Avengers Assemble 15AU, Fearless Defenders 4, Deadpool 9

Avengers Assemble 15AU
Ewing (w) and Guice and Palmer w/Magyar (a) and D'Armata

For those asking where Captain Marvel has been through all this Age of Ultron business, Al Ewing has your answer in this Avengers Assemble tie-in. She, like Black Widow in Avengers Assemble 14AU, was on vacation when Ultron struck. Unlike Black Widow, she was in Britain and managed to touch base with Captain Britain, the Black Knight, and Excalibur (the hero). Excalibur (the sword) is keeping Ultron away from them and giving them a chance to save civilians but they desperately want to take back the rest of London before Ultron gets too strong. They can't go into Otherworld for fear of Ultron infecting the omniverse. Carol saves a seemingly random citizen who is trying to talk to a couple of the Ultrons (he gets them to change their credo from "submit or perish" to "exterminate") and manages to get him back to the British Museum, their current base. Carol also explains to the audience that this AU timeline is happening in the same time as her solo book because she can't fly here either. The random civilian turns out to be an old superish-hero named Computer Graham, a former hero who could enter computer programs (oh, the 80s). He can still do it but he admits that he has more trouble now as the computers have gotten so advanced and he hasn't really kept up. Still, they form a plan around him, hoping to take him to St. Paul's Cathedral, Ultron's base, and giving him time to fight Ultron in the code. Captains Britain and Marvel intend to escort Graham there but Captain Britain forbids Black Knight from coming, saying that his sword, the Ebony Blade, is the anti-Excalibur and gains more power with killing sentient life and ultimately spreads fear and hate. He's already killed a bunch of Ultrons, which are sentient life, so the Ebony Blade is getting out of control. They can't risk it going any further, as Brian warns it would be worse than Ultron. Excalibur (the hero) can't go because she's a healer and is needed at the museum. Instead, a young girl who is a great soccer player goes (oh, England). They get there successfully, Graham enters Ultron's code, young Mel is killed when she refuses to run, Captain Brian (who has bequeathed Captain Britain to Excalibur in case he doesn't make it) has a moment of weakness as he blames himself for Mel's death and is also killed, Graham dies unsuccessful, and Captain Marvel absorbs and reflects the horrible energy Ultron is putting out, presumably killing her but taking out a bunch of Ultrons with them.

This issue continues to make me believe that the tie-ins for Age of Ultron are better than the Age of Ultron series. You get a little more depth to the characters in the tighter format and you get the chance to see how they're affected by everything and how they plan to strike back. It's nice to be in Captain Marvel's head for this and Ewing seems to pretty much nail the character. On top of that, it's always nice to see British heroes pop into the world now and again and to get a dose of Marvel UK history. Ewing's story is a good one and there are still a couple of laughs to be had in this very morbid tale (including Ewing labeling each hero for our reader, saying things like "Faiza Hussain is EXCALIBUR" and eventually needing to change things up as Captain Britain gives his title to her, giving her a new reveal line that says "Faiza Hussain is CAPTAIN BRITAIN" and showing Carol asking Brian what that makes him, to which he responds "...Captain Brian?" and the caption follows suit, saying "Brian Braddock is CAPTAIN BRIAN." Look, it's fun. Did I overexplain it? Probably. I'll own that. Just, trust me, it's fun. Also, if this whole issue was an excuse for that joke, I'm still onboard.). It's a good story where we don't really have to care about the outcome, sad as it is, because we know Captain Marvel isn't dead. Still, the feelings of the tie-ins are real and seeing the way Carol and the others react to the horrors is worth seeing.

Fearless Defenders 4
Bunn (w) and Sliney (a) and Gandini (c)

The Doom Maidens have accused Valkyrie of being one of them, though she has no memory of this. It all comes rushing back to her though just as the Doom Maidens start gaining power. She insists that they retreat while they can. As they leave, they find themselves up against the Doom Maidens now riding a sort of dragon. Valkyrie teleports them away. As they regroup at one of Misty's safe houses, they plan out their next move. For Valkyrie, that means leading the Doom Maidens away from Earth alongside Hippolyta and Dani. For Misty and Annabelle, it means Misty setting up shop as a leader of Heroes for Hire again.

I think the book is finding where it wants to be. I still don't really understand the tone of the series so far, which alternates between serious and goofy without any real warning. The covers have all been a little goofy and the character intros continue to attempt playfulness. However, the story is shaping up and I won't act like I'm not excited to see Misty running Heroes for Hire again. That will hopefully lead to good times while Valkyrie and her crew head to inevitable bad times. There's also a romantic storyline developing or, perhaps, decidedly not developing between Annabelle and Valkyrie. They shared a triumphant kiss in the first issue which Valkyrie waved off but has clearly weighed a bit on Annabelle, who tries to comfort her in this issue by holding her hand but is shaken off again. Look, sometimes there are really long reviews and sometimes there are really short reviews.

Deadpool 9

Posehn and Duggan (w) and Hawthorne or Moore (a) and Staples (c)

First things first: the cover says the artist is Hawthorne and the title page says the artist is Tony Moore. So I guess either could be the artist. I didn't look it up if they weren't going to.

Deadpool and Agent Preston find themselves locked in Deadpool's mind for a bit after their run-in with the woman who steals Deadpool's organs. With Deadpool unconscious, Agent Preston searches Deadpool's mind and finds a strange museum of himself that she decides must represent the way he views himself. Deadpool finally wakes up in the street and runs across Michael and Ben Franklin again, who need to access an ancient library underneath Ryker's prison that could hold the magical books they need to restore Preston to her body. Deadpool concocts a plan wherein Michael is arrested by the police, then teleports them into his cell. Michael, Ben, and Deadpool head to the library from there where Deadpool leaves the other two to research. He and Preston have to kill Vetis' next target to give Michael and Ben time to research. This target, unlike the last one, apparently wished for aquatic powers  in order to save other people's lives, not for personal profit. Deadpool still kills him to Preston's disgust. Deadpool and Vetis talk after the demon arrives to collect the dead man's soul and Deadpool gets the idea to tip Mephisto off to what Vetis is doing (which is essentially trying to overthrow Mephisto so he's not an underling of his any more). To get there, though, Deadpool decides the fastest way would be to kill Michael, which he does as the book ends.

I suppose my biggest compliment for the title right now is that it's not actively making me angry at this point. Obviously my first few reviews of this title made it pretty clear that I was painfully unhappy with the series. They've toned down some of the in-jokes and the obvious set-up/punchlines that dominated the first arc (though both aspects are still totally present) and are more focused on the more complex storyline this arc. That might be a function of the fact that it is a more complex storyline, requiring more focus, whereas the first arc just needed to show dead presidents. Either way, I'm certainly still not onboard with this series (in fact, I think I find it Marvel's weakest offering right now) but it's stepped a spot up in its quality.

Uncanny X-Men 4, Fearless Defenders 3

Uncanny X-Men 4
Bendis (w) and Bachalo, Townsend, Mendoza, Vey, and Olazaba (a) and Bachalo (c)

In my last All-New X-Men review, I speculated that the original X-Man who was going to go with Scott's crew was Jean. It made sense to me, even if it was a little formulaic, because she had heard the Jean Grey School faculty talking about how useful it would be to have a mole in the school and she's the most capable and the most gung-ho about this "staying in the future" business. Instead, it was Angel. I'm going to decide that this is a machination of Jean's and not Angel going of his own free will, which is better than what I had decided during that issue anyway. If Angel is there of his own free will, I'm having some troubles. Yes, Jean psychically made him change his mind about leaving just before all this happened (again leaning into the theory that Jean sent Angel there) but Angel is skeptical of this whole future and why they're here anyway. So how would he be the one to willingly go off with a team that featured Magneto? And, as was true last All-New X-Men issue, the Stepford Cuckoos also go with Scott's new X-Men team.
If it seems like I'm retreading a lot of ANXM ground with this issue's recap, it's because this issue was the last issue of ANXM, by and large. There are some things happening between the Cuckoos and Emma, as they talk to her psychically while Scott's at the school and discover that she's without powers but by and large, a third of this book or so is literally the same meeting from ANXM. You have to assume, of course, that not everyone who reads Uncanny X-Men will be reading All-New X-Men and you have to give some sort of recap to explain how the Cuckoos and Angel ended up with Scott and his team, but I'm not sure you have to take up a third of the issue copying down the majority of a different issue. I think the Emma and the Cuckoos stuff is worthwhile and fits in this book but the book is so insistent with showing us what's happening between Scott and everyone else and I'd say that's not necessary here. Again, though, this comes from someone who read both books. Maybe someone who's just reading Uncanny X-Men really profits from getting that whole talk. I'm not sure I profited from it when it was only in All-New X-Men so I'm particularly against it now. It's the same general problem I tend to have with Bendis' books, all boiled down; I feel like we have a lot of wasted space in this issue. But again, that's coming from someone who knows the full story going in. Meanwhile, the other new recruits continue to be somewhat uninteresting and make me sigh when I see blocks of text coming out of them and something is happening with Magik's powers. I need to give more time for the new recruits, obviously, who have no training and are just learning about what it is to be mutant, but it's that back-and-forth dialogue every time they show up that makes me cringe a bit. Magik will likely be explored next issue.

Fearless Defenders 3
Bunn (w) and Sliney (a) and Gandini (c)

Alright, now the book's starting to jump into it a little bit. We're starting to understand a little bit more of the threat that's been presented to us. The Doom Maidens are a dangerous and formidable bunch who are being raised by Caroline Le Fey and her assistant Mr. Raven. We still don't know what their goals are, aside from "end of the world" kind of talk, but we've at least seen, from Hela's description, how brutal they can be. Hela has then raised Hippolyta by calling in many favors and promising many more to different death lords and has chosen her to fight for Asgardia. She doesn't want Valkyrie in on this because she fears that Valkyrie could be turned against them. When asked what her motivation is in trying to stop the Doom Maidens from wiping out the gods and humans and what not, who, Valkyrie points out, would only strengthen Hela's army, Hela responds that the Doom Maidens would then tear from the lands of the living to her lands and have already captured Dani Moonstar, shieldmaiden to Hel, to open up a path. So the pieces are mostly in place here, which helps open some things up for the audience. The All-Mothers accept Hippolyta but also overrule Hela, saying that the three who just came to Asgardia (Valkyrie, Misty, and Annabelle Riggs) will go with Hippolyta to fight the Doom Maidens. Honestly, not that I'm trying to badmouth these three, this seems a little ill-prepared from the All-Mothers. They know Valkyrie is good for this kind of fight and it's her fault that it's happening (though they should consider Hela's warning about turning Valkyrie against them), but they don't know much about Misty Knight and Annabelle Riggs is a non-powered archaeologist. Yes, yes, teamwork and overcoming odds and all, but it REALLY seems like if this threat is so big they're willing to work alongside Hela, who was willing to raise the ruler of the Amazons for the task, they should maybe vet their candidates a little better.
So the new team heads to Harrowpoint Island in Washington, where Hela tracked the resonances of the Doom Maidens, and sets off on their search. Valkyrie is drawn to a spot in the little abandoned town under a church, where they find some groggy Doom Maidens and the rock-encased Dani Moonstar. Hippolyta quickly begins to fight and finds herself doing pretty well, though the other three are a little more taken aback. Riggs rescues Dani, though Le Fey, from her monitoring station, says that the ritual was near complete anyway so losing Moonstar isn't a huge problem. She also says that the Doom Maidens have just woken up after sleeping for a few thousand years, so they probably just have to shake off the cobwebs. Once they do, the maiden of seduction slows Hippolyta and Valkyrie, still fighting, realizes that something seems to be awakening in her. The Doom Maidens stop fighting her and call her their sister as the issue ends. So this book seems to be going places after a couple set-up issues that seem necessary, especially in retrospect. There's still only a little bit connecting these heroes, so it'll be important to see those connections and ties grow as the book continues, meaning that we'll have to get some more character focus in coming issues. Still, I'm more optimistic about this book after this issue than I had been after a somewhat slow, if necessary, start.