Again with this Mighty New Initiative we all know and love, and it wont be long before we’re dealing with one that only has ONE writer staying put! Well, okay, two, but Gage is just co-writing. That’s right, after the Invasion Bendis is moving off of Mighty Avengers and on to the new Dark Avengers book, and Dan Slott is replacing him as he steps off of his Initiative. But don’t be upset! We’ve got three issues to review, and they’ve all got the name AVENGERS!
First up this month, the Mighty!
Mighty Avengers #18
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Stefano Caselli
From page one I had the feeling that I was reading Initiative, scary enough. Seeing Caselli on any other book just feels weird at this point as he’s truly made that book his own…..then again, it is his own as he’s the main artist on it, but still! It’s weird seeing him elsewhere, and handling other characters. At the same time, it feels kinda right. Caselli is a great artist, with a unique style that can be identified immediately by someone that’s seen his work before, which I give a big thumbs up to. His art is clean, well paced, and fleshed out perfectly. At no point do you ever find yourself lost in it, or struggling to figure out who someone is supposed to be. In fact, I’m not sure where he’s going to be after the creative shuffle, so any chance he can move on to this book full time with Dan Slott?
Don’t fuck with Nick Fury
So the art is great, but how about the writing? Dan Slott tells the tale of Nick Fury and his Secret Warriors, as he prepares to take them on their first mission. There are flashbacks to his training of them, which reminded me a great deal of an issue of Checkmate where the Black Queen needed a new Knight. Fury beats these kids up, tortures them, turns them into soldiers that answer only to him, and he does it right. Their first mission comes out of no where during their training, but we’re treated to the details on page one. Maria Hill is a Skrull, find her, and bring her in.
Always the bad ass…..Nick Fury
The team has their run in with SHIELD, with every one of the Warriors getting an opportunity to show off what they can do, before there’s another reveal. As anybody who’s read Secret Invasion can tell you, Maria Hill is not a Skrull. It’s never been a secret. Instead, the reason for this mission is partially to train Hill along with his new team, testing to see if she listened to his advice on LMD usage (which, having read Secret Invasion, you should already know).
The book wraps up with the team arguing with Fury as the Invasion begins, setting up their appearance in the core mini series.
You said it, Phobos
Very well written issue, and despite the initial feeling of being a little bit late since it leads into events that occured months earlier, the simple use of the Maria Hill LMD salvages that one fault. Bendis continues his string of strong issues across the Avengers line with this book, and I’m glad to say it.
New Avengers #45
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Jim Cheung
As opposed to the timing of the Mighty Avengers issue, this one irks me quite a bit. A few issues ago we were treated to a look at how Queen Veranke infiltrated the Avengers as Jessica Drew. We saw from the time Jessie was told to go to Hydra, all the way until the white flash for House of M. Now, after a few issues off telling other stories, we’re back to see how this all works out with the reality warping crossover. And it’s a bit jarring, to say the very least.
Yes, Skrulls get morning sickness too.
The issue picks up on the SHIELD Helicarrier, with Jessica Drew standing at her post. Unlike most of the others that were present at the flash, she remembers everything about how the world was just minutes before. And ever vomiting in the latrine, and bawling her eyes out, she goes after the only person she can trust.
We’re granted an extended version of the scene in House of M #2 with Hank McCoy and Hank Pym talking about the mutant genome and extinction, and the reveal that this Hank is the Skrull who also still remembers everything. Apparently being a Skrull infiltrator makes you immune to having yourself inserted into a different reality, or at least that’s implied. Veranke abducts him quickly and they spend a few issues talking about the mutant problem, and the need to kill Wanda Maximoff before Veranke goes with the other heroes to Genosha for the final battle.
We’re treated to the image of Hawkeye being unmade again, as Veranke hovers outside the window ready to kill Wanda, only to lose her nerve and fail to manage the will to fire at the last second. Reality winds up righting itself as we all remember, and the Skrulls reconvene to discuss it. It’s during this meeting that Veranke breaks the news of the Annihilation War, and of the deaths of over a billion Skrulls. This one horrific event reaffirming the need for their mission even more, as it goes with the prophecies. And he loves them.
Can nobody shoot this bitch?
It’s typical Jim Cheung art, and by that I mean it’s top notch. In fact, seeing it as much as I have lately makes me yearn for my Young Avengers. His Jessica Drew does look quite a bit like his Kate Bishop, but that’s hardly a complaint. His take on House of M is also a treat for the eyes as he does something I generally deem to be impossible and outdoes the art of Oliver Coipel.
Scary in it’s own special way
While it’s not the must read issue that the first part of the Spider-Woman story was, this one is still definitely worth a look. If not just for the beautiful art by Jim Cheung, and a well handled look at a different perspective on the House of M.
Avengers: The Initiative #17
Written by Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage
Art by Harvey Tolibao
Skrulls at Camp Hammond and the Initiative out on the front line, who do you call? The Shadow Initiative! Bengal! Constrictor! Trauma! Mutant Zero! Each character is granted a little bit of development before rushing into the fight, though Mutant Zero’s reveals her to be a red head that the internet most likely assumes to be Jean Grey. Spider-Woman shows up with her troops as Eric O’Grady, the Irredeemable Ant-Man looks on, and he’s quickly drafted into the Shadow Initiative. Focusing on them for the moment, we’re treated to the group discussing how to handle the situation, and at one point accusing Ant-Man of being a Skrull which results in one of the best panels the character has ever had. Trauma uses his abilities to assure the group that they’re all non-Skrully, and they go off to attack. They manage to kill one of the Skrulls posing as Spider-Woman just for such an occasion, and are quickly turned against each other as they’re manipulated into using Trauma as a weapon for the Skrulls.
I have fifty bucks that says it’s Madelyne Pryor
But we’ve also got the Kill Krew to look at! The first we see of them, they’ve just taken out the Skrull on the Nevada Hard Hitters and are getting ready to move on. In a cool fan moment, one of the members of Hardball’s new super team is fan-favorite Gravity! There’s a haunting little scene with Hardball and Komodo which is alluding to the upcoming annual which is supposed to focus on his dealings with Hydra, and then they head off with the Krew. By issues end, the team no longer has to travel the roads as they get two new additions; Jocasta (who Slott has said will be on his Mighty Avengers team), and Devil Slayer (from 3-D Man’s Hawaii team). Slayer being a teleporter, now they have the ability to traverse the country in ease.
I don’t know what’s better; Hardball’s face, Gravity being the leader, or nobody batting an eye at the beast mauling the Skrull.
Oh, and because I love him, there’s a great little scene where Crusader gets a pep talk from THE Nick Fury, the further helps him along his path of being an Earth hero.
Ant-Man: Priceless
Tolibao’s art is nice, and I do quite enjoy it, though it’s a bit jarring to see anything NOT Stehano Caselli on this book, to be totally honest. That said, he does a great job, and I’m hoping that if Caselli does wind up leaving this book I’d hope that Tolibao stays on. He really seems to get the characters and how to draw them, and it’s nice.
So how does it all weigh out?
New Avengers #45: 8/10
Mighty Avengers #18: 9/10
Avengers: The Initiative #17: 8.5/10
