Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Avengers vs X-Men #12 of 12
Marvel Comics
Aaron, Kubert, Dell & Martin
Marvel's big Avengers versus X-Men event ends with a very bland and predictable issue. While the finale provides a dovetail with the zero issue that centered around Wanda and Hope, the story had so many holes in it that the final issue lacks any sort of payoff. The final issue may have a lack of surprise in it, but that really isn't the primary problem. The comic simply doesn't make any sense when the postmortem is done. At least there is some nice fighting in this issue.
I plan to spoil the ending because I need to reference elements of the ending to support my argument that this comic book isn't that well planned. As a reader, I think if you like fighting and big endings then you will probably be satisfied. If you like your stories to have some substance behind the action then you will be largely unsatisfied. In short, if you like to turn off your brain you might find something to like in here because it does a nice job of involving a large cast in a big fight.
According to the recap page Charles Xavier is dead. Again. Sadly, the previous issue made that largely unclear. Apparently Emma Frost is not dead, but that is also not made terribly clear either. Xavier's death allows for Wanda and Hope to fight out how to handle the Phoenix. Or something. I'm not really sure the reason behind the cat fight, but you have to hit bottom before you rise from the ashes so to speak. Shockingly, the two pair up to take on Cyclops and the Phoenix.
Avengers and X-Men begin to hurl themselves at Cyclops while the pair of ladies cook up a nice ending for Cyclops. In the end, the Phoenix is gone. Cyclops lives. Cue the wrap-up.
The epilogue may be the worst part of the book. Cyclops is captured, held in a cell and gets lectured by Captain America. This part of the book is simply awful. Cyclops is blamed for everything that goes wrong in this entire event. Despite getting possessed by an alien power. Captain America positions his argument on vilifying Cyclops because he killed Xavier and caused ruin to the planet. Didn't Captain America invade Utopia to start this off? Didn't Captain America attempt to kidnap Hope? Didn't Cyclops attempt to bring peace to the world? This ending reminds me of the ending of World War Hulk except that made sense. This does not. Also, apparently all of the other X-Men somehow escaped as fugitives. What did they do wrong exactly?
The artwork is a highlight of the book. As has been the case throughout this event there has been very good art. The event is about fighting and this issue has great artwork to show that aspect off well. Despite not liking the Captain America/Cyclops chat at the end I did think artistically it was done well. The panel layout was also very clever as I would expect from Kubert. This was a nice visual story.
I've spent a great deal of this review crushing this comic book. However, the comic book, when you remove the hype, isn't that terrible. There is some action, infighting and then a team-up. However, it's a book that just doesn't live up to the billing. The book just doesn't tie things up and it's not just little things. This comic book feels like it put characters into positions because the staff felt they should rather because it made logic sense and this drove me nuts. It's tough to beat Kubert's pencils, but at a $5 cover price it's a lot to shell out for so little in return.
2 out of 5 Geek Goggles
