Avengers vs. X-Men #6: A problem I had in reading this issue was that I had a hard time determining if I was supporting the Avengers' position because I've read enough comic books to know that you don't get to remake the world in your own image without some sort of unintended consequence or if I believe that some sort of consequence would also necessarily happen if this event were transpiring in the real world (as unlikely as it is). In other words, if someone announced that they had developed a way to provide energy for free for everyone forever, would I think it was a good idea to use the method that s/he had developed or would I caution against using it because of unintended consequences? I'm guessing that I'd be all for it. But, I realized that I would be all for it because it would likely come from years of scientific research and not the magic of a cosmic force, particularly a cosmic force who has the habit of eating planets. Given that the X-Men's ability to solves all the world's problems comes from the latter and not the former, I eventually came to the conclusion that the Avengers are, in fact, right to be cautious and the X-Men have, in fact, lost their minds.
Hickman does a great job of changing the frame of reference for the series without making it seem too abrupt. I mean, if Act One was driven by seeing which team would manage to get its hands on Hope first, Act Two is clearly driven by waiting for the other shoe to drop when it comes to Phoenix. Hickman manages not to rush that drama by going to great lengths to portray both sides as realistically as he can. He manages to use Scott's natural aloofness and arrogance to convey the sense that Scott is acting as you'd expect him to act if he suddenly found himself with the power to make his dreams reality. He's not a ball of emotion trying to right wrongs; he's a bureaucrat with a list of miracles needing to be performed. Moreover, Cyclops makes it clear that Phoenix has rejected Hope (as a result of Hope initially rejected it), seemingly opening up a range of possibilities when it comes to the ultimate fate of both Hope and Phoenix.
On the other side, Hickman really excels by showing the Avengers trying to collect themselves and find a way to get Hope. I loved Cap muttering to himself in a safe house somewhere. The Cap of the first five issues of this series was a man slightly unhinged by his fear of the future. The Cap of this issue is a man whose worst fears have been realized and now finds himself almost calmer, setting about addressing the task at hand. Whereas Hope and Professor X are the voices of dissent in Utopia, both warning Scott about the corrosive nature of absolute power, Hickman uses Hank and T'Challa as pretty believable advocates for the idea that maybe the X-Men making the world a better place isn't necessarily the worst thing that could happen. Hickman really conveys the sense of exhaustion that Beast feels being caught between the Avengers and X-Men, and you can't really blame any of the people involved in this conflict for wanting to believe that their years of fighting to make the world a better place can finally come to an end and they can, you know, take a nap. If Hank is the voice of exhaustion, then T'Challa is the voice of reason, essentially accusing Cap of fighting the fight just to fight one.
But, at the end of the day, it's hard to see how any reasonable person wouldn't come to the conclusion that the "Phoenix Five" are being manipulated by Phoenix and any momentary improvements to the human condition will be overshadowed when Phoenix finally decides to claim her ultimate price. I was wondering where Hickman was going to go from here, given that the Avengers had pretty limited options when it came to confronting the "Phoenix Five." Hickman happily surprised me by having the Avengers identify Hope as the key to understanding the Phoenix Force and deciding that their only option was to nab her. Honestly, it made perfect sense and, after the idiotic choices that characters made in events like "Chaos War" and "Fear Itself," it was refreshing to find myself nodding in agreement with their approach. Although the Scarlet Witch's appearance at the end smacks of a deus ex machina device, Hickman also makes it work, given that it also makes sense that Wanda would be monitoring the situation and that Hope would identify with her as a kindred spirit who's probably the only person on Earth who understands her.
All in all, Hickman put to rest a lot of my concerns that the advent of the "Phoenix Five" was a gimmick just to lengthen the series to 12 issues. I mean, is it a gimmick? Of course. Is the upcoming few issues detailing the X-Men's attempt to wipe out the Avengers a stalling device? Mais oui. But, this issue still manages to stoke some fires so I'm willing to give Hickman et al. time to see how big they burn. I mean, right now, we've got Hope, Iron Fist, the Phoenix Five, and Wanda all connected to Phoenix on a fundamental level. Who knows where it's going to go?
After years of disappointing cross-over events, I can honestly say that I was happily surprised with this issue. Not only did I not know where Hickman was going to go from page to page, injecting a suspense that I haven't felt, I don't know, ever when it comes to cross-over events, but I also legitimately don't know where the event itself is going. Is Hope going to turn out having been a construct of the Phoenix Force all along? Is Jean Grey going to return? Will we end this series with the mutant race reborn? I honestly don't know, and I'm really happy to say that.
New Avengers #27: Of all the "Avengers vs. X-Men" tie-in issues, this one has been the most intriguing. It is also, unfortunately, the one that seems most written for a TPB form and, as such, the comic that I've read since returning from my hiatus where I most notice the absence. When my comics eventually arrive in the U.S., I'm going to need to sit down a spell and read these issues one right after another. But, in the meantime, I re-read my reviews of issues #25-#26, so I feel more or less refreshed on the story to give the review a shot.
Basically, the faux Hope who we watched develop over the last two issues into Iron First assumes the power of the Phoenix. Like Destiny predicted of Hope, Yu Ti informs the faux Hope that she will either be a savior or a destroyer, though the path is hers. She appears to successfully control the Phoenix, but realizes that she needs to depart Earth because "the world isn't ready." (For what, we don't know. It's still a Bendis comic, after all.) Iron First relays this story to Hope, who has apparently been sent here by the powers-that-be. I immediately wondered where Wanda is, given that Hope only went with the Avengers in "Avengers vs. X-Men" #6 because of the connection that she felt to Wanda. But, assuming Wanda gave her blessing, Hope is now with Iron First in K'un Lun to "train."
Bendis throws a lot our way in a small period of time, such as the possibility that Hope can also be the Iron Fist (in addition to Danny). In the end, though, this issue is about putting Hope under the tutelage of Spider-Man. I want to say that it's a little too pat. Bendis notoriously uses characters willy-nilly, employing them in ways that fit his plot, even if they don't fit the character. Previously, I wondered whether we'd be seeing this connection between the Phoenix Force and Iron Fist if Bendis hadn't decided to include Luke and Danny in his Avengers roster, taking them from the C List to the A List. Moreover, in this issue, Bendis apparently forgot that Peter was a high-school chemistry teacher, so his insistence that Wolverine would be better to train Hope because he's been a teacher for all of five minutes makes no sense. Both examples show Bendis not letting continuity get in the way of using a character the way that he wants to use him. But, I have to concede that something about it feels inspired. Peter telling Hope about how "with great power comes great responsibility" suddenly, retroactively, seems like exactly the thing that Hope has been waiting for someone to tell her. I mean, let's face it, no one is going to be able to get that message across better than Peter. Bendis spends most of this issue reminding us that Hope is a scared teenager, and who better to help a scared teenager than the original teen super-hero?
Moreover, it's actually a fun issue to read. Hope's scene with Yu Ti at the pool was actually funny, rather than Bendis' usual "OMG, look, I'm injecting comedy into a serious situation!" version of funny. All in all, Bendis continues to encourage me to keep an open mind here. No matter how bizarre connecting Phoenix to Iron Fist to Spider-Man seems, he's doing it in a way that actually seems to make sense and deepens (rather than cheapens) the story. We'll see where we go from here.
Secret Avengers #28: I'm supposed to finish this issue in awe of the amazing sacrifice that Captain Marvel made to save Hala from the Phoenix Force. The first problem with this issue, though, is that Captain Marvel seems to be resurrected every other year or so, making it difficult to feel the emotional impact that Remender wants me to feel. After all, he returned during the "Civil War" and we Young Avengers fans were treated to the heart-breaking spectacle of "Young Avengers Presents" #2 when Mar-Vell meets his son, Teddy. (Of course, Wikipedia tells me that said Captain Marvel was apparently a Skrull imposter, but we didn't know that at the time.) Then, he returned during "Chaos War," yet another cross-over event that Marvel has conveniently forgotten happened. But, for those of us who read it, we've already seen Captain Marvel sacrifice his second chance at life to do the right thing. As such, seeing himself resurrected for the third time in almost as many years really reduces the impact of the story. Remender does his best by allowing us to feel that loss through Carol's eyes. But, here, we run into the second problem, namely the fact that anyone already reading "Avengers" knows how this story ends. Given that Captain Marvel didn't appear in that issue, we already know that he died (or something happened to him). But, moreover, given that Carol didn't even mention his death in that series, it also makes her grief in this issue seem somewhat disingenuous. I mean, she's devastated, but then, you know, completely forgets about it a few minutes later when the events at the end of "Avengers" #26 get under way? Again, I'm trying not to blame Remender too much, because it's not his fault that Marvel commissioned too competing Space Team titles. But, since the team landed on Hala last issue, this title has had little to do with the main "Avengers vs. X-Men" event, particularly given that we've already seen issues that happened after the events of this issue, such as "Avengers vs. X-Men" #5-#6 and "Avengers" #26-#27. As such, it was hard to really engage with it the way that Remender wanted, given that we already knew all the outcomes.
Uncanny X-Men #14: Wow. Just...wow. This issue is epic. I loved what Gillen did with "Uncanny X-Men" when he first took over the title, but, since the reboot, I've been disappointed by his characterizations and plotting. In fact, his Sinister arc at the start of the rebooted title was almost unreadable to me. But, this issue is truly spectacular in its grandiosity. Somehow, Gillen creates an entire world comprised of nothing but Mr. Sinister and makes it one of the most fascinating corners of the Marvel Universe. His protagonist, a rebellious Sinister clone, is infused with more emotion and humanity than most literary characters, a masterful example of great characterization in just one issue. The protagonist's fall at the end of the issue is made all the more devastating for it, even if you knew it was coming. Gillen also uses the plot developments of this issue to make certain aspect of his Sinister arc clearer, such as why he went after the Dreaming Celestial in the first place and why he pushed Hope towards the Phoenix. He also reveals that Sinister has not only cloned himself but several mutants as well, most notably, Madeleine Pryor. Beyond just the adroit characterization and master plotting, though, Gillen also injects the humor that we first saw on his initial run on "Uncanny X-Men" into the issue. You need no better example than Sinister's great quip about his Gambit clones: "But I left him brain damaged, because Mister Lebeau always did lean that way."
When I first saw Sinister on the cover, my first thought was that Scott would some point realize that he could go after him with his new-found power. As such, I was in awe when Gillen has Sinister not only realize the same thing but actually have been planning on it. All these great moments are made all the better by Weaver and Charalampidis's equally spectacular ar. From the opening sequence of the rebel hiding his secret basement underneath a Sinister-emblazoned rug to the rebel's techni-colored coat, they give detailed form to Sinister London. I would honestly buy a series dedicated to the rebellious character who we saw here so that we could explore the depths of Sinister's world. Seriously, if you read no other issue this month, read this one. It's a candidate for issue of the year.
Wolverine and the X-Men #12: Now, we're talking! Although I initially thought of the "Phoenix Five" as a delaying tactic for Marvel to justify a 12-issue mini-series, I now see that it was, in fact, the way to turn the tables. If the Avengers were hunting the X-Men in Act One, it's the X-Men's turn to hunt the Avengers in Act Two. However, where the Avengers tried to use some restraint (particularly impressive given that, for them, the risk of failure was Phoenix devouring the world), the X-Men have taken off the kid gloves. Aaron clearly really thought about the way that he wanted to present this story, and I can't think of a better way than using Rachel Summers as a hound once again. Aaron spends a good deal of time showing Rachel wondering if she's doing the right thing, noting that she never thought that she would have to become a hound again to help create a "true Utopia" for mutants. Along those lines, in her conversation with Scott in the middle of the issue, I thought that Aaron wandered, by accident or design, into an interesting neighborhood. I realized that Rachel might become a hound in the future not because others had failed to create such a mutant Utopia in her past, but because she and the X-Men might actually succeed in doing so in the present. Aaron makes it clear that Cyclops has lost his mind to the Phoenix as he talks about it as an agent of love, since Scott before his ascension was still reasonable enough to know that the rebirth that he hoped would happen would only come after destruction. But, here, he makes it seem that Phoenix will simply become a benevolent god, and I think Aaron is starting to set up the X-Men for their eventual crash into reality. But, to return to my point about Rachel's future, I don't think that it's a stretch to see that one of the unintended consequences of the Phoenix Five's actions could be bringing about the destruction that will turn humanity against the mutants, as predicted by Destiny. In other words, it will bring about the sequence of events that created Rachel's future in the first place. I'm not saying Aaron specifically intended to draw that parallel, but it's one that I saw in the careful way that he presented Rachel in this issue.
Aaron doesn't just focus on Rachel, though. He starts to make it clear that the divide between the heroes after "Avengers vs. X-Men" is going to be just as strong as the one between the X-Men after "X-Men: Schism." Aaron really got across that message with the opening scene between Logan and Rachel. Aaron made it particularly impactful by using a tightly controlled dialogue, with both characters presenting themselves as resolute in the certainty of their cause (even if Rachel has some doubts in private). It was hard not to think about the fact that just a few issues ago Rachel followed Logan on his greatest adventure, creating the School. Now, she's cornered him and his allies, prepared to kill who she has to kill to find Hope to please her father, who she both fears and respects. This scene made me realize how over their heads everyone is and how quickly this fight has gone past the point of no return, even more than the Beast/Iceman fight. Everyone is playing for keeps, and no one is just going to hug out their differences when the dust settles...if it settles. It could be why Rachel betrays Scott in the end, allowing Hope to escape. Aaron doesn't linger over that decision, but Rachel clearly felt some need to leave everyone a possible escape hatch.
Two great "Avengers vs. X-Men" tie-in issues in a row! We're on a roll!
X-Men Legacy #269: I liked this one, too!
Gage does a great job at the start of this issue setting up the argument that Ms. Marvel will put forward later in the issue, namely that the X-Men are drinking some seriously strong Kool-Aid. (We saw the first hint of it in "Wolverine and the X-Men" #12, with Cyclops talking about Phoenix loving everyone.) Iceman and Rogue, two of the more level-headed X-Men, gushing about the Phoenix Five raises the possibility that they are being subtly manipulated by the Five, as I think we're going to learn that Cyclops had been by Phoenix before it arrived. Gage also makes the valid point that, even if they're not being directly manipulated by the Phoenix Five, the X-Men are willing to quiet their doubts and follow them because they have so long hungered to change the world and be respected for doing it. (I thought Rogue's musings on the Avengers thinking that the world was fine because they ran it was actually one of the better pro-X-Men arguments that we've seen throughout this event, since it's a pretty valid criticism.)
When we get to Carol and Rogue's conversation, Gage makes it feel really organic. It's almost the antithesis of the Batman/Owlman fight in "Batman" #11, where you felt like Scott Snyder was doing his best to find ways to get through all that exposition while trying to make the fight interesting. Here, Gage doesn't make their conversation feel like exposition at all, but a dialogue between two people who respect and understand one another (even if they don't like one another). After all, it makes sense that, of all the possible Avengers and X-Men combinations, Carol would make an approach to Rogue, particular since we saw in "Wolverine and the X-Men" #12 that Beast and Iceman aren't going to be the ones to bring about reconciliation. The final scene -- of Magik dropping Carol into Limbo -- is as powerful as Gage and Baldeon intended, shocking Rogue from her reverie. I'm excited to see where Gage goes from here. The X-titles haven't really had a running story during the event (whereas the Avengers titles have had the Space Team's endeavors in "Avengers" and "Secret Avengers" and the K'un Lun story in "New Avengers"), so I look forward to seeing the X-Men have their turn at a story-within-in-the-story. Plus, you can imagine how much ass Carol and Rogue will kick together.
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