Review: Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #5
Previously, “Issue 4”
This Inhumanity crossover picks up right where the last one left off, with Superior Spidey being a Superior Asshole and bringing big mechanized robots to the Gem Theater to wrestle control of the Mighty Avengers from Luke Cage. He’s going on and on about how he’ll give them all military style training and barracks on Spider-Island. Luke and Jessica aren’t hearing that, though; they summon a cab to send Danielle away with Dave, tell him to call their lawyer, and then proceed to open a Manhattan-style ass whipping on Spidey and his underlings.
On Attilan, which is still floating in the middle of the Hudson, Barbara McDevitt is searching the fallen city for Terrigen Crystals, but she appears to have stumbled upon something a bit more powerful…as well as something a bit more dangerous. She is unaware that she’s being stalked by Lichidus, a member of the Four Who Rule. Lichidus has a three-headed were-monster that is searching for something called the Lost Talisman of Kamar-Taj in the fallen city, and it appears that Barbara has succeeded where they have failed. Sucks for anyone that gets in its way. Above ground, Ronin is discussing what they’re up against; they’re called the Deathwalkers, and they’re pretty much a Doomsday cult. Ronin asks for trust from them, but Monica shuts the trust thing down pretty quickly; she’s familiar with the way he works, as she’s familiar with him from New Orleans. It seems that Ronin - whoever he is - uses people to get what he wants, and then disappears in the shadows. To his credit, Ronin agrees before telling them to be wary, because the third of the Four has dominion over water - including that in humans. Sam Wilson uses his credentials to try to get them in, but it isn’t until Lichidus tells the head guard to let them proceed that they are allowed to do so.
Back at the Gem, Luke and Jessica are holding their own against the Spider-Minions and the Spider-Bots until they use their Spider-weapons to Spider-contain…sorry, contain them. Luke is tied up in a web bola, and Jessica is submerged in Arachno-foam…the jokes write themselves, folks. Superior Jerkass reappears - after changing his mask, and begins to prattle on again about how his army is vastly Superior (make it stop!) than anything they have, and he has the backing of Mayor J. Jonah Jameson on his side. Luke has just the answer for that, though:
Back at Attilan, Sam is chatting up the head guard in a subversive attempt to break Lichidus’ control over him; or to contain him, at the very least. Ronin and the crew are making their way through the catacombs of Attilan in search of the talisman, when they find it…and Barbara. McDevitt herself is an Inhuman, transformed during Black Bolt’s unleashing of the Terrigen Bomb in Infinity. Her ability? She can manipulate time. She uses that to her advantage by speeding up time long enough for the were-monster to attack Ronin and rip his insides out. Vic and Ava try to take the fight to the monster, while Monica starts barking orders. McDevitt realizes that Rambeau’s the field leader, and she uses her ability to slow her down and hopefully take her out of the picture. What she fails to realize is Monica is living light, so that won’t work. Neither will shooting at her, because bullets pass right through the electromagnetic spectrum. Sucks to be her.
Ava and Vic are still holding off the were-monster, and they do so long enough to give Monica an opening to attack. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work, because even the electromagnetic spectrum is week against magic. So, Ava and Vic have to team up to help; Ava lends him some of her chi from the Tiger God, and Vic uses that strength to uppercut the were-monster to hell in a handbasket. During all of this, Ronin has gotten the talisman, and he is now in the wind.
Back at the Gem, Jennifer has made short work of the Spider-bots and is trying to talk Superior Spidey down. When logic doesn’t work (because why should it?), she uses her law degree instead: she lets him know in no certain terms that there have to be a multitude of lawsuits heading his way because of all of the destruction he’s caused - as well as a pretty major one that could come from Luke and Jessica. Spidey wisely relents and webs away, but not before firing all of his minions. Luke gives Jen her props for the save, but she retorts that their endeavor has a lot of legal loopholes that need to be closed before progressing further. Jessica and Jennifer leave Luke behind to have “girl talk,” and Luke has to deal with the now unemployed minions. He thinks they’re still looking for a fight, but they’re actually looking for help. Luke tells them to clean up their mess, but after that…the Mighty Avengers are open for business.
I’m not gonna focus on how good everything is, because that’s gonna be reflected in my score…plus, everyone was brilliant as always. The only problem I have is with Greg Land. Greg? I know you’re reading this, so lemme ask you somethin’: was this panel really necessary?
I’m really gonna need all comic book artists to stop drawing women in such ridiculous and unnecessary poses. The story is good enough; your over-sexualization isn’t needed. This is the internet age; we can get boobs and butts from practically anywhere. We don’t need to get them from comics, too.
Outside of that, this is yet another perfect end to a perfect volume. Once again, the Mighty Avengers are open for business.
