Monday, April 30, 2012

The New Avengers #25

This is one of those issues you read and then ask yourself, "What the hell?"

I know, they have to find a way to tell sidebar stories in the main Avengers and New Avengers titles while the whole Avengers vs. the X-Men story plays out - but writer Brian Bendis has gone to extremes here.

What's unusual is that the issue spills out with not a single Avenger in sight (except for the cover). Instead, it takes place long ago in the mystic city of K'un Lun, which is the birth place, of sorts, to Iron Fist.

The ruler of the city, Master Yu Ti, is visited by visions that somehow connect the Phoenix Force to the power of the dragon that gives Iron Fist his name. Yu Ti investigates - and that's about it for this time around.

Lest you think you're getting shortchanged, let me add that artists Mike Deodato and Will Conrad create some amazing visuals here, as violent, pyrotechnic dreams spring to life and the city of K'un Lun is expertly designed.

Presumably we'll have to wait for future issues to learn just what is going on here - but for now, though the story may be puzzling, the artwork is simply amazing.

I'm not sure you have to read this to follow what's going on in the AvX event, but fans of Iron Fist should probably enjoy this - and the rest of us may agree once we see where it's all going.

Grade: B+

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