New Avengers #21 Review (w/spoilers)

[Double 0]

First off, spoilers.

spoilers:

Strange destroys the Great Society. Only Sun God (barely) and Spectrum are still alive. T'Challa and Stark stop Strange from going any further via a reverse repulsor blast. Black Bolt gets the bomb and defeats Spectrum. Meanwhile, Maximus tells Black Swan that she may have underestimated the Illuminati, but then provides her with an option to ally with him (subtly). T'Challa is told over and over again to do what he's meant to do (kill Namor, save Wakanda, blow up Earth) by his dad, T'Chaka, and disregards all three. And for that, he outright gets the "You are no longer my son" speech. With an extra "you're aren't a Black Panther" on the side. Holy s**t, I REALLY want to see where Hickman goes with this. But the biggest question is... Who ends it? Who blows up Great Society's Earth? It's not Black Bolt, though he gets the bomb back. It's not Strange, because he's hella pissed about what happened. It's not Hank nor Reed nor Bruce nor Tony. And it could have been T'Challa if that annoying bit called morality hadn't gotten in the way. So... It was Namor. Namor blows up Great Society's Earth, committing mass genocide. Again, holy s**t. Then again, it totally makes sense since one of the pages I saw for NA #22 was T'Challa fighting Namor.

end of spoilers


This issue was heavy, filled with gravitas. If Ghost Rider was the feel good issue this week (buy it, it's awesome), this is the polar opposite. Sun God, a borderline Superman, begging in an old and crippled state will definitely haunt the Illuminati for issues to come. I also love how T'Challa went not only against the rest of the Black Panthers, but also against Maximus' speech. In a sense, he went Cap, but too late. I really want to see where this goes; I have faith in Hickman as a writer to really make this story arc work for the Illuminati members that don't have books, as well as Reed. This is the low point for pretty much everyone involved... Unless "Time Runs Out" says other wise.

BTW, Namor's speech was chilling, absolutely chilling.

Fantastic work by Hickman but also Schiti in making what was a game changer really feel like one. I can't wait for the fallout of this issue. The Illuminati are definitely done after this; you don't even need to see the "Time Runs Out" covers to know that.

[smoothrunes]

Well if anyone was gonna be the one to do it, it was gonna be him. Though Hickman had me going for a moment, thinking that maybe T'challa would go through with it. All in all, a great issue that shows that when push comes to shove, none of them can willingly condemn an entire alternate Earth to death, except you know you.

[Double 0]

Well if anyone was gonna be the one to do it, it was gonna be him. Though Hickman had me going for a moment, thinking that maybe T'challa would go through with it. All in all, a great issue that shows that when push comes to shove, none of them can willingly condemn an entire alternate Earth to death, except you know you.

It also rather poignantly answered the

spoilers:

Why have Namor around question. Because he'll do what the rest won't.

end of spoilers

[Mooper Films]

That doesn't surprise me who pulls the trigger. Especially after we saw the recent cover to "Time Runs Out" and that member of the group missing. This shows the beginning of the end of the Illuminati.

[Hariel0079]

Maybe it's just me but it seems to me Maximus was flirting with black swan. In which case I like. Maximus and BS panels are probably my favorite in this issue.

[Mahes]

spoilers:

Well, looks like Namor is going to be a full on villain now. Cap and the rest of the Invaders are going to be pissed if this gets out.

end of spoilers

I think it's an oversimplification of what happened but yes I do agree on the latter part.

Maybe it's just me but it seems to me Maximus was flirting with black swan. In which case I like. Maximus and BS panels are probably my favorite in this issue.

Hmm I didn't read it that way. I just saw it as him trying to lure her into an alliance. But reading it as flirting makes it the funniest part of the issue.

[xcoijoi]

Couldn't happen to a nicer unelected group of self-proclaimed saviors.

That doesn't surprise me who pulls the trigger. Especially after we saw the recent cover to "Time Runs Out" and that member of the group missing. This shows the beginning of the end of the Illuminati.

[KOSLOX]

Couldn't happen to a nicer unelected group of self-proclaimed saviors.

To be fair T'challa isn't a self proclaimed savior. He was powered by a god for that specific purpose, and Reed was named his second.

So "mostly self-proclaimed" would be more accurate.

[jackolover]

Is there any conceivable way that this did not happen? Could there be a bait and switch going on here, and the illuminati are having some delusion about destroying an Earth, when in fact the Incursion never happened?

Otherwise, Dr Strange being thwarted from destroying GS Earth, and T'Challa being heroic till the end, all means nothing really. Hickman brings this all to a close. Here are the Marvel heroes that have deserved our admiration, pulling something like this. It doesn't matter that Namor carried out the coup de grac. It is the intent of the group to carry out this killing that we see here, exactly like what Steve Rogers was stating, in that the Illuminati will justify this, like the Black Swan.

What was Namors speech? I want to know what was so chilling.

[Tendrin]

....yeaaaah. I am not sure how I feel about all that.

[Mahes]

This issue was fantastic. Finally the line is crossed and we will see utter hell break loose in the next 2 issues due to what they did. Maximus was fantastic and he's so on the money regarding Black Swan. For a moment, it seemed like everything would work out for the Illuminati and that they would be heroes but no...that last panel with Namor's fantastic speech sealed it.

[Nosocialize]

It also rather poignantly answered the

spoilers:

Why have Namor around question. Because he'll do what the rest won't.

end of spoilers

Makes me think Hickman is angling to have Namor be a villain.

[Kieran_Frost]

WOW! For the first time since I stopped reading this series... I really regret it. This sounds AMAZING! Gonna have to pick it up come pay-day. I too am very pleased with the choice. I didn't want T'Challa to be the one (GOD, that would be cannon fodder for some); and Namor fans are strong, we can handle it. It was a good choice, and Namor IS the one most likely to actually have the balls to do it. Have the previous issues been this good? Should I get the TPB?

Images:
http://33.media.tumblr.com/18d8a4698...q1ao2_1280.jpg

http://38.media.tumblr.com/17d0d9e5e...q1ao3_1280.jpg

http://37.media.tumblr.com/99b058dee...q1ao4_1280.jpg

[brettc1]

Well if anyone was gonna be the one to do it, it was gonna be him. Though Hickman had me going for a moment, thinking that maybe T'challa would go through with it. All in all, a great issue that shows that when push comes to shove, none of them can willingly condemn an entire alternate Earth to death, except you know you.

Indeed.

Namor is the biggest a-hole among the Illuminati.

Color me stunned.

Mind you, Strange is not far behind. Multiple homicides to his credit - sad.

[brettc1]

Time this issue had a thread of it's own, I thought.

If you have read this issue you know what happens and if you haven't the spoiler warning is in the title so exit now if you don't want to know...