Avengers #18 Review and Spoilers War of the Realms Tie-In

[Prof. Warren]

Eh... way to early to tell how this Hyperion is going to turn out in the end. Given what we're seeing, this one may well end up going nuts faster than some of the previous ones.

Time will tell.

Today's issue was a lot of fun. McGuinness' art here was some of his best on this run to date and Aaron seems to be having a ball with the Squadron.

As for the development with Coulson, well, we'll see where that goes!

[Anthony W]

Just read it.

spoilers:

"I want her wilder, more arrogant. Think Thor, but with with boobs. Or Wolverine. You know the old them. Before they went all soft" Aaron takes aim at the people who dislike his Thor characterization but ends up only shooting himself in the foot. Aside from that. Not a bad issue. Ed McGuiness creates an oasis in the desert of subpar art that Marvel Comics has become IMO. He managed to make me genuinely excited for Avengers vs mind controlled Squadron Supreme yet again. Coulson is back and I prefer the character this way as. Comic book Coulson always felt badly shoehorned in so if the character is a villain now I'm fine with it. Hopefully he manages to dispose of Nick Fury Jr (a character whose presence is even more ackwardly shoehorned in) before he is taken down. This was also a War Of The Realms tie-in. Thankfully all it came down to was punching some giants. So it was painless.

end of spoilers

[Nomads1]

This run is really being kind of a let down for me, in some aspects, at least. Maybe it's because I really wish I could be excited for it, but I'm always left disappointed. Except for his choice for new Avengers, Aaron hits all the right story points that I've long dreamed of seeing. His line-up is classic enough (Thor, Cap, IM, Carol, T'challa and She-Hulk, even if I hate this version of the character and miss fun Jen, as core members are IMHO, the kind of team we haven't seen in a long while, and should have seen more), I like that he is exploring a lot the international heroes teams. I always found a superpower wars a natural storyline. Another natural development for me is the USA investing in it's own supertem, though I can't say I'm psyched about his choice, and I think there are many other "patriotic" characters that, IMHO, would make a better fit for such team. I've long wanted to see the Squadron Supreme again (even if I have no idea what kind version this is), but I really wanted to see the 716 team and what happened to them and their world post Utopia. However, the fact is, ultimately, I find Aaron's writing dull and kind of pretentious. The pacing is boring, and the resolutions anticlimactic. Still, I continue to follow it, I just wish I felt more excited about it.

Peace

[Michael Watkins]

I would rather read about this new Squadron; especially if the artist stuck around.

[Prof. Warren]

I would rather read about this new Squadron; especially if the artist stuck around.

I bet they're going to keep McGuinness on the Squadron issues. He's a perfect fit for them. Can't wait to see them clashing with the Avengers.

[Michael Watkins]

I'm curious to see if these really are new characters. They could have mind wiped a number of characters to make their Squadron. Those origin stories definitely sound manufactured. I thought Spectrum was John Jameson for a second.

[XPac]

I just wonder how they’re going to bring coulson back from this one, or if i’m even going to care anymore.

It's potentially easy enough to bring him back, if he's being controlled or manipulated or whatever. I think a lot of people in this story are getting their heads messed with, more than what we're actually seeing on the pages of this weeks issue.

[Dreaded Porcupine]

I'm curious to see if these really are new characters. They could have mind wiped a number of characters to make their Squadron. Those origin stories definitely sound manufactured. I thought Spectrum was John Jameson for a second.

It’s hard to tell. This guys are the real deal so mind wiped is the most likely scenario. There is no duplicating Hyperion’s power. Or Zarda’s for that matter. These guys tore it up. The Avengers would be hard pressed to have done as well. Or anyone else for that matter. Can’t wait for the big duke with the Avengers. Hope to see more of the Squadron after this arc is done.

[Jabare]

Power Princess can be on my team anytime

[BroHomo]

is this the same Hyperion from Hickman's Avengers orrr?

[Steroid]

Fantastic issue, Aaron's run has come a long way since the Final Host.

[theoneandonly]

it seems that the story was throwing shade at the infamous Superman/big Barda shooting for a blue film moment.
apart from that run of the mill story. its funny how many stories seem to fit the mediocre norm these days apart from a few exceptions.

[JKtheMac]

Fascinating issue. It feels like the Squadron are being used for their natural purpose for the first time in a long while. The themes feel more Gruenwald, with mind control and utopian ideals. Combine that with an isolationist tendency and we have the SSA, making America great.

The amount of fine control Coulson seems to have over them is fascinating. The programming scene made them seem artificial, and the Nighthawk seems to believe it is a mind control technique. Which itself is being encouraged to a fine balance by Coulson. If these guys are the Squadron we have seen since Secret Wars then they are no longer quite themselves. In a way I would prefer them to be the same characters, because usually the twist is that one or other is an alternative version.

Of course that last but one panel suggests this may not be Coulson at all, which may throw all previous assumptions into a spin.

McGuinness is the perfect fit for this issue. Every SSA pose evoking the all-American superhero with a slight sinister twist.

[numberthirty]

If nothing else, it was an interesting sidebar.

[Nomads1]

It’s hard to tell. This guys are the real deal so mind wiped is the most likely scenario. There is no duplicating Hyperion’s power. Or Zarda’s for that matter. These guys tore it up. The Avengers would be hard pressed to have done as well. Or anyone else for that matter. Can’t wait for the big duke with the Avengers. Hope to see more of the Squadron after this arc is done.

Actually Hyperion is the easiest to find a stand in. He could be someone like Nefarius ( Lloyd Bloch, the original Moonstone) brainwashedinto believinghe is Hyperion. I think he's dead, but when did that stop anyone in comics?

Peace