Infinity 5, Avengers 22

Infinity 5
Hickman (w) and Opeña and Weaver (a) and Ponsor (c)

Thor and the Avengers have shown that the Builders can be broken and that message has resonated through the universe, giving the conquered worlds the inspiration they need to fight again. Though there are casualties throughout the universe, the resistance is overwhelmingly a success and many worlds realize the Avengers are to thank and, as a result, become "Avengers worlds." Cap and co are heartened by this but soon receive news from Gladiator that Earth is besieged by Thanos, so their celebration is cut short. Back on Earth, everything is coming up Thanos. His Black Order has secured Wakanda's Necropolis and the world-ending weapon therein, which they're able to activate by scouring the memories of the totally-still-alive Black Bolt (score! Except for the activation codes, that's a bummer). Meanwhile, the Ebony Maw has found Thane, son of Thanos, and immobilized him, delivering him unto Thanos. The Illuminati return to their world to find Wakanda in flames and the Necropolis invaded. Help is on the way, but will it come too late?

I really can't say enough about the pacing of this series. Every issue has felt like it's been worthwhile. You can't say that about too many events these days, yet every one of these seemed to have a structure to them and a piece of the story that was necessary for the whole event. Even insofar as it spanned to Avengers and New Avengers. Perhaps the scale of the story helped that; a story this big was bound to need this many parts, as it really is kind of two events wrapped into one (the Builders in the universe and Thanos on Earth). Still, I don't see that as a coincidence or a fault of the series by any means. It feels instead like really great planning and great execution. It's been a story worth telling and it's been told right. Every issue of Infinity, I've gone into the next wary that there won't be enough story to sustain. Now we enter the last issue with almost too much to tell. Of course, there are two Avengers issues between now and then (one reviewed NEXT) to help push the story along which will certainly help alleviate the burden on Infinity 6 (not to mention a post-Infinty New Avengers issue to wrap up the whole event for good, presumably). Really looking forward to seeing how this goes. There are plenty of events (one ending this week, in fact) that I cannot say that about.

Avengers 22
Hickman (w) and Yu and Alanguilan (a) and Gho w/ Curiel (c)

The Avengers have beaten the Builders back and earned the respect and admiration of the universe in the process, putting them in a rather unfamiliar place as they head back home. It's a good place to be in, though, especially as they'll need help when they get back home in defeating Thanos and his army. We see a little bit of what's going on within the Avengers' ranks as we discover a relationship between Cannonball and Smasher, met with confusion by Sunspot. We also see Manifold, who has played a huge role and is undoubtedly the unsung hero of this whole event, trying to come to terms with what's happened recently. It's easily the biggest event he's been involved in and he's having some trouble making sense of it. The Captains America and Marvel try to downplay it a bit, attempting to remove any sense of fate or faith or destiny attached to it, though Thor comes in and does exactly the opposite, which seems to calm Manifold a bit. Meanwhile, a strike team hits Titan to knock out any reserve troop Thanos might have. There's not too much waiting in the wings but it serves to let Thanos know that they're coming, a message they're not afraid to send.

It's hard not to assign action-adventure tropes to stories like these and a couple, in particular, shine through that make me a little worried about the fate of some of these characters. The Avengers, for their part, have not really lost much of anyone in their time in space, a tremendous outcome considering how total the threat was. Now they return home and will all be very clearly on the front lines. There are no more guerrilla style attacks, no more plotting and quick strikes. This is going to be a straight assault (though, admittedly, with a sneak-attack part of the plan) and it could very well cost the Avengers. It seems events don't happen without some death being attached to them so be prepared. The tropes I was hinting at, by the by, were the idea of the relationship that's developed here, the idea of the two best pals (I've been predicting a Sunspot or Cannonball death since the start of this event and the relationship between Cannonball and Smasher seems only to strengthen that argument), and the idea of the young, tired secret weapon who questions the meaning of it all. Okay, that one's a little more specific. I guess my fear for Eden is that he had so many lines this issue. It's like watching Lost or the The Walking Dead; the moment someone has above average lines, you know they're about to go down. Of all of those mentioned, Eden's the one I want to lose least so this one strikes a particular fear-chord (that's a thing, right? Fear-chords?). Nice to see a little bit more character from the smaller characters here (though I'm still constantly surprised to see Shang-Chi there, maybe we should highlight him some more?) but it comes with the distinct fear that at least one or two of them (or maybe more) are being built up to be killed next time out.

Avengers 21, New Avengers 11

Avengers 21
Hickman (w) and Yu and Alanguilan (a) and Gho (c)

The Avengers and the resistance have landed a couple blows in a row against the Builders but ultimately, it could still all mean nothing. Though it inspired some of the conquered worlds as well as reigniting the resistance, at the end of the day they're still horribly outnumbered and outgunned. That fact is made more obvious by the defeats those fighting for the rebellion have suffered. There have been little victories from battle to battle but they're still losing the war a little too quickly. On the brink of what seems to be absolute defeat, Ex Nihilo and Abyss direct Captain America to Captain Universe, saying that the universe's dying has caused this war, not vice versa. Captain Universe, once made well again, can help them defeat the Builders. The Ex Nihili manage, as a unit, to save Captain Universe, who promptly finds the Builders. They don't believe in her any more and tell her that the universe is dying and they want to destroy the axis that seems most ill to try to save the whole. She recognizes their ends but won't allow their means and defeats them handily when they engage her. The last surviving Builder, scurrying to another universe, leaves his universe-spread alephs behind to "destroy everything."

There's still a ton happening here as we inch towards the end of Infinity. The next books in this event (aside from this week's New Avengers, reviewed below if I've done my job, and the tie-in books that don't actually advance the plot) are Infinity 5, followed by Avengers 22 and 23, then Infinity 6, followed by New Avengers 12. We're right on the brink of finishing this event off and there's still plenty happening to see it to the end. Captain Universe hints at her own impending doom (possibly as a result of the universe dying, possibly to erase such a powerful being out of existence, like so much Sentry) before wiping the floor with the Builders. It's an important hint and it's an important action as it very much turns the tides, now pitting the resistance against the alephs (which are numerous but perhaps easier to defeat) and a dying universe (which they were already facing but only in the background of a more immediate threat). Also worth noting that the resistance, in their most desperate moment, called on the Annihilation Wave to help them, worrying that it would win out and turn on them, only to watch as the Builders easily turned them inwards on themselves, potentially destroying the Annihilation Wave. It serves as a final blow to the resistance here but, in the grand scheme of the universe, it could mean more. Guys, the Annihilation Wave imploded and it's a backdrop in this event. That's how much is happening. Good stuff. Now let's see what's happening with Thanos.

New Avengers 11
Hickman (w) and Deodato (a) and F. Martin (c)

The Illuminati (minus Black Bolt) have arrived at another incursion point in the middle of the Earth's war against Thanos. When they arrive at the point and just as they realize they have to use the horrible antimatter weapon they've created, an Aleph falls from the other world into theirs and beckons them to meet its master. They go, with the promise of a way to destroy worlds. The Aleph's master, of course, is a Builder, though a Builder from the universe that had contained the now incurring world. These Builders side with the Builders of the 616 who have decided that destroying Earth(s) could save the universes as a whole and know that the 616 has defeated its Builders, as the Builder who escaped to another universe in Avengers (above) escaped to the world that's now incurring. Complicated, though the Builder waves away any thought of coincidence by saying that a wounded swimmer swims to the nearest island and this incurring world is certainly the nearest universe. The Builders explain to the Illuminati that the Earths need to be destroyed and release them back to their own world before using their world-killer to destroy the incurring world. They ask why the Illuminati, possessing a power that can destroy worlds, has not destroyed its own to save the universe. Meanwhile, Thanos' army is devastating Wakanda. As a backdrop.

Guys, this event has just so much going on. In typical New Avengers fashion, this issue is certainly very complicated and forces you to realize a few extra things about Builders if you didn't already know. For example, every universe seems to have them and they're all pretty attuned to what the others are thinking, though some may have different ideas. Once you kind of get that, the rest of the issue falls pretty neatly into place. As if that weren't enough, though, for the first time in its long history (barring immense and sudden Phoenix-powered tidal waves), Wakanda's walls have been breached and Thanos' army, led strategically by Corvus Glaive and physically by Proxima Midnight, is in the Golden City. Shuri is forced to pull her troops back to regroup, allowing Thanos, Corvus, and Proxima to the Necropolis, where they don't find the gem they're looking for but manage to find the world-destroying weapon (which Thanos describes as "delightfully unexpected") and the imprisoned Terrax and Black Swan. He does not free them but he certainly takes note. You guys. There's so much going on. The next New Avengers, as I pointed out above, won't come out until after the Infinity main event has finished. Very curious to see how that plays out.

Infinity 3, Infinity: Against the Tide 2, New Avengers 10

Infinity 3
Hickman (w) and Opeña and Weaver (a) and Ponsor (c)

The Builders have destroyed, almost entirely, the world the resistance was recovering on. That leaves said resistance with very few places to turn. However, the Builders now offer leniency, saying any world that surrenders completely will be spared. One by one civilizations give in, including, eventually, the Kree and Spartax. The Skrulls, Shi'ar, Brood, and humans refuse. Cap develops a plan which involves distracting the Builders with a forward assault while teams teleport into one of the world destroyer ships and turn the weapons on the other world destroyer ships. It's a fairly successful attack, causing lots of damage to the fleet and forcing the Builders to flee with what they have left. The resistance is still up against the wall but they made a nice impact and rescued the captured Avengers in the process. The Builders who had been left behind to finish off what remained of the resistance fleet find themselves suddenly outgunned as Starbrand steps forward and uses his power at last, destroying the ships entirely. Meanwhile, at home, Thanos has left his pirates attacking Earth while he goes to Attilan, only to find that the empire has been emptied out, leaving only Black Bolt behind. He yells at Thanos, refusing to give up Thanos' son and, with the help of the machine Maximus built, destroying Attilan in the process.

Tons and tons going on here. A really nice victory for the Avengers off-planet, even if it's only a temporary one. It's a nice look at the ingenuity of Cap and the humans (even if it's essentially a Trojan horse), showing them as capable of standing beside the other worlds. Again it's an extra long issue but this one floats back and forth a little less than other issues have so far, preferring to focus on one story at a time from one angle at a time. There are still act breaks that continue to serve the story pretty well but we stay with the off-world Avengers first (with a slight recap of what happened in Avengers 19), staying with them and flipping a little back and forth between the Avengers and the Builders, then we move to Thanos as the story concerning the Builders ends for the issue. There are big plans in the works for the Inhumans (including an Inhumans event, it seems, and new book, written by Fraction, coming out soon, neither of which I've really talked about here) and this is certainly the spawning point of all that. They're a very interesting group and should be worth watching. Still pleasantly surprised by this event.

Infinity: Against the Tide
Latour (w) and R. Kim (a and c)

Continuing the Infinite Comic from Infinity 1, we see what's happening on one of the Skrull home worlds as Silver Surfer continues to try to save them from the onslaught. We get a bit of Surfer's history as he explains that he became the herald of Galactus in the worry that others would be less rightful than him and would allow the very worst of Galactus. He sees a little of that in the Builders as he defends the Skrulls, realizing their power is too great and their destruction too impossible to stop. He questions what the worth of fighting back is but steadies himself enough to save a young Skrull science officer (who we saw in the first issue) from a Skrull warrior's last act of war. He delivers the Skrull to SWORD and that Skrull, though similarly conflicted by the might of the Builders, offers himself as help for SWORD to prepare for the coming fight.

The Infinite Comic continues to be a really interesting medium; it's simultaneously hard to read because you don't want to break the flow of the rapid pictures by stopping for all the text but you also don't want to ignore the plot to solely focus on the pictures. The art is still pretty outstanding and, despite the difficulties inherent in reading the story, it's still a cool book with plenty going for it. Worth checking out if you have the means.

New Avengers 10
Hickman (w) and Deodato (a) and F. Martin (c)

The Illuminati have been set on a quest to find Thanos' son among the six hidden tribes of the Inhumans, who are spread out among the world. Tensions are high, considering the troubles off and on world and the secret war between Wakanda and Atlantis (those not directly involved don't know it's happening), but they split up to investigate the lands, with each member taking one Inhuman site (Black Bolt has returned to Attilan to face Thanos, as seen in Infinity 3). It's, of course, Stephen Strange who finds the son of Thanos. Strange is, unbeknownst to the rest of his team, compromised: the Ebony Maw is tagging along with him and eventually allows Stephen to leave with his life, not knowing what he's done in giving up the son of Thanos but aware that he's done something wrong. As he's released, though, he gets the call from his team about another incursion, happening just over Australia. Atlantis has fallen, Wakanda is about to be besieged by Thanos' full army, Attilan is falling, and now there's another incursion on its way. Plenty to deal with here.

Another solid issue of the book as we get back a little to the characterization of these characters and everything they currently have to contend with. The weight of it all is incredible, as hopefully the last sentence in that summary showed, and the tension between the characters is palpable. They have to discuss, in this issue, whether they can afford to help Black Bolt at this time and what it means to be who they are. Hank, for his part, refocuses the team a bit, insisting they help Black Bolt if they can. It is, of course, the tension between Black Panther and Namor as both keep their secrets from the others and as each plots the downfall of the other. A lot of really good stuff in here. This whole event, in tandem with everything that's happened already in Avengers and New Avengers, says an awful lot about Marvel architect Jonathan Hickman. The pieces are falling nicely into place and it all works. Groundwork, you guys, not just a time machine.

Infinity 2, Avengers AI 3, Iron Man 15

Infinity 2
Hickman (w) and Opeña and Weaver (a) and Ponsor (c)

Another longer-than-average-book which, at least, continues to be pretty full. Thanos' Black Order touched down in the pages of the last New Avengers and we see a little recap of their fight before learning that Corvus Glaive has been sent to Attilan to request tribute from the Inhumans; if they want the rest of the race spared, they must deliver the heads of all Inhumans between ages 16 and 22. Meanwhile, in space, the Builders are still following the now-retreating Galactic Council armada. We don't get any new news of the people left behind (like Quincarrier 2) but we see the ones who did escape pursued by a few more Builder ships and choosing to fight back rather than running. They do so successfully but see the full might of the Builders, who send an Ex Nihilo down to the planet the armada rendezvoused on. The Ex Nihilo commits suicide on the planet, spreading death evenly throughout the planet until the whole place is dead. Back home on Earth, Black Bolt summons the Illuminati to the pocket universe Maximus discovered that allows Black Bolt to speak. He leaves the Illuminati with the hidden archives of the Inhuman leaders, the information Thanos is blackmailing him with. He knows it's better that they hold it when he goes to confront Thanos. He also reveals that Thanos doesn't necessarily desire every child of Attilan dead; what he does desire is the death of his son.

Again an oversized book but, again, it's full, which says a lot about this book. There's enough going on to necessitate a full event as this encompasses the entire Universe (and should). It's not just an occurrence that's passing by the lives of lots of heroes or something along those lines; this is actively impacting most heroes (haven't seen many X-Men yet but the Black Order has attacked the Jean Grey School) and will continue to do so. Most of the characterization is left in word choice and minor actions as there simply isn't enough time in all of these pages to develop characters that we already know. So far, it's still a solid book (with pretty solid art with all-pros Jerome Opeña and Dustin Weaver) and certainly allows for plenty of direction for this book to go. Hopefully it doesn't stagnate because that seems like the one direction that wouldn't be interesting.

Avengers AI 3
Humphries (w) and Araujo (a) and D'Armata (c)

After the attack of the new Sentinel, Vision's body has been destroyed (it's made up of nanites so it is reparable but it will take some time). His AI, though, has been sent to the Diamond, the homeland of the new race of AI spawned from the self-replicating virus Pym created to destroy Ultron. They live there peacefully (for now) and wish, mostly, to keep to themselves but also to survive, despite the humans' insistence that they be destroyed. Speaking of, the people watching the clean-up of DC attack Victor for being a robot (they apparently didn't see The World's End to learn what the word "robot" means) and Alexis flies in, carry the Doombot head, to protect him and carry Monica Chang and Hank Pym back up to the helicarrier. They re-assemble Doom's body and make a plan of action. The current plan is to destroy the Diamond but Pym agrees to help Chang with a tactical strike to protect the Diamond at large. Meanwhile, Vision finds himself quite taken with the Diamond and quickly becomes the leader of the AI (who view him as their distinguished predecessor). Dimitrios and other AI learn of SHIELD's attack plan and demand a response from Vision.

The story here is interesting, if a little similar to what we saw in the last iteration of Secret Avengers. I think it's going to change away from that idea as we get further in, with the AI acting perhaps more defensively than the pure offensive attack of the AI in Secret Avengers' last arc. Still, there are definitely similarities and you can certainly pull out the same ethical decisions from this as you may have during that book. On top of that, the book moves rather slowly. Granted, this is only issue three and there's still a lot of exposition to get out (particularly in this issue, as we're introduced to an entire new race and its homeland) so it's possible that the pacing will even out in the future. I'm hoping that this series takes a bit of a turn away from what Secret Avengers did if just for variety's sake. Not a bad storyline and the questions raised are still interesting ones but I don't really want to read the same story so quickly after reading it in Secret Avengers.

Iron Man 15
Gillen (w) and Pagulayan and Hanna (a) and Guru eFX (c)

Tony's heading for his armory but he's only a few steps ahead of 451. In the armory, he adjusts his armors to add PEPPER back in (pre-Voldi PEPPER to avoid the compromise) and puts all of the armors on a closed system, meaning that only entities inside the armor can control the armor. Therefore, 451 has to physically enter the armor to get into the mainframe. To help himself, 451 creates some projections to also attack the suits. When one gets close to entering a separate armor, the armor's failsafe kicks in, destructing the unit. 451 focuses all attacks on Tony's suit, knowing that one can't self-destruct. Meanwhile, PEPPER manages to lock on to 451's hacking unit, allowing Tony to eventually shoot a laser through it, neutralizing the threat that 451 might destroy him from within. With that threat gone, Iron Man releases his biggest guns, a Hulkbuster-like armor, which goes on to destroy the projections and rip off 451's arm. Stopped for the moment, Tony drags 451 to the cockpit to show he can't control the Godkiller. Somewhere, 451 miscalculated and now everything he's done has been for nothing. His mantra of "the ends justify the means" is suddenly worthless as his ends are impossible. The weight of everything he's done begins to crush him and Tony barely manages to get him to stop the Godkiller from hitting Earth. He admits to Tony, though, that the Godkiller is meant to disappear into a fold of the universe, impenetrably sealing the exits as it does so that no monster (like 451) could take advantage of the technology. As Tony realizes he's stuck in the Godkiller, 451 shuts himself down.

Really great weight to this issue. I've loved this series overall and this issue is no exception as we learn, it seems, that 451's battle was real. Whether it was purely altruistic (to protect Earth) is still up for debate but his decision to save Earth certainly helps give some credence to that. However, the really important thing is the weight that crashes down on 451 as he realizes how monstrous he's been, only to find that all of his horrific actions are simply that, horrific actions, since he cannot achieve the goals he set out to achieve. It's a really brilliant scene and the emotional weight is palpable, thanks both to the great writing of Gillen and the art by Pagulayan (and probably helped by the lettering of Joe Caramagna, which carries a weight of its own and influences the reader to read 451's text in a specific way). The rest of the issue is certainly cool, with the slew of armors and Tony's planning brought to the forefront. Really great issue and worth reading to see the change in 451, a change which has been kind of coming as the weight of everything he's done has started to impact him over time.