In my review of Avengers #17, I mentioned that the book was juggling a lot of plot threads. Avengers #18 takes that up to 11, as the Avengers and their newest recruit, Storm, have to deal with the solar-powered menace of Hyperion. The Squadron Supreme’s former leader, feeling lost after the events of Heroes Reborn, has decided to end his pain – and the Earth as well, traveling at a speed that’ll crack the planet in half. It’s up to the Avengers – and a few other heroes – to turn the tide.
If you’ve glimpsed at the cover of Avengers #18, you’ll know that it guest stars the X-Men, which serves as a nice bit of crossover since Mackay is also writing the X-Men ongoing. However, the aftermath of Blood Hunt also plays out, as are plot points from Immortal Thor and Doctor Strange (another Mackay-penned title). This is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it shows that Mackay knows his stuff and is still hewing to a story model reminiscent of Grant Morrison’s JLA, where the overall fabric of the Marvel Universe can shape threats only the Avengers can handle. On the other hand, it feels like this story needs two issues instead of one to play out, with all the characters being juggled.
Despite this, Mackay still puts character first and foremost. It’s especially prominent with Hyperion; what would you do if you had the powers of a god, were a beloved hero, then woke up to find out it was all a lie? This is far more interesting than “Evil Superman Story #7501” and also plays into the Avengers – or Captain Marvel’s desire to keep the world safe, even if it means making the hard choices. Mackay also has a great handle on Storm, as she has a heart-to-heart with Thor and a rapport with the Cyclops that perfectly aligns with their past encounters.
Credit Marvel
Regarding an Avengers book, you need an artist who can deliver “big,” and that’s exactly what Valerio Schiti does. The opening page has Hyperion barreling through space, his face a rictus of fury. The glowing halls of Asgard never looked more godly. A combination of magic, mutant powers, and Asgardian abilities results in a jaw-dropping page that has to be seen to be believed. Thanks to Bryan Valenza’s color art, it’s properly eye-catching – especially the vast bluish-black void of space and the red/gold blur of Hyperion barreling through it.
Avengers #18 might be a little overstuffed, but it still has great character work and the scale you’d expect from a book with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Now that Storm’s on the team, I hope that continues, especially since the next issue will pit them against none other than Doctor Doom. That’s one way to start your first mission as an Avenger.
Avengers #18 is available wherever comics are sold.
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