DARK AVENGERS #11: Sigh. I just have a soft spot for the Molecule Man, I’m sorry guys. And I really think Bendis has hit his groove with this title, mixing his patented naturalistic dialogue with action, perfectly complemented by Mike Deodato’s moody art. Plus, in this issue, we get some painted pages by Greg Horn, and I don’t know the last time I saw interior art by the guy, but it looks great. This is a great looking comic, lots of fun, and I’m going to be a little sad to see it go (assuming it does, in fact, go after the upcoming Siege event).

DARK REIGN: THE LIST – AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: Adam Kubert draws an amazing Spider-Man (no pun intended), but I guess you wouldn’t expect anything less from the guy. First off, I’ll say its a smart move by Marvel to use Mr. Kubert on specials and short runs, rather than promising he can deliver a monthly book. That’s another win in Mr. Wacker’s column, in my book. And this book looks great. Reading wise, Dan Slott turns in another near perfect Spider-Man script, perfectly melding character moments, old-school fun, and good story. Except, and I’m going to get back on my soapbox now that we’re done with this “List” event… Basically nothing happens. In the grand scheme of things, I mean. The one List book that had a major event was The Punisher, which by all accounts was, I think, a high mark for Rick Remender, The Punisher, and Marvel in general. Not that every issue of The List needed to hold up to that standard, but I wish there was some sort of moving the story forward, that something had happened. There is a minor victory for Peter Parker towards the end of this book, and its a nice moment, but honestly, is Parker leaking a video on the internet really going to show up as a plot point in any other book?

It’s frustrating, because I would really, really like ASM: The List to be the biggest and baddest part of this mini-event, but it just can’t be, because… You can’t have Spider-Man win that big. Spidey can’t actually reveal Norman’s true villainy to the world, because that would mean Spider-Man was revealed as a world-wide hero. There’s ways around that, sure, but Spider-Man works best when everybody hates him. So he can’t win that big, he has to win, but kind of lose. And he can’t kill Norman, because he doesn’t kill. Plus, we got to save that for Siege, right? My point is, as a fan, I still think of Osbourne as Spider-Man’s villain, and I feel like Spidey needs to take him down, but given the character, and the layout of the Universe, that just can’t happen. So instead, I’m frustrated.

Anyway, great looking issue, solid read, if you want some pretty Kubert art, pick it up.

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #5: This title is growing on me, but veeeery slowly. Not to sound like a broken record, but considering you’ve already got Deadpool and Headpool in the book, it seems unnecessary and repetitive to even include the Deadpool double narration boxes. I’d rather just see those two bicker and be done with it. I also like how The Gisch is filling out the supporting cast with fun riffs on previous DP continuity. I’m curious to see where this goes after this arc, and hopefully, it can forge its own way, and move out of… Way’s… shadow.

INCREDIBLE HULK #604: You know that feeling when you take a deep breath and let it out, and how relaxing and refreshing that is? That’s what having Greg Pak back on the Hulk is like. A breath of fresh air, or at least air you’ve breathed before that feels fresh again. Or something. Anyway. Banner, Skaar, and Warbound vs. The Leader? What’s not to love? Pak keeps adding his own take to the Hulk mythos, and shows why he’s the best writer of the character since Peter David. Love this series, pick it up.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #31: Dan Slott and Christos Gage bring it all together to end out the best arc of this title in a good long while. Classic Avengers action, classic avengers moments, great fun shout outs and good actions pieces. My only caveat is that the art seems a little crowded, but that’s a quibble when its so much fun to just see heroes being heroes, and all working together to save the day. Fun.

NOMAD: GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #3: As nice as it is to see Sean McKeever back at Marvel, working in high school (where he excels), this just isn’t grabbing me. It ain’t bad, by any means, its a well crafted comic book, but I guess I just don’t care enough about Rikki Barnes yet. Ah well.

PUNISHER #11: Tony Moore and Rick Remender working together is a-okay with me. And this Frankencastle storyline gets to an insane, over the top start, as you might expect. Love it.

REALM OF KINGS: Abnett and Lanning have one of the most complex, yet easy to follow road-maps for their cosmic books I’ve ever seen. And it all kicks off in spectacular fashion in this one shot. I thought they couldn’t take the action and danger to another level. I think I was wrong. Love these books, love the direction of them, and I love the focus that’s happening throughout. Great stuff.

REALM OF KINGS INHUMANS #1: On the other hand… There’s a killer last page to this issue, but otherwise, it’s one of the more snooze-worthy Inhumans mini-series in a while. Granted, the characters are in a place where they’re all miserable, and for the first time in a long time, they have a real status quo that can’t immediately be broken, but it feels like the backbone of this cosmic universe has moved on to Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy.

THUNDERBOLTS #138: Jeff Parker makes his debut on the title, and while I love the Parker, this won’t knock anyone’s socks off. However, he continues the feel of the past few issues well without missing a beat… I’m just looking forward to him maybe blazing his own path. And maybe bringing in a few A-Listers. It feels like this title needs a new mission statement, and soon.

WAR MACHINE #11: The little title that could keeps chugging along, and though I THINK it’s canceled already, Greg Pak has made a fascinating uber story that has done a lot to build up Rhodey’s character, and define his supporting cast. It’s too bad this won’t be around in the long term, because in Year Two, it feels like it could have gotten quite good.

WOLVERINE WEAPON X #7: I’m totally loving this storyline, with Logan caught in the world’s most disturbing lunatic asylum, scared and fighting for his life. Sure, it’s not the most original story of all time (it’s been done in Buffy, for one), but I’m completely caught up in the mystery, and can’t wait to find out how Wolvie ended up there. Kudos to Jason Aaron for turning in another solid arc.

X-MEN LEGACY #229: Speaking of little engines, I still don’t get what this title is about (other than secretly The New Adventures of Rogue and Gambit), but Mike Carey, as always, chugs right along with a solid story that pays tribute to Generation X, one of the much beloved, much forgotten pieces of X-history past.

DARK REIGN: THE LIST – HULK - After this issue, I really want to see a Ms. Hand vs. Agent Brand fight. They both have weird hair, and oppositely tinted sunglasses! Anyway, this is reliably solid work from Pak, and though there is a biggish event in the issue, it doesn’t feel as remotely necessary as the main issue of Incredible that comes out this week. Weirdly. I really, really want to like this “List” event, but the whole thing feels held back by a lack of change.

DARK WOLVERINE #79 - Smart. If there’s one word I’d use to describe Dark Wolverine, that’s the one I’d use. It’s a bunch of intelligently written double crosses that have done far more to outline Daken’s character, and make him a viable addition to the Marvel Universe. Though I have no idea how it would fare in the long run or if once Daken leaves Osborn’s employ it’ll even be worth it, I’d be more interested to see a Daken ongoing than any of the thousand Wolverine stories that are happening at any particular time. Wolverine is in stasis; Daken has the ability to grow and change.

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #4 – This continues to be one of the top three Deadpool books being published by Marvel!

INCREDIBLE HULK #603 - As I said earlier, I’m loving this book now. Great, great character work with Skaar and Banner vs. Daken and Wolverine, a nice twist on the old Hulk/Wolverine rivalry that perfectly fits with the characters. The Wolverine/Banner stuff in particular is fun without feeling forced. I don’t know that I’m 100% buying the “Banner is the true monster here!” thing that’s going on… He’s not Professor X for goodness sake (plus, why smart people have a whole madonna/whore thing going on in the Marvel U is a much longer essay). But I’ll buy it for the fun interplay between Banner and Skaar, and because I’m really curious to see where this is going. Pak consistently plays the long game, so I’m in for the long haul.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #19 - Is it fair to call this the best Iron Man story ever? Probably not until the next arc (Tony Stark: Disassembled) is done, but in my mind I can’t think of a better one. Demon in a Bottle was revolutionary, but it doesn’t hold up. Armor Wars, I guess, but again… Just okay. Fraction has crafted a brilliant Flowers for Algernon meets Marvel U tale that works in and out of continuity. Yes, it’s essentially based in current Dark Reign stuff. But I contend that all you need to know is that Norman Osborn has stolen Tony Stark’s armor, and now wants everything else that’s in him. That’s all you need to know. And though the “twist” Fraction has been touting for the end may not be as mind-blowing as he’s teased, it is pretty sweet (natured that is), and a great pay-off for long time fans of the current Marvel U. Can’t wait for the next issue.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #30 - Right around this arc is when Mighty Avengers became fun again, and this issue is no different. Big Avengers action, old school style, and I’m enjoying every moment of it. There’s a scene so ballsy in here with Hank Pym, I wanted to scoff, and yet… It felt like the Avengers comics I used to read as a kid, with silly over the top cosmic moments that aren’t there to darken the Universe; they’re there to lighten them. MA is on the vanguard of what’s probably coming from Marvel next year, and if this is the direction, I like it.

SPIDER-WOMAN #2 - This is great. Bendis writing a character he loves, in a genre he loves, with Alex Maleev drawing? Lovely. And I’ll say for the record that this is probably worth the extra two bucks, versus the motion comic, so you can spend some time with Maleev’s art.

THUNDERBOLTS #137 - I love Rick Remender, but this is the most fill-in issue of Thunderbolts in a long while. Looking forward to Jeff Parker picking it up next ish (I think?) so we can get back to building the story.

WOLVERINE ORIGINS #41 - The first half of this issue, which essentially treads the same ground as Incredible Hulk this week, is the most fun I’ve had reading a Wolverine story in a good long time. Big fun moments, great character work, and then… Then Romulus, king of the wolf-people, master of bonking people on the head with swords, and nefarious owner of an operator style telephone headset comes back into play. Sigh. I’m all for maniacal uber-villains, but this guy is just not doing it for me. He’s more Dr. Claw than Apocalypse, and that’s just silly. Probably worth a pick up, though, for the delightful first half.

X-MEN LEGACY #228 - I guess the MO of this title now is “in flux?” Or, at least, reflecting the side goings-on of the main X-Men continuity. Mike Carey turns in a reliably solid script, and Emplate is a pretty great villain… But I wish I knew where this was going. Back when the title got renamed after Messiah Complex, my main concern was that Professor X regaining his memory wasn’t a sustainable concept. And though it lasted far longer (and better) than I thought it would, the title has switched over to Rogue, Gambit, and Danger. Which is nice and all, but again, there doesn’t seem to be a mission statement here other than “support the main title.” Probably a bit more sustainable in the long run, but also not the most necessary of concepts. Anyway, it’s a good issue, worth picking up, but I wish there was more of a focus. Ah well.

Maybe this is just me, but there’s this one bad joke I or a friend sometimes tell where you hear someone with a unique and crazy voice and remark how you’d love to see that guy do a book on tape. You’d even listen to the Yellow Pages on CD, or something equally ridiculous, just because you love listening to that guy’s voice. Brad Garrett reading Moby Dick. Something like that.

That’s how I find Brian Michael Bendis’ recent Avengers work. The guy can write a story about the average day of an Amish farmer and he’d make it seem readable. There’s something just soothing about his writing. That explains the mixed feelings I have for today’s batch from Bendis, Mighty Avengers #17 and New Avengers #44. Well, the former at least.

On the surface, neither of these comics have much to do with the respective teams. Even when you remove the reality of the characters involved, New Avengers features none of the current New Avengers (Strange left the team) and Mighty Avengers doesn’t feature a single Mighty Avenger.

No, this is part of Secret Invasion. Secret Invasion is the big climax, at least for the moment, for Bendis’ various Avengers runs. More than Disassembled and House of M, every issue has been leading up to this event. So if New, Mighty and Illuminati have been leading up to Invasion, does that mean that Bendis gets a pass for using these two issues and the several before them for Invasion padding? That’s up for debate.

The last few months have existed to expand on the Skrull state of mind and their plans. How do they work and how did they happen? They also show the tragedy of the lead-up. With so many Skrull duplicates in the roles of heroes, we know that something bad is going to go down each time we open an issue. Every issue is another time to read and wait for the other shoe to drop. We knew that we’d see Hank Pym get beaten half to death. We knew that Elektra would ultimately lose. This week’s two issues bring another piece of dread that we hadn’t expected.

Mighty is the lesser of the two issues because ultimately, it doesn’t say too much. It may foreshadow a bit and maybe it’ll be more interesting to look back on after the event is complete, but it’s mostly padding. Entertaining and, at times, disturbing padding. The story, featuring the Skrull doppelganger of Hank Pym goes in a direction few anticipated. Despite the interesting turn of events, we know that things will make a negative turn before the issue is done. It’s only a matter of time.

Of all the issues of Bendis’ Skrull Saga, Mighty ranks as one of the least important. You won’t find answers to any riddles, but it does show the complicated effects of their plan. It shows that Skrulls, much like humans, are diverse in morality. You can’t judge a race by the actions of a few. Or… in this case, maybe you can? Maybe the Invasion will shed some more light on it.

Khoi Pham’s pencils work well for the story being told. There’s even a good use of a television in the background that gives a subtle pinpoint to the timeline. It’s just unfortunate that the final page is a redrawn version of a more high-profile artist’s work and comes across as a hand-me-down.

New Avengers has more to do with the Skrull plans, though nothing too earth shattering. It’s not like the recent issue that explained how the invasion came to be and then paid us off with the revelation that the Queen is Spider-Woman. The story has more to do with how part of the Skrull plan came to be. Explained with dialogue, even Bendis dialogue, it probably would have been underwhelming.

This issue isn’t underwhelming. It’s absolutely horrifying. Several pages in, there’s a part with Dr. Strange that gave me the creeps reading it. The slow realization of what was happening was a huge holy shit moment. What followed only proceeded to make it worse. Then, without the weapon of surprise, the rest of the issue continues to make your skin crawl. It’s one horror after the other.

The Skrulls claim to be going for peace and maybe they are, but the way they go about it is disgusting. It’s an act that’s grounded in fiction, meaning that you won’t see many examples of it in real life, but it’s just so cruel and heartless that it’s appalling. I’ve read this issue three times over and it gets harder to get through each time.

It’s nice to see that Billy Tan is improving as an artist. His work here is by far an improvement over his efforts in Spider-Man: The Other. There are so many panels and details that are just nasty. Considering the story I just described, I mean that in a very good way.

If you’re a completist, you’ll probably pick up Mighty Avengers. Only if you’re into Secret Invasion. If you’re looking for Sentry and Ares blowing stuff up, wait a couple months. Then again, you should already know that by now.

Definitely pick up New Avengers. That one’s a keeper.

New Avengers #44:

Mighty Avengers #17:

Pedro: I’ll start.

Mighty Avengers was good but it’s really un-mighty like. I know this isn’t in the scope of the general discussion but it feels like the book got hijacked hardcore for Secret Invasion. I don’t know who are the Bendis fans who only want his “superhero” fare but it’s a weird shift in narrative that just annoys me.

In regards to Captain Marvel, that book took a sweet awesome curve and I really care about the character. I ran into Lee Weeks at the con and he described how happy he was to get a cosmic book like this and even enjoyed the downtime moments in it that were great for his street level style. I don’t imagine that I’m the only one who wants to see what happens to that character.

As Pedro said, the Captain Marvel series went a long way towards transforming a character that had only been remembered as a martyr. What really impressed me was how effectively Brian Reed humanized a character who was fundamentally alien. The most obvious way this was done was through the focus on mortality, a theme that was obvious, but expressed in a remarkably subtle way. It informed all of his actions, even his final act of the mini-series, but Reed didn’t hammer us over the head with it. Speaking of nuance, I also loved the messiah subplot, which paid off in a big way. Two asides: (1) I think that this is the way those ’should superheroes intervene in humanitarian crises’ narratives should be handled – even though we shouldn’t ignore the unforeseen consequences, that’s hardly an excuse for inaction, and (2) Isn’t Reed’s Captain Marvel closer to a Marvel version of Superman than the Sentry is? I think that the ’superhumans trying to do their best in a complicated world’ theme is more interesting than the ‘heroes with feet of clay’ one, and that this series melds the former with the Superman character’s humanist trait.

As far as Mighty goes, I loved the issue, but I still reserve judgment about the series as a whole. Is it just me, or are the best issues of Mighty the ones focusing on a single character (or two)? It’s great to see the story of what Nick Fury’s been doing since the Secret War. In the old days, this would’ve been a few captions filled with exposition, but it works a lot better as a stand alone story. Bendis seems to have really figured out the voices of all the characters spotlighted in this issue. And the art is magnificent. One minor quibble – This story makes a lot less sense if you don’t know some really specific elements of the Marvel Universe, none of which are explained, namely (1)the relationships between Fury and his cronies before the New Marvel era, and (2) exactly when the scene with Fury and the interim director of SHIELD took place. Other than that, it was a great issue.

I didn’t even get a chance to get into the identity themes in Captain Marvel, but I’m sure one of you guys will delve into that one.

David U.: I guess I never weighed in on last week’s Captain Marvel, so let me do that first.

I think what I found really cool about this series is the whole dark-mirror aspect. Despite the fact that Khn’nr is from a species fundamentally opposed to Mar-Vell and the Kree, his origin and mission are almost identical (”Fuck you guys, I’m going native!”). The entire series really comes together well at the end, and not only serves as a nice lead-in to Secret Invasion but also the origin of what could be a really interesting character for years to come. I don’t know if he’ll keep this role, or become Captain Conner or something like that, but I’m really intrigued to see where his story leads and what kind of role he’ll be playing in the overall Marvel context during and especially after Secret Invasion. Brian Reed’s really raised his game with this series, far beyond his work on the early issues of Ms. Marvel, and putting Lee Weeks on a cosmic book was an inspired stroke on Marvel’s part, since it feels at once spacey and weighty, getting across a sense of the fantastic with a gritty edge, much like Yu’s art on Secret Invasion proper. It’s a smart book and a fun mystery that wisely doesn’t pull back on its cliffhangers or talk down to its reader – if you figure it out halfway through, you figured it out, but the remaining issues, and the how, and the why, are all still very intriguing. I’m hoping the Front Line and Spider-Man SI tie-ins follow this standard of quality.

Jumping to this week, Reed also contributes Ms. Marvel #26, a story that loses dramatic impact largely because it’s set right *before* Secret Invasion, so we basically know that Carol gets out of this alive and intact and not a Skrull. As a result, it serves largely to tie up a bunch of ongoing plotlines from Reed’s run, including the alien background of her ex-boyfriend. While a perfectly fine comic, it doesn’t really contribute much to the overall picture of Secret Invasion (although I may very well retract that statement when this arc wraps up next issue).

And then there’s Mighty Avengers #12, the first part of the return of Nick Fury and a story clearly meant to go in New Avengers (where it was originally announced). As a result, this book goes from day-glo superhero funhouse to gritty, street-level depiction of the early stages of the Invasion, a change that, for people only following Mighty, will be extremely jarring. However, it’s difficult to think of a way to really distinguish these books based on their previous themes at this point; Secret Invasion has united the two plotlines so thoroughly that it’s difficult to see how the two books could, in the context of Secret Invasion, be distinguished. So, what we really have here is part one of two of Secret Invasion: The Return of Nick Fury, and on that level it’s pretty damn good.

Bendis’s promises of rewinding the clock were no claim; this literally rewinds the clock to the end of Secret War and takes us to two weeks before the Breakout in New Avengers #1, for a total period of five and a half months. This timeline is laid out very plainly. Bendis’s Fury is a character we haven’t seen in years, and it’s great to rediscover him; his patented blend of world-weary pessimism and an unyielding drive to protect always make him an interesting character to watch, and Bendis gives him a tough-love attitude that really resonates with me, especially in the scene he shares with Maria Hill, which I thought was exceptional.

What I’m wondering about the final spread is this: Are these A) Potential Skrulls? Maybe red for thinks they are, blue for no? or B) Potential Avengers recruits? I’ve long thought that Nick Fury engineered the Breakout and the heroes who helped there, and with this issue ending two weeks prior it certainly gives him enough time to form the first iteration of the New Avengers (a group remarkably similar to the posse Fury put together for Secret War).

Joe: As someone who has a bare inkling of what a kree even is, or no idea what the hell nega-bands are, the story felt very solidly held together by the simple thread of someone deciding who they are. Which is somewhat of a feat, because on my second read through, I realized that this was basically an exposition issue. However, Reed managed to dress the story in religious imagery, add meaning, and explain everything I feel that I need to know about Captain Marvel. I also want to add that Lee Weeks’ layouts were really solid, and he the inks, colors and overall production of the book were done in such a way that the various pieces of art didn’t clash in an overt way.

Possibly the most interesting thing that Brian Reed does in the book is the way dramatizes the memory implant scene. We discover a side of the Skrulls that isn’t the sneering, cackling evil shapeshifter, but the Skrull who just has a job, and wants to get home as quickly as possible to his wife. Reed and Weeks manage to create a bright comic that touches interesting themes without bogging it down with didactics by filling it with a few every-day moments.

Mighty avengers, is also mainly an exposition book. I felt that it wasn’t as successful. Spy action was to be had, but as someone who has been following those books, this was 22 pages that may have been better left unsaid in the full scope of the story. It was everything I had assumed Nick Fury was up to. While a solid book with great art, the felt pretty empty. It doesn’t say much other than ‘Fury’s on the job’ or that ‘Fury’s been on the job’. But we knew that, or rather we imagined it. It doesn’t really say anything. It’s also an issue of timing. This would have been a great precursor to Secret Invasion, right now we’re in the opening arc, it strikes me a bad move in terms of pacing. It might have even worked in the middle/end right before a ‘Fury Returns’. Right now? The flashback takes all the energy in the room that he’s been bringing with the big book that it was. Ending with the big-board of who Fury thinks is a skrull would have been a great element to have right before this all started.

I also agree with pedro that going from a book with a “KRAZZRAKKKA”, a “FRAKABOOM” AND a “CRASSH” on the same page, to a slow-ish burn spy story told in a style that harkens to the Bendis/Maleev Daredevil run, is jarring. I’m not against such a style change, but it seems to me, that there aren’t clear thematic reasons for doing this, at least none that are clear to me at the moment.

Looking at this in context with what’s currently going on in New Avengers, Powers, USM, and SI, it’s making me think that Bendis may need a break and hit something new. While still solid, a lot of his work feels lacking in the danger, audacity, and energy that crackled in his previous work. I think he may be too comfortable in his chair as king of the Marvel’s writer’s room, as this should have been shot down by his editors. He’s such a great writer that I feel loathe to push praise on an otherwise decent book. This is the man that wrote Alias & Daredevil in a way that will forever live on shelves.

He’s so comfortable in his abilities to stage a solid spy drama, he relies on Maleev to bring drama, intesity, and incredible art to the story, that he’ll manage to wow some of us for now. I don’t want to say he’s phoning it in, because I don’t think that’s what’s going on, I just think he isn’t on his A game. His B game is still good but… a year from now, no one will remember Mighty Avengers #12.

And as Jamaal often says, we shouldn’t lower our expectations just because we’re in love with the medium. ‘Okay’ doesn’t cut it.

Paul: I don’t have much to say about the writing in the Captain Marvel mini that hasn’t already been said. Reed managed to make me interested in a character that, upon his initial return, I saw absolutely no purpose for. This is an actually meaningful event tie-in; Captain Marvel’s return has been validated by the existence of Secret Invasion.

One interesting aspect of the art of the comic is how it shows how much influence an inker has on the art of a book. Weeks had a grand total of five different inkers over the course of the mini, each with a distinctive style of inking, and no issue really looks the same. Gaudiano’s soft inking style and Butch Guice’s heavy use of blacks are nothing alike, and both are in turn entirely distinguishable from Klaus Janson’s looser, bolder lines. Honestly, this was a little jarring to me, although it’s still preferable to (unintentional) artist switches in the middle of a mini or storyline. Also, while I don’t mean to put down Lee Weeks’ otherwise excellent pencilwork, the comic did bring up an issue I have with not just this comic, but with the visual look of Secret Invasion and how it’s in stark contrast with its themes and writing style; Skrulls inherently look really, really silly. While Captain Marvel himself looks iconic and understated enough to work in an attempt at a mature superhero story, Weeks unfortunately opted to go with the aliens’ traditional look of little big-eared green men in purple bodysuits, and it feels very out of place considering the tone of the comic. It made the scene with the Skrulls in issue 5 that Joe was referring to more comical than Reed probably intended for it to be. It was still a good scene, but it was visually awkward.

That’s not to say it’s impossible to draw Skrulls with a more appropriate look for the story. Alex Maleev did an amazingly effective rendition of one of the aliens in Mighty Avengers #12; It looked genuinely alien and unsettling while still maintaining its distinguishing Skrully characteristics. I swear that man manages to up his game with everything he draws.

As for the issue itself, I’m a little torn. It was a very good issue in itself, but I agree with the sentiment that this simply didn’t feel like an issue of Mighty Avengers. Like David U said, this was originally billed as a story in New Avengers, and it would fit in a lot better there, but Bendis is already doing another Secret Invasion storyline in that comic. On the other hand, I prefer Bendis writing this sort of thing to what he was doing in the first eleven issues of Mighty, since he’s a lot better at it, and I think he himself would agree. You could make the case that Mighty Avengers is him trying to move out of his comfort zone and write a big, bright, whiz-bang superhero comic for once, but despite amusing individual scenes the book overall feels a little hollow to me.

I do disagree with Joe that this issue was unnecessary or poorly timed. For one, I think it’s important to remind people who Nick Fury is and what he does after he’s been absent from the comics for so long. He’s going to be returning in the pages of Secret Invasion and will probably be a major player, so building up to that return is a smart move. It also adds new layers to the two characters he informs about the threat, particularly the second one, since it’s revealed they knew more than we were actually let on to believe. As for the timing, I’m not sure what difference it would have made to show Fury contemplating things before Secret Invasion started instead of after the first issue came out. The event isn’t over yet, and there are still plenty of unresolved mysteries and hidden Skrulls; Having this storyline in Mighty Avengers run concurrently with Secret Invasion feels like an intentional decision to build up the character in time for Secret Invasion #4.

Chris: In addition to being a fun read, I think the Captain Marvel mini gives us a good look into how the Skrulls might be prosecuting the “hearts and minds” side of the “Invasion”. It will be interesting to see how much of the events surrounding Mar-Vell/Khn’rr were orchestrated by the Skrulls, because if only the sleeper agent properly “awoke”, this would have been a brilliant propaganda plan.

Whether or not they planned his escape and “return” in the midst of Civil War “Captain Marvel” returned, messiah-like, right as all of the other (human) heroes were fighting like rowdy schoolchildren. Throughout CW and World War Hulk, Marvel stayed above the fray, and he garnered more good will as he stopped Skrulls posing as Cyclone/Cobalt Man from killing lots of civilians. The Church of Hala serves as “his” propaganda arm, and in general Marvel becomes a more trusted and beloved hero than anyone in the Initiative.

Now imagine that same hero turning around and telling people to trust the new Skrull “visitors”. It almost makes me wonder if we shouldn’t be suspecting a second wave of infiltrated Skrulls, based not on their “ability to do the most damage” a la Duggan and Jarvis, but based on who could garner the most good will for the colonization. Of course, most of the people who fit the bill (Thor, Captain America, Reed Richards) seem kind of off the table. Still, a nice wrinkle and a mini-series that far exceeded everyone’s probably minimal expectations for it.

As for the discussion of whether the Fury story belongs in New or Mighty Avengers: I get the impression the difference between the two books will be largely academic for the bulk of the crossover. I think it’s really smart to relegate plot points like this over to the Avengers books, where people reading them are likely relatively steeped and interested in the backstory and greater ‘universe’ instead of trying to integrate it into the main event mini-series, where it’d likely bog things down or be explained too briefly for anyone’s satisfaction. I enjoyed it as a background story, and look forward to adding “Nick Fury’s Glamour Shots” to the ever-increasing Bendis OCD Listmaking required to try to guess future plot points. Seriously, why would Fury be looking at Hydro-Man or Gargoyle? Is that like when you buy a pack of baseball cards looking for Don Mattingly or Kirby Puckett, but you end up with a bunch of Odibie McDowell and Rick Rhoden cards instead? Is it a private joke? Viral marketing? Damn you, Bendis!

The Mighty Avengers’ Last Stand Against Ultron?

Nuclear missiles have been launched, Iron Man is nowhere to be seen and the Sentry is mourning the loss of his wife. Oh yeah, Ultron’s back and it’s taken the form of Janet Pym so it can wreak havoc on the world! In Mighty Avengers #5, from the red-hot superstar creative team of writer Brian Bendis and artist Frank Cho, it’s the penultimate chapter of the team’s first mission…but is there any way to defeat a foe who just won’t stay down? Ares, former villain turned ally is Earth’s Newest Mightiest Hero, but he may just be their last hope!

Luke Handley of SilverBulletComicBooks.Com praised the series, exclaiming, “Bendis seems to effortlessly combine good old superheroics with his usual trademark banter.”

With the entire world at risk, the Mighty Avengers put it all on the line to stop the seemingly unstoppable Ultron and when the dust clears, the team will never be the same again! It’s all coming up in Mighty Avengers #5 as Earth’s Mightiest confronts Earth’s Deadliest!

Ultron has taken over the world!! The Black Widow has taken over S.H.I.E.L.D.! The Sentry’s life is changed FOREVER! And the rest of the Avengers are faced with the power of the new Iron Man unleashed!!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

IN STORES: July 25, 2007

The biggest new series of 2007 continues in Mighty Avengers #3, as Tony Stark’s new team of government-sponsored Avengers battle the all new, all female Ultron. And just what happened to Tony Stark? If Ultron has her way, this bold new team of Avengers won’t have a chance to find out! From the all star team of writer Brian Bendis and artist Frank Cho, Mighty Avengers has been a sales hit and quite a smash with the critics!

“Marvel fans of all stripes should give this one a shot,” said Augie De Bleick of ComicBookResources.com, adding, “Bendis gets the team up and running in a most entertaining fashion from the get-go.”

Troy Brownfield of Newsarama.Com raved that Bendis & Cho, “Knocks it out of the park,” continuing, “Mighty Avengers plays exactly as a team comic should.”

Aint It Cool News said, “this is one very strong issue–one worthy of the MIGHTY tagline in the title.”
“Mighty Avengers is THE Avengers title for me,” gushed Phillip Hayes of PaperbackReader.Com.
With the full fury of the Sentry unleashed and Frank Cho’s stunning rendition of guest star Tigra, Mighty Avengers #3 is a can’t miss for any Marvel fan. With issue #1 sold out at Diamond and excitement at a fever pitch for issue #2, Marvel urges retailers to check their orders for this action-acked upcoming issue. Bendis. Cho. Avengers. Nuff said.

ULTRON IS BACK and, yes, now he’s a she. What?? Ultron’s a girl?? It’s Ultron as only Frank Cho can bring it. And the Mighty Avengers haven’t had a moment to get to know each other before they are thrown into one of the most epic adventures in the history of the Avengers.
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

PRICE: 2.99
IN STORES: 2007-04-18

THE STORY:
The wait is over!! The Mighty Avengers assemble!! Gathered together to be the greatest Avengers team ever, but who picked them?? And why?? And which A-list Avengers villain returns, revamped and reloaded for the ultimate revenge. Big super hero adventures every month from the multi-award winning team of Bendis and Cho.
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

PRICE: 3.99
IN STORES: 2007-03-07

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THE STORY:
The wait is over!! The Mighty Avengers assemble!! Gathered together to be the greatest Avengers team ever, but who picked them?? And why?? And which A-list Avengers villain returns, revamped and reloaded for the ultimate revenge. Big super hero adventures every month from the multi-award winning team of Bendis and Cho.
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

PRICE: 3.99
IN STORES: 2007-03-07