The day has been saved, yet again! But is it different this time? What’s next for the team? Find out in Avengers #690!
The Skinny
Hasn’t the time come for Jarvis to leave all this madness behind? How often do they have to rebuild the mansion? But wait, Nadia’s J.A.R.V.I.S. doesn’t even know where Captain America’s tea is! Retirement belayed!
There’s a new Scientist Supreme for A.I.M., although the old A.I.M.ers are getting bold again, too. Roberto da Costa’s not sure he likes the way things are going, and after shaving years off his life saving everything, he’s ready to try things a different way.
And what of Voyager? The daughter of the Grandmaster that helped turn the tide in the Avengers’ favor? Redemption is a classic part of the team’s lore, but maybe it’s too early for her. After all, someone still needs to tend to the Challenger.
The Lowdown
“Didn’t take long for things ta get back to normal,” Rogue says. So it goes in Avengers #690, the denouement of the massive, weekly “No Surrender” story. As in any event series, new status quos are set up at the end, and the hunt for Quicksilver is introduced. Roberto’s desire for change is once again reminiscent of the Champions’ mission statement, so it’s no surprise Mark Waid’s name is listed first among writing partners Al Ewing and Jim Zub.
Hawkeye and Bruce Banner have a heart-to-heart, though it doesn’t seem like much is resolved, and it’s unclear how this should relate to the upcoming Immortal Hulk launch. There’s more “aren’t the Avengers great?” dialogue, but it’s not as heavy-handed as in previous issues. But is this really the team’s greatest triumph? Hyperbole like that does tend to ring a little false, and might make long-term fans squirm.
Artist Pepe Larraz returns to finish what he started, and the pencils here are more like the early issues of “No Surrender” than the slightly less impressive ones from the previous installment. The faces are more expressive, and David Curiel’s colors still distinguish the characters and the moods in different scenes.
The Upshot
Avengers #690 is a suitable conclusion to the “No Surrender” story, but it does feel a little thin to warrant an entire issue. The status quo setups are something you’d usually see in the same issue as the climax, but with so many different characters to hit, maybe this was unavoidable. The more subdued superlatives go down easier than the boastful descriptions we’ve seen before, so this issue should be palatable for both new and old fans.
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