Uncanny Avengers #5

I have been really enjoying this series since it launched yes even with the awkward shipping schedule and I have had to re-read the issues again to check up on the details of the stories but still once read properly it is a very good read and it was a great way to start the book off even if some people don’t agree and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next (especially with last issues ending).

Plot

The Apocalypse twins are born in Akkaba City under the North Pole and are taken to be looked after but Kang the Conqueror takes them away. The Wasp and Wonder Man come to Avengers mansion and meet Rogue and Havok. Scarlet Witch talks to Captain America about how she should lead the team and not Havok. Wolverine goes to Sunfire in Japan.

Review

I may be slightly biased I admit but I feel as though anything that any series that Coipel jumps on to for an issue or two that it dramatically improves in quality and this was still pretty good anyway so you can guess how I felt about this issue. This really is my favourite book of the week and this is kind of the one-shot story I really like that expands on the books roster and line-up but has some interesting plot developments in the book but also having some great character moments that get you interested in what might happen with the team in future issues because of how they feel about each other. This issue delivered that in spades and definitely is a great read for anyone but especially fans of the Dark Angel Saga as this continues one of the plot threads that was left hanging at the end of that arc and really because of the apocalypse involvement this really should just be considered as the next chapter of Remender’s overall Apocalypse story.

One of the criticisms of this series has been Remender’s use of lots of text on certain pages mostly evident in issue #3 which did slow that fairly hard and fast hitting story that was going on in that issue but in this issue which is not really that action packed (aside from the last bit) I think it works and for this particularly scene it worked to the books advantage emphasising the importance of the events in this issue but also giving us hints as to what is to come in this series and how the Apocalypse twins are going to influence the future of this planet. The actual development with the Apocalypse twins is interesting and considering who comes into play with what will happen to them this could become a very interesting storyline with a lot of potential especially with what the said character does at the end of this scene. I still like that Remender has given us the continuation of this story as the Dark Angel Saga is a personal favourite of mine and I always wondered how this particular plot would be resolved and I’m glad it was Remender who continued it as he began this story and I feel like he should be the one to continue it as he made the story and made it as good at it is.

This issue we are introduced to three new team members the Wasp, Wonder man and Sunfire. This team was interesting from the start but to introduce these characters it makes it even more interesting and intriguing because the Wasp has been dead for several years and has only recently reappeared, also Wonderman is now a pacifist and Sunfire is well as Wolverine so nicely puts it ‘a walking atomic bomb’. I like all three of the new team members but my favourite is the Wasp she’s always been an interesting character and well I’ve missed her and I wasn’t pleased with what Bendis did with her (I don’t think anyone was pleased with it) but I’m happy that’s she’s now back and Remender has a good handle on her character as she’s a fairly sassy character but still very feeling towards people but it’s evident she’s very attached to the team as she gets upset with Rogue in a very funny scene and well both characters are portrayed very well and considering this little meeting I’m excited to see how these two characters interact in the future. Wonderman is an interesting character and I do like him but overall he’s my least favourite of this team I just found him a bit annoying in the Bendis run (maybe because Bendis wasn’t handling him well) but I like him in this and considering he’s a pacifist now I want to see what happens when he’s put in a tough position in future issues. Sunfire really is the most dangerous character on the team because well he’s drunk and has been binging for a long time since he stopped being a horseman of Apocalypse. Sunfire really is the wild card of this team considering that the next arc is Apocalypse related and Sunfire’s characteristics he could definitely be a big part of the next arc and he could really influence the overall direction of the team.

Scarlet witch also gets a spotlight in this issue her appearance does bring several questions into play as to again what can happen with this team and how different they all are and this scene is interesting and it is a nice show of what Wanda is currently going through and while it may seem at first that Wanda is acting a bit childish I can understand why she would be brought to this and the scene itself is nicely done.

The ending well it’s a big shock and it’s a neat twist to the book and I can’t wait to see how it is continued but what I liked about it was who actually did it as she (that’s the only clue I’m giving) is a very interesting choice to pick with what has recently happened with her powers and how the control she has created still might not be as full as she’d hoped which could be another interesting part of the series and for the character although I may be wrong about this. The character that is actually killed is probably the most sensible choice as he has a strong tie to one of the members of the team and that tie into the actual confrontation very nicely.

I think I’ve made this pretty clear to a lot of people that Olivier Coipel is my favourite artist mainly because his art is just nothing short of phenomenal in everything I’ve seen him do but probably another reason is that Siege is was the first trade paperback I ever bought and I was stunned by the art in that in every way and basically what Olivier Coipel draws I get it because I know it will be visually stunning in every way and this issue is no exception. Like I said earlier when Olivier Coipel jumps on to a series it improves in quality a lot (avengers vs X-men even though overall it was pretty bad but Coipel’s issues were the best in my opinion) I don’t know why that is maybe he’s just a good luck charm for a series maybe it’s because the writer has to switch to what Coipel is drawing and that improves it I just don’t know but this is how it feels for me. Coipel also seems to try to improve his art every time he appears on a book because he still is fantastic with action even though there is little of it in this issue but he seems to be trying to show body language better you could see that he was trying to improve it in Avengers vs X-men but it looks really good in this and each character looks different showing their emotions without actually talking it is done very well and if Coipel continues to improve his work I can’t imagine what it will one day look like and how good it will be. Coipel probably shows body language and emotion best on Rogue, Havok and Scarlet Witch Rogue looks sassy and a bit smug at points (in a good way) Havok looks like he’s trying to be a good leader and looks like he’s stressed out a lot trying to do his job. Scarlet Witch looks repentant and she’s trying to do her best to do something good again, Coipel nailed it with every character but those are the ones that stand out the most for me.

Verdict

Yep this issue was fantastic and the series has improved and I’m glad Remender has continued the Dark Angel Saga but also introduced new characters to the story to influence how it goes if anyone has had previous misgivings about this book giving this issue a try it’s a lot of fun to read and it’s visually stunning and I have high hopes for this series now! (pun intended)

5 stars