Uncanny Avengers #3 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Remender crafts a beautiful story here, truly embracing the "Uncanny" and "Avengers" sides of this story.

First, I have to say how impressed I was with how well Remender uses the 80's-style omniscient narrator here to amplify the drama and tension of the story.  The 00's and 10's have been all about a "Batman"-esque first-person narrator, one that may drive a story but does little to create a mood. But, here, Remender details the terror that the victims of the Red Skull's mob feel, shows the struggle that Captain America experiences in fighting the Red Skull's telepathy, and generally conveys the sense of hysteria that we see seize Manhattan, all through his carefully worded narration boxes.  Moreover, John Cassady perfectly matches these narrative cues with great facial expressions, keeping us focused on the people amidst the chaos that could have easily deadened the emotional impact of the story.

Remender also really gets his characters here.  For example, he perfectly describes a Logan so enraged by the Red Skull's use of Professor X's brain that he gives himself totally to the animal in him.  I also loved his work with Havok and Captain America, showing Havok as completely in charge and unbowed by a mid-controlled Steve's attempts to undermine him.  It's such a nice change from how we usually see Alex portrayed.

But, it's the Red Skull who really takes the cake here.  Remender has created a Red Skull freed from years of stories and baggage, allowing him to retain the brutal focus that he had during the war.  He's totally in command of the situation and the issue.  By having people actually die, Remender makes you wonder where we're going next, showing a Red Skull who has broken free of the usual rules and, as such, is more unpredictable now than ever.

Given how incomprehensible "Avengers" and "New Avengers" are, this issue serve as a stark contrast, a classic story done extremely well.