I have some definite mixed feeling about this one folks! Some really awesome developments happened this issue, but then again some really questionable (if not downright douchey) decisions were also made. They stretched this roster change out for 2 full issues, and all I can say is I was definitely thrown by some of the people that did and did not make the cut.
For one thing, I am intrigued by the U.S.Agent scene at the very beginning. They haven’t really been showing John Walker very much lately and its interesting to see a scene with him being berated by Maria Hill since he’s never really been one to take scolding very well. I almost wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up on Wonder Man’s Revengers team. I also appreciated that Tony and Steve both agreed to leave the New Avengers alone. It’s bad enough that they gave Luke’s team the mansion and then came and crashed there right after the first big crisis, I don’t think it would go very well if they tried to rearrange his team too.
Onto the new roster…Welcome to the Avengers Daisy Johnson and…Storm?! OK I like seeing Daisy (aka Quake) move up in the superhero world and joining the Avengers (it’s like when Cannonball finally got to join the X-men), she’s definitely earned it after all her time with Nick Fury and his Secret Warriors. Storm as an Avenger, I have to be honest, I am a little less sold on. I don’t mean to sound separatist but there was a time when there was the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-men. Cut and dry. There was there occasional mixing of members (like when Beast joined the Avengers or She-Hulk joined the Fantastic Four) but for the most part they all stayed in their respective teams. Now we have Wolverine and Thing with the Avengers, Spider-man on the Fantastic Four, Namor with the X-men, and it’s all a huge mess! With the conclusion of Schism and the division of the X-men, Storm just planted herself firmly on the West Coast with Cyclops’ team and now what? She’s going to be bi-coastal like Wolverine was for so long? Also, how will she have time for regular missions with the Avengers if she is going to be leading her own team of X-men over in X-men (Vol. 3)? I know many people will point towards Wolverine and say, “Well it works when he does it”… No it doesn’t! That doesn’t mean I don’t think she would be a great Avenger, because I think she’s perfect, but I would prefer her to be just leading over in X-men. I also somewhat question Red Hulk’s fast acceptance into the ranks of the team without question since they don’t know who he really is and they have always been completely distrustful of the original Hulk despite his being a founding member. Last but not least, the Vision is back! Now I am a little confused because I thought that the Vision that pals around with the Young Avengers was made from the remains of the destroyed Vision but apparently the remains were just laying around waiting to be fixed...so he’s back. I’m a bit “whatever” about him though, without Wanda back on the team to make it exciting with him, he’s not really that interesting.
And what the hell happened with Spider-man and Wolverine? Spidey is completely right, he and Wolverine should be completely pissed off and offended that they were not only dismissed from the team, but they weren’t even told about it! They went not even aware that they were being dismissed from the team until they watched the new roster walk out without them. Now granted they are both still on the New Avengers (although I could have sworn that Spider-man quit before Fear Itself started because of Victoria Hand), and I don’t entirely think the two of them should be Avengers anyway, I would think after everything they have both been through for the Avengers that they both deserved at least a sit down chat with Steve Rogers letting them know that they Avengers contract was not renewed, especially Wolverine since he was replaced by one of his best friends.
Overall, I hugely approve of the new roster. It wasn’t a complete overhaul, we kept many of the characters that have been with us since this volume’s beginning, and we added some fun powerful new members with Quake and Storm. Even with my reservations about Storm and my griping about Spider-man and Wolverine’s release from the team I still think this is going to be a great line-up to follow. It goes without mentioning that Steve Rogers is back leading the Avengers as Captain America! Obviously the beginning of a bold new era for this ever-evolving team.
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