Weekly Comic Book Review.com

Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), John Romita Jr. (Breakdowns), and Klaus Janson & Tom Palmer (Finishes)

There’s a trope in bad movies and TV shows that’s almost as common as guy-being-tortured-spits-in-his-tormenter’s-face. In this scenario, a man and a woman are about to climb into bed together, when the woman pulls out a pair of handcuffs and smiles. The guy’s all like, oh yeah, do it to me, you naughty girl. And, of course, as soon as as he’s cuffed to the bed, she turns out to be working for the other side, and she pulls a gun on him, or calls the cops, or steals his money, or whatever. This scene always makes me want to shout at the screen, “You’re a secret agent, for God’s sake! How stupid do you have to be to let a strange woman tie you up?” Also, I doubt that many men really love being constrained during sex. I’ve always thought bondage was kind of, you know, kind of lame.

But all that’s changed now. In the latest issue of Mighty Avengers, Brian Michael Bendis once again refuses to advance the plot. Once again he gives us an issue-long flashback. This time it’s Henry Pym, Yellowjacket, who has moved to London with Janet after the whole Avengers:Disassembled fiasco. In one perfect little scene at the beginning, Bendis sums up their whole dysfunctional relationship: she’s been out drinking with fashionistas while he’s been in front of his computer all night. Finally she’s had enough and she takes off. Pym, in retaliation, shacks up with a beautiful little science-groupie who seems too good to be true, and is. We see her pumping him for information. We see her finally reveal herself and pound him into the floor. We see how a Skrull literally wraps herself in her new identity. We see that the whole Ultron Initiative was actually a ploy to get a handle on Stark’s new tech. And we see “Pym” give a very special gift to his ex-wife.

In other words, Bendis teases us the entire issue without ever getting back to the main storyline, giving us just enough to make us want more, to beg for more. He has us tied up, and I love it. I am now, officially, Brian Michael Bendis’ bitch.

The Secret Invasion is up there with the Kree-Skrull War, with the Mr. Mind saga, with Starlin’s Warlock, and this issue is another key piece in the whole grand puzzle. (Grade: A+)

- Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

For me, this the team that worked on this issue is a dream. It doesn’t get much better than this. And as enamored as I am with said creative team, I have to disagree with my comrade on his assessment of this issue. Sure, it’s a good issue - heck it’s a great issue, but I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best things I’ve read this year. The reason I say this is because I wouldn’t call this a true stand-alone story. Yes, it deals with just one character in particular, but overall, this is just another piece of the Secret Invasion puzzle.

What makes this book excellent is that it shows how clever Brian Bendis is. The seeds he’s planted over the past year are finally sprouting and as you can expect, there’s a reason for everything. Each plot, no matter how throw away they’ve been (like that female Ultron storyline), suddenly becomes legitimate. This is another “connecting the dots” issue that clearly shows how Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (and us readers) have been played for fools. It also finally answers the question if the real Ant-Man has always been the abusive husband or if his Skrull counterpart is. So is it worth picking up? Most definitely. The story is engaging and the art, pure Romita Jr. “goodness”. (Grade: A-)

- J. Montes