Monday, November 30, 2009

New Avengers #59 / Ultimate Avengers #4

For our second "double review" this week (catching up for the holiday), the Avengers are up to bat.

In the New Avengers, the team faces a major problem. Needing advanced medical treatment, Luke Cage surrendered to the Dark Avengers - and now the New Avengers have to figure out a way to rescue him.

What follows is a fun, Oceans 11-style story, with several twists and turns and loads of guest stars.

It's the usual strong writing from Brian Bendis and outstanding art from Stuart Immonen, with a terrific double splash page (though you have to wonder what Spider-Man is actually swinging from).

Add on a neat twist at the end and you have a darn good comic.

Grade: A-

Over in the Ultimate Avengers universe, it's all about wall-to-wall action, as the "new" Avengers, assembled by Nick Fury and Tony Stark's smarter brother, go after Captain America.

Cap's off on a mission of his own - to discover the true story behind the new Red Skull - and War Machine, the newly cloned Nerd Hulk (I am not making this up) and the Red Wasp are out to stop him.

It makes for a fun, action-packed issue (although Cap uses an especially despicable trick that, thankfully, works) - just what you'd expect from writer Mark Millar.

The art by Carlos Pacheco is quite good, of course, and he has a lot of fun with the fight scenes here.

Of course, it's the same old complaint about the "Ultimates" - no one is particularly heroic or sympathetic here - but it is good mindless fun.

Grade: B

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