Richard Gratton's Fantastic Reads 4 U
Uncanny Avengers #10
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: 06/22/16
Is anyone sick of Ultron? Not me. When Hank Pym returned, merged with Ultron, in Uncanny Avengers #9, I was skeptical. Was Hank really in control? And if so, where has he been? Why didn't he come back sooner? I wondered where writer, Gerry Duggan was going to take us, but not anymore. Uncanny Avengers #10 is a fantastic read; it starts with action, is filled with tension and literally ends with a bang.
This comic starts with part of the group clearing out monsters in the subway (ironically, it has a sort of Ghostbusters feel for the first few pages); but the issue is centered on Captain America and the Wasp trying to determine whether or not Hank is actually in control of the merged, cyborg form he now inhabits, or if Ultron is really its master. So much is happening so fast in this issue and it isn't all action. The Wasp and Captain America get into a very heated exchange over the use of lethal force. Johnny Storm asking Cable about the future is a tense moment. As a huge Fantastic Four fan, I, too, wonder when Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman will be back.
Visually, I am not a huge fan of the art in this issue, but it is appropriate for the story. The colors are dark and the action is aggressive; it hits you in the face. This only enhances the story's flow and builds tension. Shadowing adds an incredible amount of realism; and for an issue as fast paced as this one is, realism only sucks readers in deeper as the intensity builds.
Ideally, in a team book, I'd like to see the entire cast, but in this comic, it just doesn't matter because the story moves at such a fast pace I almost didn't notice the missing characters. Synapse (a character I would like to see Duggan explore and feature more than he already has) would have been useful in this story. She should have been able to help the team determine if Hank was really in control or not. Quicksilver is usually a fun character to have in the mix of whatever is going on, but I can definitely see how he wasn't necessary at this point in the story.
If I had a complaint about Uncanny Avengers #10, it would be that the end of the issue comes way too fast. This story is just too good to have to wait another month to read more. There is so much going on in this comic I'm not really sure how Duggan manages it so well. Every scene is important and every moment is captivating. He leaves us wanting so much more, not because there isn't enough there, but because so many subplots support the meat of this story that we are left on the edge of our seats waiting to devour whatever comes next. I can't wait. I'll say it again: this is a fantastic read!
Scale of Awesomeness: 10 out of 10
