Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Uncanny Avengers #4
Marvel Comics
Remender, Cassaday & Martin
Uncanny Avengers takes on the Red Skull in an all-out street battle in this, the conclusion, of the opening arc. The comic book is elegantly written and provides a couple of small twists but the memorable part of the comic occurs at the end as Remender teases what's to come. It's a decent enough book but doesn't contain as many of Remender's signature moves that I've come to expect.
One of the hardest parts to swallow in this comic book and series is the concept behind the team and the leader. I'm just not seeing the need for a team of Avengers working with X-Men. If there was a singular threat that sent them on a big chase over a long, sweeping arc, then I would buy it. However, just forming up a team with some from both sides just to work on relations seems odd. Its stranger when you consider the team contains so many big guns, like Thor, Captain America and Wolverine and yet Havok is the leader. Despite the fact that Remender even takes time to tackle this oddity where Cap isn't leading the team it just doesn't add up in satisfactory way.
The book excels in the action. Remender has some of the key good guys getting taken over by the mind control of Red Skull while the remaining members work as a team to take him down. The book kind of ends abruptly, which is actually better when the final page reveal is made. Remender teases a number of nuggets in those last couple of panels and it seems clear the book is about to launch into Uncanny X-Force territory in the coming issues.
The artwork is stellar. The page layouts, pencils, coloring and action all flow together to create a great looking book. It has that Silver Age feel to the flow which is very much in line with the story elements. The dialogue is definitely overshadowed by the art in a lot of key spots which is better than when they compete. This is a very good visual comic book.
Remender is a different kind of talent. He brings grittiness to his books but he also brings a lot of "strange". This comic book doesn't have enough of the strange in it for my tastes and there seems to have been ample opportunity for it. I can't decide if this book is going to grow out, like Franken-Castle, into something totally new or just stick to more standard team elements. While I'm sure a lot of readers would be very happy without more Franken-Castle-like stories, I expect them from Remender. We'll see.
3 out of 5 Geek Goggles
