The Lincoln Monument is Pretty Angry
The Lincoln Monument stands up and punches a mech driven by a Nazi. Much more than this happened in issue 13 of Secret Avengers, but that's all that I can think about right now.
The Good
First thing's first. In this issue, there was a scene, which is totally my favorite of the year so far, where the statue of Abraham Lincoln gets out of his seat and punches a mech driven by a Nazi. In context, it's just as awesome. I'm not going to tell you why or how this happens, but trust me, it's the coolest scene in comics this week, if you love Lincoln. Then there's some dinosaurs, Native Americans, and George Washington. By this point, you've probably stopped reading this review, and you're on your way to buy the book. I'm sure of it, but I'll continue nevertheless.
This is Nick Spencer's second issue on the book. He previously wrote issue 12.1, and I really enjoyed what he brought to this issue. There's a perfect mixture of action and drama within the issue, and it's nice to see an issue of this book primarily about Beast. Yes, this is a tie-in to the Fear Itself storyline, but it's not a necessary read, but it is a good one.
I'm loving the art team of Scot Eaton (pencils), Jaime Mendoza and Rick Ketcham (inks), and Frank D'Armata (colors). They bring a very dynamic art style to a very dynamic team. Hands down, the best art on a book this week. The panel composition and set-up are just like every other mainstream book, but you don't need anything fancy when the art looks this good.
The Bad
Who doesn't know who Beast is? He's an X-Men member, an Avenger, and a public figure. Why is someone asking if he's the Beast? Sure, it could be common courtesy, but it's a pretty dumb question. Don't know why, but that one piece of dialogue annoyed the heck out of me.
The Verdict
Tie-ins don't have to suck, and they don't have to be parts of a storyline that divulge crucial pieces of information. All they really should do is show the events in that world taking place through another person's eyes, and this is a great example of that. The writing and art are fantastic, and we get to see a side of Beast that we all know about yet rarely see in the comics anymore. Plus, did I mention Lincoln punches a Nazi? I highly recommend this issue, even if you're not reading Fear Itself. Secret Avengers has been a great book since issue one, and it's really picking up heat now.
