Avengers

• Title: Secret Avengers #10
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Ed Brubaker
• Artists: Mike Deodato, Jr., Will Conrad

“Eyes of the Dragon” concludes as the team races to save Shang-Chi before Fu Manchu can kill his son, complete his ritual, and return to the land of the living.

This one’s full of action as the team attacks the Shadow Council’s base and John Steele learns his invulnerability doesn’t apply to weapons forged by the gods.

I was impressed how the Secret Avengers felt like a real team (with snide comments and all) this time around. Whatever the cause, the team clicked better here (at least for me) than in most of the earlier issues.

I’ve felt this comic has been shaky ever since it’s first issue, but there are moments here when it really feels like things are beginning to come together. Of the current major Avengers titles it’s been the most hit-and-miss so far. We’ll have to see if the things continue to improve, but this one is worth a look.

[Marvel $3.99]

• Title: New Avengers #8
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer:Brian Michael Bendis
• Artist: Daniel Acuña

When Brian Michael Bendis is good he’s really good. First, let me just say this is the best explanation of Doombots I’ve ever seen.

Issue #8 is centered around Luke Cage and Jessica Jones having dinner together, something they don’t often do (Cage even idly wonders if this is their first real date). The pair seriously discuss and playfully bicker over the topic of whether or not she plans to put back on the tights as an Avenger. There’s plenty of laughs including Cage’s suggestion of a possible new super-hero name for his wife which doesn’t go over anywhere near as well as he hoped.

The dinner is interrupted by Ms. Marvel, a falling object and Dr. Doom all crashing into the street across from the restaurant. (That’s Marvel’s New York for you.) What follows is a husband and wife takedown of what is actually a Doombot before the other New Avengers arrive, followed by a group meal, Jones’ decision about being a hero, and Spider-Man getting in the last word at Cage’s expense.

[Marvel $3.99]

• Title: Avengers #8
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Artist: John Romita Jr

For both good and ill the latest issue of Avengers is set up to allow our heroes to get caught up on the events of the previous issue. The Illuminati come back together to discover not one but two of the Infinity Gems they split among themselves have been stolen.

The conversations between the characters work well, but the story itself lacks some punch. The only action sequence we get is a flashback to Parker Robbins beating the snot out of the Red Hulk. Speaking of Parker Robbins, am I the only one who finds it strange (pardon the pun) that Dr. Strange can’t mystically identify the identity of the villain putting the stones back together again?

The issue’s final panel sets up what looks like more retreading of the same points as Steve Rogers shows up to find out what Tony Stark and his friends are hiding. That initial conflict should be interesting, but I hope we’ll get some real advancement of the plot as well.

This is actually an issue you could easily skip and not miss any big developments in the story arc. That said, it’s still worth a look for the interactions between the Illuminati, but it’s far from a must-read.

[Marvel $3.99]