By Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Alex Maleev (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors)
It looks like this title has finally caught up with current Marvel continuity. With all the zany time traveling stories behind us, we’re put smack dab in the middle of a Secret Invasion-centric story line, and a very important one at that.
This might just be the best comic you read this week – especially if you’ve been following the Marvel Universe for the last couple of years. What’s the big deal? This issue of Mighty Avengers contains one of the biggest surprises and payoffs we’ve been waiting for: The triumphant return of Nick Fury! And let me tell you, Brian Bendis brings him back with a vengeance.
Picking up at the very last pages of Secret War, we see exactly what Nick Fury’s been up to since he went underground. Bendis takes us through weeks and then months of Fury’s life as he discovers the Skrull menace and acts upon his findings. As he works from his undisclosed location, he watches the world, investigates leads, and places precautions around him. He knows no one can be trusted and until he knows for sure, there’s no way for him to surface safely.
Don’t let the cover fool you. This issue has little to do with the Avengers, themselves, and it might have stood better as a one-shot, but whatever the case, this is one heck of a story and Alex Maleev does nothing but illustrate Bendis’ script brilliantly. In many ways, this issue plays out like a Jason Bourne movie as Fury bounces around from place to place, surprising people and issuing stern warnings. Bendis has found the perfect way to reintroduce him back into Marvel continuity and he serves up one a heck of a thrilling story, too. If you’ve been following Secret Invasion, this is a story you cannot afford to miss. (Grade: A)
– J. Montes