the issue.

Uncanny Avengers #9 – Review

By: Rick Remender (Writer) Daniel Acuña (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: The Apocalypse twin tries to plan for what they want to make happen to the world as the Avengers deals with dissension in their ranks.

The Review: Rick Remender is not a man that is afraid to go big. As he tried and succeeded in creating a big stories with lasting effect with his memorable run on Uncanny X-Force, he tries to go even bigger with this run as he incorporate many elements from the Marvel universe, including some from his own tenure on his previous title. However, does he succeed in this attempt? Is he able to give us something bigger?

In ways, the short time he had on this title seems to indicate that he might just be able to do that, as he almost effortlessly incorporates his own ideas into the larger Marvel universe without making them too weird or even out of place amongst the many strange things that are included in this superhero universe. It is, after all, a book that tries to connect the mutant world of the X-Men with the rest of the Marvel imprint. Now, I am no expert on the X-Men, but from what I read, I had always perceived the mutants characters to be almost in a little universe of their own, as they had their own threats, their own saviors, their own events and their own spinoffs, with most of them completely unrelated to what was happening in the rest of the universe they were supposed to be sharing. It seemed to me that those characters were almost better off being literally given their own universe after all, yet Remender makes for a really good case in the more open connection he gives here.

Avengers #34 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (story), Brandon Peterson,  Mike Mayhew, Jim Cheung, Leinil Yu, Mark Morales, Mike Deodato, Olivier Coipel, Terry Dodson & Walter Simonson (art), Scott Hanna & Rachel Dodson (inks), Jason Keith, Laura Martin & Paul Mounts (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story:  The Avengers work to escape the microverse after one more big fight with centaur kingpin Lord Gouzar.

The Review:  I’m a big fan of Bendis and, as such, I’ve stuck with his Avengers books for a long, long time now.  Suffice it to say, it’s been a rocky road with highs and lows.  With that said, he’s done a lot for the franchise and so I really do wish I could give a glowing review for this giant-sized farewell issue.  I mean, the sheer amount of heart he puts into his lengthy farewell letter at the end of the issue makes me really want this issue to be a great one.  But it isn’t.

Quite honestly, it’s been pretty clear for a while now that Bendis perhaps overstayed his welcome on Avengers; ideas were being recycled, certain issues felt phoned in, and this issue really only evidences that fact.  Everything just feels so derivative and phoned in that it’s hard to believe much passion and effort went into its creation from Bendis.  Given how sincere his farewell letter was, you’d figure that he’d really try to blow us away with this issue, but perhaps he just doesn’t have it in him anymore.

Mighty Avengers #29 – Review

By Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers), Khoi Pham (artist), Allen Martinez (inker), John Rauch (colors)

The Story: US Agent, Quicksilver, and the People’s Defense Force are still dancing around The Unspoken, understandably reluctant to directly confront him again even as he unearths the ominously named Slave Engine. Stature, Ronin, and the Young Avengers are still working on getting some answers out of Scarlet Loki, and Pym is still too busy to be bothered with all of this. Can’t say I blame him.

The Good: I liked the cover.

The Not So Good: This is tricky. We’re in the middle of “The Unspoken” so it’s hard to speak to this issue directly when it’s only one component to the entire storyline. You can’t appreciate this issue without having read the previous two, which were much more promising, and you can’t appreciate successive issues without having read this. What I can say with certainty though is that after reading this issue I was bored to tears. I feel like “The Unspoken” has taken a nosedive and become yet another generic potboiler. That’s not to say the story can’t improve next month, because I really hope it will, but right now I cannot think of one reason why you need to buy this. The Unspoken’s explanation of Xerogen gas and Xerogenesis was weirdly moronic, the Slave Engine sounds like something selected at random from the Big Book of Generic Ideas, and the Young Avengers’ battle with Scarlet Loki was anticlimactic, considering how great a threat Loki poses. And then there was that tender moment between Ronin and Scarlet Loki, which may have not totally jumped the shark, but came pretty damn close. Assuming we are in fact in the middle of this story, I would think that this is the point where things need to happen, tension needs to build, and excitement should become palpable. None of these things happened though, and I honestly have no idea why because until now Mighty Avengers has enjoyed a string of great stories.

Conclusion: I hate to say it but for me, the honeymoon with “The Unspoken” is over, and I’m left wondering when this story is going to end so we can move on to better things. You don’t need this.

Grade: D

-Tony Rakittke

Fusion #2 – Review

By Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (Writers), Tyler Kirkham (Pencils), and Sal Regla (Inks)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Fusion #1 was a fun ’90s throwback comic. It was dated as hell, but if you just went with the crazy stuff going on, there was far more to like than hate. Plus, you really can’t go wrong with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.

The Story: The Avengers and Cyberforce battle it out because of the Ripclaw situation. It’s soon learned that something is linked to Ripclaw in some way and that something is now in the hands of Norman Osborn’s Thunderbolts….

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: You can look at Fusion in one of two ways: it’s either an action-packed crossover that delivers where it matters most or a dated, tired crossover that serves as a reminder of why comics like Fusion no longer work well. That’s why it’s so difficult to write a review about Fusion #2. In fact, I’m fairly certain that the second chapter of Fusion is “review proof.” If you like it, I can totally understand why. If you hate it, I can totally understand why. It’s a great example of what made some of those “bad” comics so much fun, but also a great example of how silly and nonsensical they are. Make sense?

Now, on a technical level, Fusion #2 is surprisingly solid. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning do a nice job of bringing out every personality that’s part of Fusion’s cast. They write a number of entertaining character moments and have come up with an interesting enough reason to throw four different teams from two different companies together for a showdown. As for the artwork, Tyler Kirkham does a fine job of handling a number of chaotic scenes, though a few panels look awkward and rather “pose” heavy.

Conclusion: If it sounds like your type of thing, then by all means pick up Fusion #2. If it sounds like your comic book version of hell, then be sure to stay far, far away.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Ultimates 3 #4 – Capsule Review

Jeph Loeb, (Writer) Joe Madureira, (Artwork) and Christian Lichtner (Digital Paints)

To be honest, this one doesn’t deserve any more space than it is getting. If it wasn’t for the awesome (its a love or hate thing I know) artwork by Joe Mad and Christian Lichtner I would have dropped this one after the first issue. The storyline is a mess featuring too many characters, Jeph Loeb’s dialogue is hilariously cliché, campy, and one-note, and I am fairly certain characters are acting wildly out of character. This is easily one of the worst things I have read since getting back into comics. If the artwork wasn’t so fun to look at, I would have to consider this a complete and utter failure at every level. (Grade: D)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

I have no idea where this book is going anymore. And to think it’s going to wrap up next issue is just unthinkable. The only thing I can make a wager on is that it’s going to say, “To be continued in Ultimatum” at the end of issue #5. There’s just too many subplots and dangling threads (that have been randomly conjured up, no less) to be wrapped up in another 22 pages of story. This series has done nothing but sullen The Ultimates brand and lower the integrity of the creative team. Joe Mad’s art is the only reason why people are buying this turd, because the story is a convoluted mess and the coloring is still too dark. Why he would want to be associated with a piece of garbage like this is beyond me. At least with Hulk, I know that Jeph Loeb is purposely writing a bad story for the hell of it. Here, there’s just no excuse. Even the cover sucks. (Grade: F+)

– J. Montes

Mighty Avengers #15 (Secret Invasion) – Review

Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), John Romita Jr. (Breakdowns), and Klaus Janson & Tom Palmer (Finishes)

There’s a trope in bad movies and TV shows that’s almost as common as guy-being-tortured-spits-in-his-tormenter’s-face. In this scenario, a man and a woman are about to climb into bed together, when the woman pulls out a pair of handcuffs and smiles. The guy’s all like, oh yeah, do it to me, you naughty girl. And, of course, as soon as as he’s cuffed to the bed, she turns out to be working for the other side, and she pulls a gun on him, or calls the cops, or steals his money, or whatever. This scene always makes me want to shout at the screen, “You’re a secret agent, for God’s sake! How stupid do you have to be to let a strange woman tie you up?” Also, I doubt that many men really love being constrained during sex. I’ve always thought bondage was kind of, you know, kind of lame.

But all that’s changed now. In the latest issue of Mighty Avengers, Brian Michael Bendis once again refuses to advance the plot. Once again he gives us an issue-long flashback. This time it’s Henry Pym, Yellowjacket, who has moved to London with Janet after the whole Avengers:Disassembled fiasco. In one perfect little scene at the beginning, Bendis sums up their whole dysfunctional relationship: she’s been out drinking with fashionistas while he’s been in front of his computer all night. Finally she’s had enough and she takes off. Pym, in retaliation, shacks up with a beautiful little science-groupie who seems too good to be true, and is. We see her pumping him for information. We see her finally reveal herself and pound him into the floor. We see how a Skrull literally wraps herself in her new identity. We see that the whole Ultron Initiative was actually a ploy to get a handle on Stark’s new tech. And we see “Pym” give a very special gift to his ex-wife.

In other words, Bendis teases us the entire issue without ever getting back to the main storyline, giving us just enough to make us want more, to beg for more. He has us tied up, and I love it. I am now, officially, Brian Michael Bendis’ bitch.

The Secret Invasion is up there with the Kree-Skrull War, with the Mr. Mind saga, with Starlin’s Warlock, and this issue is another key piece in the whole grand puzzle. (Grade: A+)

– Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

For me, this the team that worked on this issue is a dream. It doesn’t get much better than this. And as enamored as I am with said creative team, I have to disagree with my comrade on his assessment of this issue. Sure, it’s a good issue – heck it’s a great issue, but I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best things I’ve read this year. The reason I say this is because I wouldn’t call this a true stand-alone story. Yes, it deals with just one character in particular, but overall, this is just another piece of the Secret Invasion puzzle.

What makes this book excellent is that it shows how clever Brian Bendis is. The seeds he’s planted over the past year are finally sprouting and as you can expect, there’s a reason for everything. Each plot, no matter how throw away they’ve been (like that female Ultron storyline), suddenly becomes legitimate. This is another “connecting the dots” issue that clearly shows how Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (and us readers) have been played for fools. It also finally answers the question if the real Ant-Man has always been the abusive husband or if his Skrull counterpart is. So is it worth picking up? Most definitely. The story is engaging and the art, pure Romita Jr. “goodness”. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

Fantastic Four #554 – Review

By Mark Millar (writer), Bryan Hitch (art), Paul Neary (inks), Paul Mounts (colors)

I don’t mind  one or two pop culture references in my comic books, but this is getting out of control. I know the Ultimate line of books are full of these. Mark Millar loves this stuff, and normally it doesn’t bother me. But when he asked Captain America what “Myspace” was during Civil War, it was just downright stupid.  Well, Millar, continues this trend and it hampered my reading experience. It’s not clever and it only dates the story. Stop it!

Gripes aside, if you manage to skip (or read) past the first five to six pages you’re in for some fun. Reed bores an elementary class out of their minds (which is brilliantly illustrated by Bryan Hitch), until Ben turns on the fun and hits on their teacher!

From here we actually get into the meaty part of the story. Sue is working out the kinks, discussing a new super hero team as a side project for charity (with gal pals Wasp and She-Hulk), when an old flame (Alyssa Castle) of Reed’s arrives. She’s a bit snide to Sue, but as soon as Reed enters the room she’s all over him. It doesn’t help either when Ben oogles over her. Anyway, Alyssa wisps Reed away to an undisclosed, classified area where it’s revealed that her and her husband are working on something big, very big (which I won’t get into for spoiler reasons).

Millar promised us a science fiction story with high adventure and this issue lays down the foundation for that. I’m not convinced by some of the characterizations presented in this book (Johnny Storm), but all in all, the concept and plot is exactly what a modern Fantastic Four book should be. We all know what to expect from Bryan Hitch when he draws and he doesn’t let us down. His art is nothing short of breathtaking. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes