Comic Browser:

#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
#23
#24
#25
#26
#27
#28
#29
#30
#31
#32
#33
#34
#35
#36
#37
#38
#39
#40
#41
Selector

Avengers #23: Review

Nov 2013
Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu

Story Name:

... to the very end

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Avengers #23 Review by (November 24, 2013)
The misleading cover shows Avengers fighting Supergiant, but Black Dwarf is the only member of the Black Order inside. This may be related to the equally-misleading blurb, which promised the Avengers against Thanos and the Black Order on Earth, whereas here they only make from Titan to Earth orbit. The actual battle for Earth is reserved for Infinty #6. Sunspot may possibly also be in 1 of the battle scenes. The cast list promises Nightmask as well, but I can't see him anywhere. Captain America claims here that the Avengers/Galactic Council sent the Guardians of the Galaxy into the Peak. But in GoG#8 they are called in by SWORD's captive boss Abigail Brand. We await the delayed GoG#9 to find out the result of that mission, and how well it ties in with the events here.




 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #23 Synopsis by Rob Johnson
The previously page this time mainly harks back to last issue. An Avengers/Imperial Guard team secured Titan, but not before someone got a warning back to Thanos on Earth. Black Dwarf made ready to defend the Peak satellite against the Avengers and the Galactic Council. Plus a bit from the end of Infinity #5 where the Council agreed to help save Earth. Inf#5 showed this happening after Thanos learned of the taking of Titan. But the Council had obviously really agreed to this plan beforehand.

Iron Man makes his only appearance in this issue as he reports to Captain America about what's happening on Earth. He tells him that he and some others are in Wakanda fighting to keep some dangerous weapons out of the hands of Thanos' troops (in Inf#5). (He carefully doesn't mention that the others are the Illuminati, and that they created the dangerous weapons in issues of New Avengers.) Cap says the Avengers will be back on Earth soon, but IM redirects him to where Thanos will be now (going after his son in the Inhuman city of Orollan - Inf#5 again).

The Galactic Council fleet is hiding behind the Moon, until they receive a message from Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon of Guardians of the Galaxy that they have infiltrated the Peak. Then they move to attack.

Thanos has a whole fleet of ships surrounding the Earth. But it is the Terran SWORD's HQ the Peak (possibly upgraded with alien weapons) which poses the biggest threat. It starts killing Galactic ships even further away than expected. When Mentor and Oracle report this, Guardian sends the Imperial Guard into the fray, and Cap commits some of the Avengers to battle out in space.

We see Hawkeye riding pillion on Spider-Woman's space-scooter, alongside Cannonball, Falcon and Starbrand. Smasher the joint Avenger/Imperial Guardsman is there with Manta, Starbolt and Warstar of the Guard - and Guardsman Titan who gets killed. Plus lots of Galactic troops.

Captain Marvel is acting as central control for the Avengers. The Peak is still firing, and there has been no further word from the Guardians, so she sends in a backup team. Manifold teleports to the station with Black Widow and Shang-Chi.

The Avengers can't wait any longer, so the 2 Cap's board a ship bound for Earth with Hulk, Hyperion and Thor.

The Avenger trio on the Peak are found by Black Dwarf and some of his men. It's a losing battle so Black Widow sends Manifold back to warn the others that their covert mission has failed. He finds the Avengers have already left, and reports the failure to the Council (Annihilus, Gladiator, Ronan and Super-Skrull). Cap's craft will never make it past the Peak.

Black Widow and Shang-Chi are still defiant when Manifold reappears with the Council leaders. Gladiator breaks Black Dwarf's mace, but Thanos' disgraced general still fights them all off, until Ronan the Accuser caves his head in with his weapon of office.

I think the motley crew then take over the Peak and redirect its fire against Thanos' own ships, allowing the Avengers craft to make it to Earth.



Leinil Francis Yu
Leinil Francis Yu
Sunny Gho
Leinil Francis Yu (Cover Penciler)
Leinil Francis Yu (Cover Inker)
Laura Martin (Cover Colorist)
Letterer: Cory Petit.
Editor: Tom Brevoort.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Black Widow
Black Widow

(Natasha Romanoff)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel

(Carol Danvers)
Falcon
Falcon

(Sam Wilson)
Hawkeye
Hawkeye

(Clint Barton)
Hulk
Hulk

(Bruce Banner)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Tony Stark)
Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman

(Jessica Drew)
Star-Lord
Star-Lord

(Peter Quill)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Cannonball, Gladiator (Kallark), Hyperion (Marcus), Manifold (Eden Fesi), Manta, Mentor (A'Lars), Oracle, Ronan (Ronan the Accuser), Smasher (Izzy Kane), Starbolt, Starbrand (Kevin Conner), Super-Skrull, Titan, Warstar.

> Avengers: Book info and issue index

Share This Page


Elektra