Avengers #16 Review/SPOILERS

[Prof. Warren]

The penultimate chapter of the War of the Vampires arc, "A Fistful of Blood" is here and if you've been enjoying this arc so far, this latest installment continues the wild, fist-pumping action.

Thor, Carol and Steve battle the still-possessed Robbie while Jen and T'Challa are handling Snowsnake and Carpathian and Blade is taking on the Shadow Colonel, the Baroness and Sarge. Lots of great action on all sides, with everyone getting a cool moment or two (like Carol brushing off GR's penance stare) all beautifully depicted by David Marquez.

In the meantime, the Winter Guard is dealing with the imprisoned Dracula, with the Red Widow being an especially ruthless interrogator and deal-maker.

By issue's end, Robbie's no longer possessed, thanks to a big save by Blade, and the Shadow Colonel and the Legion of the Unliving, having retreated from their fight with the Avengers, are making their move on the Russian prison where Dracula is being kept.

There's also a surprise last page appearance by a character who I really hope we haven't seen the last of (and if Aaron's giving them a big shout out like this, I can't believe we have).

I continue to find this arc a fun, horror-tinged change of pace and look forward to Blade sticking around for a bit after its conclusion.

[Tony Stark]

Sounds great. What did Tony do in this issue?

[Tracks]

I loved that Aaron followed up on the Dr. Strange Damnation story arc, since Ghost Rider becoming the king of hell seemed like a really big plot point to be left hanging.

Also I hope we get some explanation around what happened to Dracula, that's the biggest mystery for me so far.

[Steroid]

Loving this arc and the last page of this issue was a great surprise.

[MindofShadow]

Sounds great. What did Tony do in this issue?

Little to nothing.

Focused on GR, Blade, and Carol with a dose of Thor and Shulk (out of the avengers). Heavy focus on the bad guys and dracula too of course

[Anthony W]

Yikes. Sorry I had no idea this post was already up! Please ignore mine

Won't spoil it.

The good news: This is a great issue of Blade. Aaron is delivering the goods with this character. It wasn't too long ago that there was talk of going the legacy route with Blade. Aaron's work on the character shows that there is no need for that. If Aaron ever does more Blade work I will buy it.

The bad news: This is easily the worst issue of what will probably be the worst story in Aaron's Avengers run. You have the usual She-Hulk gripes. You have Thor struggling with a...I won't ruin it. Dracula crying because people he didn't care about enough to save are being slaughtered? Huh? Captain Marvel just shrugs off something a little too easily, her reasons for being able to do so are iffy. Ghost Rider meets up with another beloved character.

At this point I really don't care who the Shadow Colonel is. I don't care who is going to be the new Lord of the Vampires. You know what I care about? Who will free the poor mini-thing.

[theoneandonly]

the appearance of blaze was a nice cameo but Robbie brooding that he was sensing more "evil" inside himself even than the king of hell was pretty silly but at least then the starbrands actions in legacy make more sense now

[Michael Watkins]

filler issue. i'd rather read about the Winter Guard or Squadron Supreme to be honest.

[XPac]

Sounds great. What did Tony do in this issue?

Tony basically wasn't around. He was flying back from meeting Dracula in Russia while the Avengers were fighting the Shadow Colonel.

Probably a good thing in a sense, because if there were any more Avengers in that fight quite honestly I think the Shadow colonel would have been overpowered.

[GodThor]

Captain America saves Thor again with his shield, Thor struggles with a car, Captain Marvel shrugs off Penance glare while King Thor got wrekted by it, Blade biting Ghost Rider while not getting burned by Hellfire, She-Hulk being THE Hulk...

yep, definitely Aaron.

[Prof. Warren]

This is easily the worst issue of what will probably be the worst story in Aaron's Avengers run.

This actually has seemed to be one of the most popular and well-received arcs to date.

You have the usual She-Hulk gripes.

"The usual She-Hulk gripes" are pretty tired at this point. I think it's pretty clear by now that Aaron has long term plans for Jen. That they will take time to play out because the larger storylines involving the group as a whole take precedence over the individual players is just the way it goes in a team book.

You have Thor struggling with a...I won't ruin it.

Thor hardly struggles at all in this case. We're talking about a single panel here. And if anything, it leads to one of the funniest lines in the issue as Thor shouts down the Ghost Rider's car.

Dracula crying because people he didn't care about enough to save are being slaughtered? Huh?

I think it's obvious there's more to Dracula's reaction and that he is playing the part of a soft old man here, lulling his enemies into a false sense of security.

Captain Marvel just shrugs off something a little too easily, her reasons for being able to do so are iffy.

Nothing wrong with Carol being able to stand up to GR's penance stare. She's pretty tough, after all.

[kilderkin]

This actually has seemed to be one of the most popular and well-received arcs to date.



"The usual She-Hulk gripes" are pretty tired at this point. I think it's pretty clear by now that Aaron has long term plans for Jen. That they will take time to play out because the larger storylines involving the group as a whole take precedence over the individual players is just the way it goes in a team book.



Thor hardly struggles at all in this case. We're talking about a single panel here. And if anything, it leads to one of the funniest lines in the issue as Thor shouts down the Ghost Rider's car.



I think it's obvious there's more to Dracula's reaction and that he is playing the part of a soft old man here, lulling his enemies into a false sense of security.



Nothing wrong with Carol being able to stand up to GR's penance stare. She's pretty tough, after all.

Or it suggests she feels no guilt for her actions in say cw2

[Tony Stark]

Little to nothing.

Focused on GR, Blade, and Carol with a dose of Thor and Shulk (out of the avengers). Heavy focus on the bad guys and dracula too of course

Tony basically wasn't around. He was flying back from meeting Dracula in Russia while the Avengers were fighting the Shadow Colonel.

Probably a good thing in a sense, because if there were any more Avengers in that fight quite honestly I think the Shadow colonel would have been overpowered.

Thank you both for the info. It's greatly appreciated.

[Snoop Dogg]

Or it suggests she feels no guilt for her actions in say cw2

The Penance Stare is supposed to just make you feel the pain of the innocents you've hurt regardless of your feelings on it, so that just wasn't enough to stop her and she got mad for being judged again.

[Prof. Warren]

Captain America saves Thor again with his shield,

Steve doesn't "save" Thor here. He jumps in to take on Robbie while Thor is recovering from a recent hit. It's not like Thor was in mortal peril.

If anything, Steve is merely defending himself as Robbie is blasting him with flame. Thor just happens to be in the background of the action.

Thor struggles with a car,

Not just any car, but a hell-spawned one. It's not like he's getting run over by a Chevy. And his "struggle" is all of one panel. The next time we see him, he's got it all under control and his ready to hurl the car at Robbie.

Captain Marvel shrugs off Penance glare while King Thor got wrekted by it,

King Thor has quite a bit more for the Penance glare to work with.

Blade biting Ghost Rider while not getting burned by Hellfire,

This seems like a scenario where hard logic really doesn't, and shouldn't, apply.

She-Hulk being THE Hulk...

Aaron's plans for Jen are going to take time to play out. It's one subplot among many.

yep, definitely Aaron.

Well, he does like to have fun. If you're the type of reader who finds it to be an egregious breach of logic when Blade doesn't get burned when he bites a Ghost Rider rather than just enjoying the fact that thinking, hey cool, Blade bit a Ghost Rider, then Aaron's approach just isn't for you.