The New Avengers #24 Comic Book Review

Article by FisterRoboto of lefthandhorror.com

Shit is getting real in the world of The Avengers, and issue # 24 lets you glimpse the personal intensity building up to Cap and Cyclops beachfront brawl.

Avengers Mansion is still surrounded by protestors. Luke Cage finds a camera crew shooting live and makes a plea to his wife and baby to contact him. Thinking Jessica and his child to be hurt or kidnapped by Osborne since they took off days ago with no warning, Cage is nearing his breaking point. Jessica and baby Cage return, but not before he gives the entire mob a direct message to clean up their own homes and lives before they latch onto something that’s nothing. End the end, the crowd sees the overjoyed Cage drop to his knees and take his wife’s hand in surprised joy. The protestors are left limply holding their signs when the front door to the mansion finally closes.

This issue mostly covers the martial struggle between Luke and Jessica. She knows ultimately where her husbands’ loyalty will fall – besides Steve Rogers and not her. The issue starts the day before Steve makes his plea to Scott on the beach at Utopia.

One would expect the Marvel event of the millennial to feature a little less talking and a lot more clobberin’, but this issue is an important framework that captures just one small amount of personal distress and trauma within the two camps.

Cap gathers the group and tells them all he knows about the Phoenix Force, immediately causing Storm to utter “Goddess” before she flies away. Cap is honest with everyone about his intention of placing Hope in their custody and talking logic to Scott. Right. We know how well that worked.

The issue ends with Red Hulk tapping into his former military persona and delivering an inspired speech about the consequences of this flight to Utopia. He reminds the team that this is not about fighting friends, this is about saving the world along with their own asses.  He reminds them to fight smart, fight within your power level, and to win.

The stakes keep raising substantially with each additional glimpse into the long-awaited AvX. There are a lot of very good, self-sacrificing heroes about to go toe-to-toe over what they believe to be right, and that is a huge part of my personal attraction to this event.

The last panels of the issue show the enraged Luke Cate jumping towards the beach where Captain America is already defending himself again Cyclops attack. Cage, still ripped apart inside about why he has to be where he is, has a look of pure fury on his face and holds his fist pulled back, ready to forget his own pain by causing more at the X-Men’s expense.

Bravo, Marvel. This is great storytelling.