Avengers #5: OK, this issue is (finally) pretty great. The story Aaron has been (slowly) building finally hits full steam here.
Loki exposits the secret history of the Marvel Universe to Cap, revealing the Horde managed to infect the Progenitor while s/he traveled space; life on Earth began from his/her excrement and vomit. (Nice touch, Jason.) The divine and radioactive nature of said excrement and vomit is why we have so many superheroes. The Progenitor’s lover, Zgreb the Aspirant, came to find the Progenitor, but instead the Horde infected him, too. Odin and his prehistoric Avengers defeated Zgreb, and the First Host came to find him and the Progenitor. But, they left without them, possibly for fear of the Horde infecting them, too. The Horde innovated this time, turning Zgreb into a Dark Celestial (Zgreb the Sorrower) instead of killing him. Somehow the Horde then got its many hands on other Celestials, creating the Final Host, which killed all the other Celestials.
With the history lesson complete, the team swings into action. Black Panther manages to charge Carol and his suit with the same energy as the Horde emits, allowing them (apparently) to destroy its composite members. Ghost Rider rescues Cap from Loki’s clutches in the Arctic Ocean, and Cap inspires him to go big, using his powers to take control of one of the dead Celestials. She-Hulk and Thor ingest Ymir’s blood, growing to the same size as the Celestials, and Tony calls on his Godkiller MKII armor from Mars. Now, these four "Giant-Sized" Avengers (again, clever, Jason) take on the Final Host.
It’s all pretty great. I'll say I’m having some trouble buying Cap’s more jocular tone here, but otherwise Aaron has everyone’s voices down so well it’s like watching a Marvel movie, which I assume this arc will eventually be.
Old Man Hawkeye #7: The problem with this issue is that it's hard to engage emotionally with it when you know it isn't "real." In fact, it almost leaves you wishing you'd pick up an issue of an event that unfolded this way. It would be truly shocking to see Magneto murder Wanda. (Paging "Age of Ultron" #1.) Instead, Sacks just hits his marks of shocking death after shocking death without really explaining how the villains got the upper hand. I mean, sure, Magneto unexpectedly kills Wanda, which helps set the stage for the Thunderbolts' successful betrayal; Wanda would've definitely helped mitigate their impact on the battlefield. But, we're never told why the Thunderbolts betray the Avengers in the first place. In fact, Abe wants us to believe Melissa is devastated by her decision, though Sacks never explaining why she made it in the first place. (I assume she made it under duress and we'll learn that once Hawkeye finds her at the convent where she's been hiding.) However, Atlas gleefully murders the Black Knight and Quicksilver here, despite Hawkeye initially swearing he trusted Eric. What changed? Also, Creel's murder of Thor happens essentially off-panel; we're supposed to believe he managed to absorb Wanda's magic (after she died) and Thor's lightning and somehow became a god. But, would Thor really be hurt by a lightning- and magic-powered Creel? Isn't he lightning- and magic-powered? I mean, it's not a terrible issue, but it's not as amazing as the editors wanted us to believe it was going to be.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #307: Man, Chip Zdarsky has to stop making me cry. Between Peter and Tinkerer sharing each other's pain to Teresa's decision to turn herself into the authorities before she meets Aunt May, this issue is an emotional fucking roller coaster. The next issue is a preview of Peter going against the Sandman, and I just hope it's a nice, normal slugathon. My emotions need a rest.
Spider-Gwen #34: As I've mentioned before, I wasn't previously a fan of Jason Latour. I could go into details, but I won't: let's just leave it at that. Then, "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2 happened. Now? I'm hard pressed to think of a more consistently coherent and emotional story than the one he, Robbi Rodriguez, and Rico Renzi have told over the course of this series. At no point did a loose end slip or a ridiculous arc drag. Every moment was packed with emotion and honesty and it drove the next moment packed with emotion and honesty. From Gwen's original sin of "killing" Peter to her tearful conversation with Harry in Madripoor to her resolved argument with her dad in this issue, this series has always been about her relationships. Do I really, really hope "Ghost-Spider" involves Gwen traveling town to town with the Mary Janes, solving crimes and righting wrongs in a way that would make Bill Bixby proud? Yes, yes, I do. But, it doesn't have to happen. Latour, Rodriguez, and Renzi have already told the story of a young woman coming to terms with the mistakes that she's made and overcoming the shame those mistakes inspired in her to become the hero she always was. Origin stories can often glide over the emotional side of this phase, focusing instead on the hero simply learning (usually with an emphasis on comedy) how to use his/her new powers. Unlike possibly anyone who came before him, Latour put the emotional and relationship mistakes front and center of Gwen's story. She couldn't simply learn from her mistakes; she had to take responsibility for them. That's who Gwen Stacy is. It even took her a while to get there, making you wonder at some points if she would get there. Now? She's Spider-Gwen, damn it. I can't wait to see what she does next.
Star Wars #51: This issue reads like a goddamn movie and I feel downright privileged to have read it. The rebels realize the Shu-Torun program only blocks the flight-bay doors from the inside; if someone can fly a ship broadcasting the Rebel frequency near the doors, they should open. One of the generals tries to fly one of the shuttles (that I assume was attached outside the cruiser via airlocks), but the Empire easily destroys it. However, Han unexpectedly arrives and, in a bid to impress Leia, takes on the task himself. I can't tell you the joy I felt reading this issue, from Han putting Threepio on the shields and telling him "life-and-death stakes are a great motivator" to Threepio later yelling, "We're doomed" when Vader manages to hit them. Did I mention that Vader appears from nowhere just as they're ready to activate the doors? The first few issues of this series really captured the sense of watching a sequel to "Star Wars" and Gillen recreates that magic again, as everyone acts and sounds the way you expect them act and sound. I couldn't be happier with this issue.
Thor #3: It’s hard to believe this issue is only a standard size, given how much happens in it. After the various children and grandchildren of Odin fight and squabble in hilarious fashion, Loki proposes Balder and Hel get married so they can unite the fractured armies of Hel behind them and take on Sindr before she destroys Niffleheim. However, Thor reminds Loki the souls in these armies weren’t warriors in real life; they need the Einherjar from Valhalla. However, you can’t get to Valhalla unless you’re dead, so Loki murders Thor at his request, just as Thor is telling him he still believes in him and loves him. (It’s hilariously poignant.) But, it all comes to a head as an unexpected figure stops the wedding: Thanos. Honestly, I totally didn’t see that coming, but I can’t get over how brilliant it is. As ridiculous as this entire issue is (and seeing Thori as a flower girl is as absurd and awesome as it possibly could be), it all works because Aaron has everyone’s characterization and voices down so well. As Sindr learns from Gar-Toom the Blooddrinker how to murder souls, we come to appreciate the threat Odin’s family faces and why this wedding maybe isn’t as ridiculous as it seems. It all happens against the backdrop of some of the best art and colors I’ve ever seen. Aaron and the creative team are quite simply on fire. (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.)
Also Read: Daredevil #605; Darth Vader Annual #2; X-Men: Gold #32; X-Men: Red #6
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