Throughout Jed MacKay’s Avengers run, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have had to deal with “Tribulation Events”, Earth-shaking events that will change the universe as we know it. In the process, they’ve gained a new base, helped the X-Men battle Orchis, and were swept up in the chaos of Blood Hunt. Now, Avengers #22 finds our heroes in a position to discover more about the Tribulation Events – but only if they rob a casino belonging to the Grandmaster!
This effectively makes Avengers #22 a heist comic – this new storyline even boasts the title of “The Casino Job” – and showcases why MacKay’s run on Avengers has been such a unique one. He’s not afraid to play with different genres, whether it’s horror during the Blood Hunt tie-in or a mini-disaster movie with the Hyperion two-parter. Superhero stories lend themselves well to these types of genre shifts, and I’m glad that MacKay is leaning into it.
In keeping with the theme, the story is even structured like a heist film. As the Avengers plot out their attempts to rob the Grandmaster’s casino, it starts playing out on the next page – or even within the confines of the same page. Everyone has a role to play; Storm and Scarlet Witch draw attention via a fake fight, while Iron Man, Captain Marvel and Captain America break into the vault containing the info they need. It’s a fun way to show the close dynamic the Avengers have, whether it’s as friends or teammates.
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MacKay is once again joined by Farid Karami, who makes the Grandmaster’s casino feel as immersive as anything from Star Wars or Star Trek. Like any good casino, it’s stocked full of games of chance and attentive staff, only the staff is aliens of all different kinds, and three of the Avengers have to disguise themselves as aliens. (Wicked fans will get a kick out of Iron Man’s design.) Federico Blee lights it all with bright reds and golds, really selling the opulence, while also tinging Cory Petit’s word boxes with a color corresponding to each Avenger so readers can tell who’s saying what.
Karami also dedicates a few pages to the fake fight between Scarlet Witch and Storm, and the two sell it for all it’s worth. Even though they’re putting on a show, Karami’s depiction of chaos magic clashing against the weather is a thing to behold – especially due to how Blee lights up the page with bursts of crimson energy and bluish-white lightning.
You may have noticed that I haven’t discussed the attention-grabbing cover, which promises an appaerance from Black Cat. While the feline thief does make an appearance, it’s a rather sporadic one – which was a bit of a letdown as I thought she’d join the Avengers. However, the way she enters the story is a genuine surprise, and even ties into the ongoing story! Kudos to the creative team for actually living up to the promise of a solicit.
While its guest star may have a fleeting presence, Avengers #22 is a fun heist that manages to push the ongoing story forward. It’s also a reminder that this is one of Marvel’s most underrated titles.
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