Rick Remender may have lost some of the good faith built up between himself and the Marvel faithful over the odd opening arc of “Uncanny Avengers.” However, he and Daniel Acuña hvae officially recouped that loss, plus some, thanks to a spectacularly dense issue that pays off on several long building story threads.
Written by Rick Remender
Illustrated by Daniel AcuñaRagnarök Now continues!
• A team divided. The Apocalypse Twins triumphant.
• Wolverine discovers The Midnight City and soon wishes he hadn’t.
• The Horsemen of Death shatter the Avengers body and soul!
If it wasn’t already commonly accepted, let it be recognized that Rick Remender is a mad man. With an already impressive body of work, including licensed properties like “Uncanny X-Force” as well as creator owned projects such as “Fear Agent,” “Uncanny Avengers” may be his most ambitious undertaking yet. Here, Remender raises questions regarding weighty philosophical concepts like pacifism, self-identity, the value of life, and pragmatism. He raises the stakes with heavy hitting villains such Kang and Apocalypse. He breezily moves from cosmic vistas lorded over by celestial gods to scenes of street level drama. He weaves threads from such seminal stories as ‘Days of Future Past’ with modern day classics as is own ‘Dark Angel Saga.’
Now, take into account that all of these things are encompassed in not in a run or story-arc, but rather a single issue, one that somehow manages to find a respectable (but not perfect) pacing.
Here, several plot threads from Remender’s recent Marvel work, the murders of Kid Apocalypse and Daken, Warren Worthington’s fall and rebirth, come to a head. Wolverine’s dark past as leader of X-Force is laid bare to his Avengers teammates, and the fallout creates a plot that is far closer in tone to the former.
At the same time, Remender focuses on more recent issues, particularly the rivalry between Rogue and Scarlet Witch (dramatically illustrated in John Cassaday’s stunning cover) and Havok’s speech from a few issues back. Rogue and the Witch reprise the argument waged across social media regarding the implications of Havok’s “M-word” speech. You can almost hear Remender using Scarlet Witch as a mouthpiece, combating the arguments raised by fans, which are in turn regurgitated by Rogue. This sort of meta-commentary works to further churn the discussions in the real world, as well as develop these two characters and the social issues plaguing the Marvel universe.
Nevertheless, Remender gets a little overindulgent. Like most real-world arguments, the discussion here is quite wordy, cyclical and even a little mind-numbing. Also, since this is essentially a one-sided argument, the “moral of the story” is reiterated rather heavy handedly at times. Finally, it’s a little ridiculous that this heated and wordy argument takes place in the middle of a hectic Danger Room simulation. This is a common superhero trope that always requires a healthy suspension of disbelief.
Speaking of “preachy” one character’s believes are all the more interesting, in light of recent sentiments towards the ending of Man of Steel. In a one page display of non-violence that borders on a public service announcement, Wonderman embodies the best of the Distinguished Competition’s flagship hero. It may just be 75 years of homogeneous superheroic action and posturing bleeding into social consciousness, but it seems artist Daniel Acuña goes out of his way to visually draw a connection to Superman. The scene, though short, simple, and relatively inconsequential to the issue’s overarching plot, is just another example of how even the darkest comics can be “fun.”
Speaking of Acuña, the artist continues to set an impeccable standard graphic storytelling. His breathtaking style, coming in somewhere between Steve Epting’s dark and detailed pencils and Frazer Irving’s exaggerated and haunting style, Acuña’s pages are surprisingly pop-esque, with saturated with vibrant color, appropriate for the Claremontian melodrama. Standout pages include the issue’s opening dream sequence, the widescreen view of the Apocalypse Twins’ secret hideaway, and the last page reveal of the latest Horsemen. Although the latter scene was spoiled by Cassaday’s upcoming cover art, Acuña’s rendition is actually preferable. If there’s one complaint to be leveled against the art, it’s that Acuña’s figures are often quite static, and even stick out from their surroundings, as if they were pasted on to a pre-drawn background. Still, this book looks quite unlike its peers on the shelf.
Continued belowIt’s not just the heroes enjoying a bump in character development. The Apocalypse Twins are shaping up to be rather complex and enjoyable villains, primarily due to their relationship to Kang. While the twins’ lineage would have inevitably set them against the side of the angels, their torment at the hands of their adoptive father casts a shadow of sympathy over their actions. This sense of ambiguity caries over to Kang, whose timeless nature allows for various incarnations with conflicting natures and motives. When the enemy of your enemy is your friend, while your friends are worse than enemies and your enemies are your best hope at saving the future, the lines between right and wrong become terribly murky.
The shift from “X-Force” to “Avengers” has brought a large tonal shift to what is essentially one long-running epic, one that allows for organic growth and doors to new opportunities. Although he wasn’t involved with “Avengers vs. X-Men” proper, Remender is utilizing the new status quo in the most interesting and meaningful of ways. It just so happens, with the consequences of the past few years’ worth of story, that this is a fascinating time to explore the unification of human and mutant. With the additions of the splintered timeline and horsemen threads to an already full pot, “Uncanny Avengers” runs the risk of faltering under its own immense weight. However, like all high stakes gambles, the payoff is potentially huge.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy.
