Avengers #11 was a thrilling, fun side trip on Jonathan Hickman’s cosmic odyssey! You don’t have to have read the earlier issues and enjoy this espionage filled chapter that puts Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Spider-Woman, Sunspot and Cannonball on the front burner of a undercover mission that would impress James Bond.
A.I.M. scientists are taking the alien viruses from the previous arcs and turning them into bioweapons for highest bidder. Natasha, Carol, Jessica, Roberto and Sam assemble in Macao to execute a Mission Impossible operation against A.I.M. agents. Hickman is known for his big epic scope but here he shows he’s equally powerful at writing comedy mixed with the thrills.
The real star of this issue is Shang-Chi. While the rest of the squad is working cons in a criminal packed casino, the Master of Kung Fu fights an army of ninjas and an ancient enemy. Hickman has set the stage for what could be an action packed solo adventure for Shang-Chi. This chapter is Wake the Dragon and I hope this is a wake-up call for Shang-Chi fans to get excited and rally Marvel to give him a shot at his own series.
I’ve loved Mike Deodato’s art for years but this issue just looks and feels like I’m seeing his work for first time. Shadowy fights, powerful expressions that tell us as much of what’s happening in the scenes as the dialogue and Carol Danvers at her most powerful and seductive – and she’s not even in costume.
By Editor