Blogathon 21: New Avengers: Revolution

[Discussed in this post: New Avengers #27-31.]

We're finally post-Civil War, people! Took long enough! But we're square in "Initiative" country, folks. The war is over and these people lost.

This story focuses on two plots: the New Avengers hiding out from Iron Man's Mighty Avengers (I'm just going to use the adjectives from the titles of the comics for simplicity's sake); the New Avengers heading to Japan to rescue Ronin/Echo from Elektra and the Hand. It's actually pretty good stuff and ends with the Skrull heard 'round the world.

The two Avengers teams confronting one another is handled well. The New Avengers are hiding out in Dr. Strange's house and they use a lie that Captain America is still alive to try and lure them to the Raft (where he's been kept as they try to keep him alive). Dr. Strange uses his astral form to go there and... holy shit, Captain America is alive, y'all! Except, when they get there, he's totally not. IT'S A TRAP! But, Dr. Strange does that magic stuff and gets them out of there. The Mighty Avengers show up at his house and don't find anything. So they bring in Brother Voodoo and he doesn't find anything. But they know those dirty rebels are there -- if only it were legal to just bomb houses owned by Starbucks without just cause.

Then, the Avengers go to Japan to save Echo/Ronin who has been captured and killed and brought back to life by Elektra and the Hand. But, do you know who's already with the Avengers? Ronin! What gives? Clint Barton is Ronin is what gives, folks! I know! So, they fight and rescue here, but Elektra and company follow them and they fight more and Echo stabs Dr. Strange, but he saves himself via magical communion with Wong and cures Echo of the Hand's influence and she kills Elektra, causing the Hand to retreat and...

elektra is a skrull

SHITS!

Okay, I'll stop writing like that. Sorry.

Bendis addresses the conflict that continues to exist between the two teams early and well. The New Avengers almost get outsmarted, but are able to outsmart the Mighty Avengers because of magic. Magic playing an odd/unpredictable role is something Bendis will use a lot from now on. These characters aren't used to magic.

The team's interactions at Dr. Strange's house are rather good. It's only been a day and they're already on one another's nerves. Wong is not Jarvis. Luke and Wolverine almost get into it when Logan makes a crack too many about Luke being whipped -- these guys aren't friends yet. It's all quite good.

The Japan stuff is also entertaining. I think the fight plays out better here than in the first "Ronin" story because Leinil Francis Yu is a much better artist than David Finch. Look at how Yu choreographs a fight scene compared how Finch does it and tell me any different. Yu creates chaos that you can understand, Finch creates messy chaos that looks like a bunch of shitty art.

Luke Cage delivering Matt Murdock's 'message' to Elektra is entertaining. And a move that you just don't see enough in comics. (A kick to the groin. You'd think it would come up more.)

Clint joining the team is a smart move because he fills the absent Captain America spot -- I can't think of anyone more fitting. I do wonder how he grew his hair back so quickly, though.

I have no real complaints about this storyarc.

In 30 minutes, Tony Stark is a girl! Mighty Avengers: The Return of Ultron.

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