Superior Avengers takes a tried-and-true concept – supervillains as heroes – and adds all sorts of layers. That’s evident in Superior Avengers #3, out this week, since it’s becoming clear these characters hate Doctor Doom’s guts. Even his kid, who is the team leader, doesn’t love dear old dad. They’re still villainous and willing to kill, but they at least see Doctor Doom as the enemy. That puts their fight with the Avengers in perspective in today’s issue.
Superior Avengers #3 opens with Killmonger dressing after rolling in the hay with Doctor Doom’s son, Kristoff Vernard. While Kirstoff is focused on keeping the team unified, Killmonger has other plans, as backed up in a flashback drawn by Kyle Hotz.
The flashback is substantial, with several pages devoted to it near the start and a return to it later on. We see the year Anno Doom +116, and this “future” ruled by Doctor Doom is a frightening one. Hotz brings a detailed layering that can get under your skin while further humanizing Killmonger. She’s seen friends die, and while she’s no “good guy,” she’s a person.
A motley crew.
Credit: Marvel
The main story is drawn by Luca Maresca, who gets to draw the Avengers versus the Superior Avengers. Frankly, I was surprised the two teams tussled, albeit with both trying to stop Graviton. The Superior Avengers are outmatched to the point where they seem to be getting killed. When Onslaught gets ripped to shreds by Scarlet Witch, it’s a shock, especially since the book is only on issue #3. The cliffhanger is also a shocker, albeit due to Vision being confused, his non-lethal attack put a hole in somebody.
While Maresca’s fight choreography is good, the fight scene also feels disjointed and unnecessary. The point of subduing Graviton is lost fairly quickly, and the attacks are driven by bickering between the teams more than anything else. It doesn’t feel all that important, save for a few clues from writer Steve Foxe that suggest this team is inching closer to a plan.
Superior Avengers #3 continues to subvert expectations with moral murkiness, character tension, and shocking violence, though its biggest brawl veers off course and muddles the plot’s forward momentum.
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