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  1. #1
    Astonishing Member ChronoRogue's Avatar
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    Default Avengers # 679 (Spoilers)

    First part of the issue deals with the immediate fallout of Human Torch touching one of the artifacts. The Peru team are bewildered by what happened and the Black Order & Lethal Legion both take off. Lightning is most affected, feeling responsible for not getting there faster. He takes off to tell Rogue, saying he'd heard they were close.

    Back with Beast & Nadia, Beast is confused on the abnormalities displayed by Jarvis. Nadia thinks she knows, saying that since Jarvis has been there since the beginning, he's been exposed to so many different toxins and radiation via the Avengers over the years that its clung to his person; they dub it "Avengers fever".

    In Rome, Thor suggests gathering their allies and forming another meeting to go over their options. Rogue rebuffs the idea, saying she doesn't feel like the Avenger leaders will come to a consensus. It's part of why she thinks she doesn't make a good soldier, she follows her gut and her gut is saying its time to go on the offensive. Before she can get herself riled up any further, Lightning gets there to deliver the bad news.

    The rest of the issue deals with the Challenger and Grandmaster's backstory. We learn they were old friends, elders of the universe who specialized in playing games, who kept upping the stakes on their contests until eventually the loser was cast out into a dark abyss. The Challenger is revealed to the original holder of the title Grandmaster, before the current Grandmaster took it from him.

    Reminiscing has brought up the Challenger's repressed rage and he grabs Grandmaster in a hold, asking him why he doesn't just end this all now by killing him? Grandmaster says that'd be cheating and appeals to his sense of pride, that it won't be a real victory unless he beats him through this game. When he goes on to say that The Challenger is at a disadvantage now that he's lost one 'player', The Challenger says he's had another in reserve this whole time.

    One guess as to who. He's green and very angry.

    oh and Black Dwarf and Johnny are totally not dead, instead frozen inside some Crystals circling the room Grand Master/The Challenger are in

    ----

    This issue felt a bit weaker than the others, felt very explicitly like a backstory issue, so not a lot of meat in terms of action or plot development. Can't say I was that engaged with what was revealed though I did think it was interesting that Grandmaster took the name for himself.

    The new Avengers leadership seems pretty fractured or absent, so I wonder how they're gonna turn this around. also the narrative is pointing toward some leaving when this is all over more than others

    The cover for next issue implies Janet might come back with the caution that covers can be misleading so it'll interesting to see how a veteran Avenger leader deals with this crisis if it does happen.
    Last edited by ChronoRogue; 02-07-2018 at 07:25 AM.

  2. #2
    Astonishing Member Captain M's Avatar
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    Avengers No Surrender covers have been very accurate so far. I think it's fair to assume Janet is coming back to possibly be in charge of the "reserve Avengers" for the issue.

    I enjoyed the issue. Especially the first part.

  3. #3
    Peter Scott SpiderClops's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChronoRogue View Post
    This issue felt a bit weaker than the others, felt very explicitly like a backstory issue, so not a lot of meat in terms of action or plot development. Can't say I was that engaged with what was revealed though I did think it was interesting that Grandmaster took the name for himself.
    I liked this issue the most. Am I going to be the one with the unpopular opinion from start to finish in this crossover?

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member JKtheMac's Avatar
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    Yes this issue establishes some characters and some context and not a lot else. But it does it well and it ties into Secret Wars, so I liked it.

  5. #5
    Astonishing Member Johnrevenge's Avatar
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    I liked the issue too. It gave an explanation about who the Challenger is while doing some cosmic madness of Ewing (which is always cool and welcome). More or less it sets up the justification of this competition that the Grandmaster and Challenger had set up for the event.

  6. #6

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    I like the issue. Especially the first part and the character beats for the heroes. You can really feel the stress and frustration among the team members. It felt real seeing the toll they are taking trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Good stuff.

  7. #7
    Uncanny Member XPac's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jen View Post
    I like the issue. Especially the first part and the character beats for the heroes. You can really feel the stress and frustration among the team members. It felt real seeing the toll they are taking trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Good stuff.
    I think that's why it was important to take Captain America out of the story. The tension and frustration and even the leadership divide really make this story, and Steve's ability to bring pull everyone together would sort of ruin that.

  8. #8
    Mighty Member Biclopcicle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKtheMac View Post
    Yes this issue establishes some characters and some context and not a lot else. But it does it well and it ties into Secret Wars, so I liked it.
    You know Ewing was key for that. Glad he's on board for this arc.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain M View Post
    Avengers No Surrender covers have been very accurate so far. I think it's fair to assume Janet is coming back to possibly be in charge of the "reserve Avengers" for the issue.

    I enjoyed the issue. Especially the first part.
    With Torch out, it may be the game releases Jan. Like the humans get one from reserve when one goes down?

  10. #10
    Astonishing Member Captain M's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jen View Post
    With Torch out, it may be the game releases Jan. Like the humans get one from reserve when one goes down?
    Definitely possible.

    Makes you wonder who else will be taken out so Enigma and Squirrel Girl get unfrozen.

  11. #11
    Astonishing Member Captain M's Avatar
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    By the way I really felt for Rogue and Lightning in this issue. I'm loving the character moments for the heroes.

  12. #12
    Mighty Member Biclopcicle's Avatar
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    My guess is that Voyager is a mole that Grandmaster inserted as a wild card into the playing deck. Going to be interesting to see how Grandmaster reacts to Hulk being brought back, not as an obstacle, but a player for Challenger's team. Furthermore, what manner of Hulk will it be? Doc Green? Green Scar? Savage Hulk?

  13. #13
    Astonishing Member Johnrevenge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Biclopcicle View Post
    My guess is that Voyager is a mole that Grandmaster inserted as a wild card into the playing deck. Going to be interesting to see how Grandmaster reacts to Hulk being brought back, not as an obstacle, but a player for Challenger's team. Furthermore, what manner of Hulk will it be? Doc Green? Green Scar? Savage Hulk?
    Yeah, it could be a possibility that Voyager's pressence could be because of Grandmaster (after all this issue confirmed he was the one who chose Earth as the battleground)

  14. #14
    Extraordinary Member Cville's Avatar
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    This was the best issue so far. I like the interaction between Grandmaster and Challenger.

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member JKtheMac's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Biclopcicle View Post
    You know Ewing was key for that. Glad he's on board for this arc.
    Yes, He seems to bear the Secret Wars flag when many would like to pretend it didn't happen.

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