Dark Avengers #186 *Spoilers*

[strathcona]

I liked this issue much moire than the last one. It just seemed clearer what was going on.

yellow makes me think A.I.M. but i'm also kind of wondering what happened to the mystery explorers from the first Point One issue.

I suggested that in last issues thread, but there was no response to it.

[Kieran_Frost]

DARK AVENGERS #186
writer. Jeff Parker
artist. Micro Pierfederici
colourist. Chris Sotomayor
spoilers:

Brief Synopsis: on “another Earth?” the Thing [Ben Grimm] leads his army of monsters against the Iron Zone’s metallic warriors. Desperate to stop the impending war, Mr. Fantastic [Dr. Reed Richards] teleports in (with his modified “Awesome Andy” as protection), warning Ben that the world is out of joint; that beyond the solar system is nothing but a void… the world is not supposed to be like this!!! Elsewhere, in the lab of Dr. Hank Pym, the Witch [Dr. June Covington] has reassembled the remaining Dark Avengers; who are the only hope for this doomed world... ~ cliffhanger: the Dark Avengers first mission is to free their comrades from Doctor Strange’s magic spells, the old fashioned way: KILL the spell-cast to break the spell [grade: A+]

end of spoilers
~ cover: another “war propaganda” influenced images (this one from Russia); with Ragnarok swinging his hammer, while his image is duplicated in red behind. A beautiful image [grade: A+]

LOVED
1. shrunked Ai Apaec!!! Every panel, every quote is sheer joy!
2. Moonstone vs. Skaar. Even though they can’t stop fighting, they communicate their next move, so the other can survive. I’m really loving their building friendship.
3. THE THING: Didn’t think she’d come back. It was the combination of the line and the look on Ben’s face that made this moment incredibly powerful.
4. WOW! SUE “THE BAD-ASS” STORM OF ATLANTIS!!!
5. Oooooooh! Where did Sue get the “power boost she didn’t want” from?
6. Sue’s plan: flood New York to end the war. Chillingly simple.
7. THE WITCH: I did major, MAJOR surgery on him. He could be out a long time. Or not. He’s a cyborg clone of an Asgardian, so who can say?
8. OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!! Who are those men in yellow, watching this all! EX-CI-TING!!!

LIKED
1. “Lord Demonpimp!”
2. DREAM PROSTITUE: Let’s all pleasure him! Like, a LOT.
3. NAMOR: Never understood why everyone was so fixated on this place. HAHAHA! Little “in joke” dig at Marvel, me thinks! ;)
4. Ai Apaec’s knowledge of the ancient; including how to break a wizard’s spell. Nice (and logical) inclusion.

OVERALL
This felt a little like a filler issue, at times. It’s not that it didn’t move the story forward; but a good chunk of the issue felt like a “refresh” of last issues situations that we already knew. It’s a minor complaint, because A LOT of awesome things happened this issue; including learning more clues to this world. I’m so intrigued what Jeff Parker is planning; who are the men in yellow? What gave Sue a powerboost? What Marvel story of recent years is this all triggered from? Once again June Covington stole every scene she was in; quickly becoming my favourite character (after Moonstone, of course). She’s smart, she’s immensely intelligent and she gets the job done. And as for the cliffhanger… EPIC! I am so, so pumped for next issue’s throw-down. Cliffhanger: ASSASSINATION!!!
~ rating: 4 out of 5 [grade: A-]

[Kieran_Frost]

yellow makes me think A.I.M. but i'm also kind of wondering what happened to the mystery explorers from the first Point One issue.

I figured A.I.M. BUT I couldn't think what recent story (involving A.I.M.) could have led to this world???

Reed's explanation, reminds me of Age of X, where the situation isn't an alternate timeline, but a small area in an altered reality, cut off from the rest of the universe.

Agreed. I wonder if it was a direct influence?

Why is it Jeff Parker's books don't seem to last very long?

To be fair, Jeff Parker has had a long run on Thunderbolts/Dark Avengers. He first joined back in issue #138. He's coming up to 50 issues on this comic.

That's the thing, you can't really get bigger than the Wrecking Crew without stepping on some other writer's toes. There are so many X-titles (TWO alt. reality books) that Aaron had to use the Circus of Crime.

THIS! The fact is the Dark Avengers are too powerful to take down street level gangs, and Jeff Parker won't be allowed to take on the big guns. It's the same problem with Way's Thunderbolts; ultimately they CAN'T go after the truly major threats (even though it makes sense too). The only 616 heavy weight Cage's team got to take on was Sultan Magus (Parker's own creation). Everything else was new villains. It's a shame. That's why I liked the timetravel arc, Parker was allowed to use BIG names (Black Knight, Cap, Namor, Zemo, Doom).