I’m I reading Secret Avengers or what?
This issue is not bad at all, it continues from last issue as protector is the main star in this issue but…….this is the job for remender’s secret avengers book….not the main team which should focus more on the battles, I’ve read one issue of uncanny x-men in which red hulk v.s colossus occurs in a very epic fashion. Why not do something like that instead? There are countless battles in avengers v.s X-Men #4 that even AVX will not cover…..but still is a solid issue which focus on a character who has needed more focus since he joined the team 24 issues ago.
The issue starts with the team who is send to space to face the phoenix before going to their mission as people who haven’t read the main book and this guys get briefed about the phoenix coming to earth and they were the ones chosen for the suicide mission to take the firebird down before it gets to earth. Thor been the avenger that he is tells cap that they will fulfill their duty as avengers, leaving Protector saddened. We move to where his girlfriend is alongside her friends as he explains the situation to her and chances of him not returning alive. Pretty straightforward which allows the person he loves to understand what’s going on instead of keeping it a secret? You have gained my respects Noh-var in that department…..our alien hero gives her a small piece of a blue stone and tells her he will reveal what it is after he returns. He gears up and thanks her for been such an important factor in his life on earth as he kisses her goodbye and disappears……what is this? A very legit emotional scene without bendis throwing bad jokes that usually kills it? We then get a few scenes from the events of secret avengers tie-ins as beast losses it because they get stranded on the kree’s home world after losing against the phoenix (again, events from secret avengers). Few panels later we see protector checking why did the phoenix prison made by beast to capture the phoenix failed. He notices that traces of the phoenix force got inside Thor’s hammer. Realizing the inscription on Thor’s hammer (you know, whoever holds this hammer yareyare) he tells beast that they have been given a second chance. Now Thor equipped with the phoenix cage goes after the bird by himself, kicks some butt till he cripples its wing and gets injured again. Apparently the machine managed to filled itself up with the phoenix force, proving that it can be bested. War Machine suggests the team to go to earth and give this info to tony and the rest of the smart people they hang out with usually to finally take it down…..till Noh-var sadden tells his friends that he has been ordered to take the phoenix back to his people by force. Telling them he swore an oath as he blasts them.
The Good:
Art is classic and great from the master Simmonson as always and specially when I get to see Thor facing off against the phoenix by himself, I always wanted to see Walter illustrated the character that made him a legend in a issue I actually own. Bendis might be slow in highlighting characters he puts on the teams he writes but it’s good he is finally putting protector more than ever before. Also there wasn't anything dumb from any of the characters which didn't sound out of character.
The Bad:
Okay the events of the book are part of the secret avengers tie-in…..so why is bendis doing this? I know he loves covering things we don’t get to see but this things could had easily be covered in secret avengers! This is just another point of view of those events which doesn’t bring anything to the main title. Give us some fights bendis! Leave stuff like this to the guys in charge of you know…...the ones who are doing the whole space mission! I wouldn’t be so rough about it just by the fact that after 24 issues, he finally focuses on the alien kree warrior which he could had done easily before…..and he had plenty of time for that so no excuses.
Overall: 3.5/5
Even if I feel that finally giving Noh-Var the screen time he deserves to be shown as a proper avenger and the issue overall great….it still bugs me the fact that this should had been in secret avengers since you know….their whole tie-in revolves around that team when bendis could focus on other battles in all over the globe that not even AVX will cover. It would had worked much better if secret avengers would had taken another POV in this war (like putting venom in action and the new team lead by hawkeye take on some powerhouses from the X-Men…or something). But overall if you are not reading secret avengers then I guess this is a way to get to see those events a little resumed and in the point of view of a character we haven’t got to see a lot lately.
