I'll admit it: I actually thought Remender was off his game. It was so obvious that Ian was the intruder that his reunion with Steve lacked a certain emotional punch. It didn't help that they hardly had time for a hug before (a rather dashing and handsome) Ian joins Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor in an assault on Zola's tower. But, I was wrong. It's the unexpected revelation on the last page that Sharon is alive that made me realize that Remender knew exactly what he was doing. Talk about a bait and switch!
Beyond the revelations, this issue is a joy to read. Remender does a spectacular job with the characterization of everyone here. From Tony's running commentary to Hulk's amazing "Hulk am poet of SMASH!" exclamation, the characters not only sound the way that they should but draw out the best in each other. Remender constructed the story to maximize the potential of these interactions. I loved watching Ian dive into battle with the other Avengers, and the paternal affection that even Tony starts to show toward Ian makes me hope that we see this group fight more battles in the future. Moreover, Jet and Sam continue to be the best unexpected couple of the year. Sure, Jet seems to have entirely changed her personality over the last few issues, but maybe Remender is just a hopeless romantic and believes that love inspires people to leave behind their shell. Either way, it's just fun to watch them.
Plus, it's not only a great stand-alone issue, but it also sets up the grand finale. Cap, Hulk, Ian, Iron Man, Jet, Sharon, Sam, and Thor versus Zola? I can't wait to see that. This title continues to be the only one that breaks my usual habit of reading my pull list in alphabetic order, because I can't wait to see what happens every month. All hail Rick!
***** (five of five stars)
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