Basement X

AVENGERS # 7

In this Hickman book we are seeing the New Universal concept of a chosen Justice, Starbrand and others. Defenders of a world.

I like how this concept is being introduced in this story line. The basic concept is what if someone with a personality that isn't going to be able to cope with power gets power. Nothing new, but interesting all the same.

Anybody else find it dumb on the Avengers part then to approach an unstable and powerful person as a team surrounding him? Might he not feel under threat and lash out and could this not have been predicted?

I'm also curious as to whether I'm the only one stroking my head in confusion about what Captain Universe or whatever her name is, actually is and how powerful she is. I was very confused with how she ended everything in the last story. It's like she turned up and everything just stopped.

My hat is off to the creative team here, in that I myself paid absolutely no attention to the kid who got the Starbrand power. I actually had to flip back to each page to see if he really was in them rather than just assume that he was there. Very nice job getting me to buy into his whole being ignored all his life aspect by not drawing my attention to him until he's been given super powers.

Good point on the Avengers surrounding him. That's pretty much the standard troupe though of heroes encountering a new hero but coming off like they're threatening them (which this team of Avengers may very well do to begin with). I'm sure there'll be somewhat of a fight coming up.

Yes, Captain Universe is definitely somewhat confusing, but I believe she's supposed to be. I don't think we're supposed to understand her at all yet, and she'll be a long term plot thread that Hickman will develop over time.

My one complaint: I couldn't tell that was Banner in the Quinjet until he jumped out! I spent about five minutes trying to figure out who he was, from looking back to the confusing character logo chart at the start to wondering why Tony Stark looked smaller and in different armor while his new Iron Man armor was walking around to a range of other possibilities. But when I finally looked at the panel of them all jumping out of the Quinjet and he Hulked up, I recognized him.

Also, what's with the armor the Hulk is wearing? Where is that being dealt with? Indestructible Hulk or Secret Avengers?

The armor has been shown in Indestructible. I haven't read it yet but I've flipped through a few issues to see it. Is Hulk joining Secret Avengers? He wasn't in the first issue but since he is now a weapon of SHIELD (pretty sure that's the Indestructible premise) then it makes sense.

I can't imagine him joining the Secret team, Chris.

The premise of the SA team is that they all forget the mission if they are compromised or once it's over. It's an interesting (not entirely original, but interesting) take on the deniable ops story.

Yeah, like Chris said, the suit is introduced in Indestructible. I think it was explained in that book (I can't remember though) that it's for Banner. I do remember that Banner seems to have a whole monitoring system and HUD in his contacts informing him of his adrenal levels and heart rate.

I can't imagine him joining the Secret team but since they make you forget everything, you never know what they'll choose to do.

Gotcha, thanks for clarifying the suit. How does it not get destroyed in battle though? Have they brought that up?

As for Secret Avengers, I recall them mentioning in the early dialogues of the series that Hulk would be involved somehow. Last I heard, the writer was discussing how more people would have the potential to be on the team because they wouldn't always remember being on the team. And if you look closely at the cover, you'll notice one of the files under the open Hawkeye/Widow file is one on the Hulk as well, a possible hint that he may be involved in the book.

Edit: Spencer talks about the editions to Secret Avengers here, with Hulk and others included:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=44231

My mistake guys, the preview art for later Secret Avengers has Hulk all over it.

I have a bit of a problem with SA, which I also found in UXF. Why do a secret team where the same costumes they wear in their heroing time?

Now, Widow and Hawkeye, you can easily imagine going 'covert', but isn't it really unlikely that you can deny Hulk's involvment with anything?

I'm not reading SA, but my guess would be this:

They find the location of whoever they're targeting, if it's too big for everyone else, Banner get's dropped in. Hulk goes crazy doing his thing, destroying the base and hopefully winning the day, and SHIELD is now allowed to swoop in to 'try and contain the Hulk' as that's definitely a public goal they will have, I'm sure. In reality, they announce he gets away and have to keep tracking him but now have a reason to be on scene in a location where they originally had to have undercover agents.

That's just a theory to make Hulk work, and I could be utterly and completely wrong. Again, I'm not reading the book but my girlfriend is so I may read some of her copies to see what they do.

In UXF, they weren't wearing the same costume, they were wearing B&W versions.

I'm with Ed, that Banner was very hard to recognize, in part due to the fact that his skin is almost black in one of the panels.

Overall, I like this book except for this Captain Universe character who came out of nowhere.

XIII wrote:In UXF, they weren't wearing the same costume, they were wearing B&W versions.

I'm with Ed, that Banner was very hard to recognize, in part due to the fact that his skin is almost black in one of the panels.

Overall, I like this book except for this Captain Universe character who came out of nowhere.

Yes, B&W versions of the costumes make the character truly unrecognisable.


I too thought Banner was hard to recognise and I'm reading Incredible Hulk. I wonder if the artist of Avengers thought Banner would be hard to recognise in the first panel of his appearance.

Does anyone know anything about Captain Universe? I remember seeing an image of Spider-man as Captain Universe once and a few other characters too. Other than that, I don't know this all powerful person.

Captain Universe is just supposed to be this Omni power I believe that is given to one man or woman whenever Earth is in some terrible danger. Basically the concept that anyone can become the ultimate hero at any time. Super Strength, flight, energy, breathe in space, etc. So this woman is merely the latest person to wield the power, meaning something huge is coming that she needs to protect the Earth from.

I too thought Banner looked nearly black at one point, making me think he was either the person they took back from Mars or another new character. While it was resolved, it wasn't a very well drawn image of him. Maybe it was meant to be a surprise? Though I guess the armor doesn't lead to that theory.

Avengers #8

So, anyone else thought that fight was entirely avoidable?
Oh well, it did serve the purpose of demonstrating how powerful the Starbrand is.
Everyone finding Hulk a little more recognisable now?
The ending is quite intriguing. A suitable cliffhangar.
Who finds Captain Universe continually frustrating? I don't understand her at all. She bloody antagonised the situation. You've got Cap A trying the nice approach and then Cap Universe looking away into the distance saying things like, "yeah, you're broken. You're a broken little mistake". Nice. Good skills there. If I understood this character more, or could see frustration with her from some of the other characters, then I'd be okay with her troublesome character.

Yeah, you make a valid point that Cap Universe is a big question mark in the team. Sure she seems really powerful but also completely in her own world thus uncontrolable. She is as much a liability as an asset.
I'm still enjoying the story though. And Dustin Weaver needs to draw more books.

I don't mind her being a mystery. I do feel like it's a bit too much of a "I'm doing something you can't figure out and I'm going to put it right in front of you non-stop" from time to time with her having dialogue with others we don't know about and it being this big focal point later on. Almost like Hickman is kind of flaunting his writers knowledge of where the book is going while readers don't as much as possible. I don't mind mystery, just don't shove it down my throat as often as you can.

AVENGERS #10
Writer: Hickman
Artist: Deodato

So, I've missed issue 9. From memory, the Nightmask(?) and the Starbrand(?) went to Mars to meet up with Nightmask's daddy. Nightmask's daddy sends out more rapid evolutionary spores down to earth and that's where that issue ends.

In this issue, we explore happenings in Canada. This is a set up issue. Felt kind of like a part one, but if so then that's strange, since last issue didn't feel like a conclusion issue.

I rather like Deodato's art. He does a good Wolverine and a good Cap in his new outfit.

I don't really like this book. I've found I have not time for Hickman's computer terminology laden narration bubbles. I just can't get into it. I may pick up next issue, but this book is up for the chop.

You hate Jonathon Hickman

What I'm starting to hate is this whole Ex Nihlo storyline. I wouldn't mind if it had popped back up around issue 13-15 after taking about 10 issues off. I thought we had finished it with a sort of cliff-hanger at issue 3, but that it's been the constant plot pushing all the sub plots, I'm tired of it. We're nearly 12 issues into this book and it hasn't wrapped. It'd be one thing if it was subtle each issue, but it hasn't been. It's been over the top in our faces the whole time.

That being said, the art in the book has been great. The rotating artists have all done really good work, and it even feels like there's a somewhat consistent style to the book. I've really liked that.

Now that you mention it, I'm not really a fan of the Ex-Nihilo story, so having him continually pop up as a central character, when I thought I wouldn't see him until a few issues down the line, is a bit annoying.

With art, is Deodato adapting his art style to match Jerome Opena's from the first arc?

In this book, a lot seems to happen, but I don't really feel like I experience it happening. In the first story arc, the world gets covered in evolutionary advancing bombs and yet I'm left with no great impression that the Earth has suffered these consequences. The story ended with Cap Universe saving the day with parent authority, which you have to buy as something Ex-Nihilo considers important, even though your introduction to this powerful person was brief and took place quickly.
This book feels like a story is happening, but the comic I'm reading them in doesn't really cover the main bits.

And so, due to my reluctance to quit things, my general joy for reading comics, the art of this book and the fact that it was a light week for my comic bag, I bought...


Avengers #11
Writer: Johnathan Hickman
Artist: Mike Deodato

Oh the martial arts cover and it centering on Shang Chi also helped persuade my pocket to part with cash.

This is a standalone issue with plot developing points for a later story. This is much like the last issue I suppose. This issue treated us to a spy/reconaissance/intel mission. Goes a bit wrong, but they get what they intended to get in the end. Nice stand alone issue. All characters voices were unique. Nice action, nice art, pretty good issue really.
Now, much like the last issue, which was a recon trip to Canada followed by a plot point being held for a later date, I don't suspect next issue will pick up the A.I.M plot point.
I did like this issue, but I'm worried Hickman will suddenly drop all these plot points in one story and I'll feel surprised to later learn that I've just read the story that ended a plot point, but can't remember the action really taking place.

I'll probably stay on for next issue.

I liked the newest issue. It was fun seeing a sort of recon team going through a whole mission without "suiting up" so to speak. One of the best issues lately that wasn't over shadowed by this Ex Nihlo story.

Also it was issue 11, not 9.