After a four-month delay, Aliens vs. Avengers concludes in issue #4, out today. It may have taken ten months to get all four issues, but nothing can deny the mind-bending scope in Jonathan Hickman’s ideas and the gorgeous painterly work of Esad Ribic. The story is now primed with Mr. Sinister taking full advantage of the xenomorph while only a few superheroes remain. It’s an issue that features everything you love about Aliens, from scientific manipulation to tons of characters getting their brains blown out by the alien’s inner mouth!
Aliens vs. Avengers #4 opens with Mr. Sinister bringing the alien hive to heel thanks to getting infected by one. A day later, a new alien crawls from his body, larger, presumably smarter, and deep red. It’s a freakish new form for the alien that Ribic knocks out of the park. These opening pages add to the stakes and danger since the aliens had no trouble before, but now they have a new kind of leader.
From there, the story focuses on the Wakandans and how their giant intergalactic nation fell. These scenes help convey why Black Panther is off helping the main characters. Aside from a clever twist on why portals are actually pretty bad, it feels a bit long to get back to the main action.
Awww, babies are so cute!
Credit: Marvel
The main action picks up in the present with Iron Man now dead, and only a few heroes still standing. They are Captain Marvel, Wolverine, Armor, and Manifold left standing. This leads to an excellent action sequence, sacrifices are made, and all hope feels entirely lost. The ebb and flow of danger and action is palpable. Fans of the X-Men will like seeing Armor kick butt, and while these characters are more about showing how powerful the new Sinister-Alien is, it’s a fun fight scene nonetheless.
The story shifts dramatically with a convenient flashback and the reveal of what Miles was up to. Playing around with flashbacks certainly hurts the progression of the main story, but it does offer some nice surprises. A new form of Venom should get fans giddy, for instance.
So, how does the story wrap up? More or less a bit too easy, if you ask me. It’s your classic example of a hero finding a new gear and capitalizing on it. At least the final message weaves in the notion of why the Avengers must avenge, although the mission they are asked to do seems way too big, considering most of these heroes are old and probably too tired.
Aliens vs. Avengers #4 delivers jaw-dropping visuals and high-concept sci-fi horror with a suitably epic final confrontation, but its storytelling stumbles. The too-easy resolution keeps it from being a classic. It’s a messy, ambitious ride that sticks the landing… mostly.
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