Secret Avengers #1

As part of the whole "Marvel NOW" experience, we now have a new first issue for Secret Avengers - a title that seemed to struggle through most of its existence (the exception being the ones written by Warren Ellis - well worth tracking down).

But I digress. The idea of a team of Avengers that handles the darker operations won't go away, and now a new creative team is trying a new approach.

The only Avengers in this issue are Hawkeye and the Black Widow, and they certainly lend themselves to this sort of story. They're recruited by SHIELD to take part in a covert operation against an unusual threat (there's a nice cameo by Agent Phil Coulson, who had a pivotal role in the Avengers movie).

The story includes the "new" Nick Fury - the newly minted Samuel Jackson version, who is apparently taking the place of the original Fury. As a fan of the original since I was a kid, I can't say I'm crazy about the idea - but it looks like the new status quo.

The art by Luke Ross is very good - dark and moody, a perfect fit for the story.

The story written by Nick Spencer plays out like a spy novel, with several twists and turns, but the story never really comes together, and the shocking twist at the end doesn't really work.

As a friend said a while back, I prefer stories about heroes who act heroically. Not much of that on view here.

Grade: B-

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Secret Avengers #27

Back in the '80s when the Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series was released, DC quickly tried to tie all its titles into that runaway hit.

Many of those tie-ins had just marginal connections to the event, and became known as "red sky" comics, since that was the only actual connection for a few of them - characters noted the color of the sky as it was depicted in Crisis.

In Secret Avengers, we have another red sky comic.

While Avengers vs. X-Men is a runaway hit, titles like this are only connected by a tenuous thread. Back on Earth everyone is worrying about saving Hope and keeping the Phoenix Force from destroying the planet.

Meanwhile, the Secret Avengers were dispatched to deep space to try to stop the Phoenix - and now they find themselves on the Kree homeworld Hala, trying to save that planet from the Phoenix Force.

In the meantime, more than one of their teammates has gone traitor, the others are recovering from their encounter with the Phoenix, and the Kree are all acting crazy.

Oh, and Captain Marvel (as in the Kree Captain Mar-Vell) is apparently back from the dead and also a traitor.

As a big fan of the original (Marvel version) Captain Marvel, I'm glad to see him back, though I suspect he's just here to hand his title over to Carol Danvers, so she can drop the "Miz" and become the newest and latest (and hopefully last) Captain Marvel.

But the whole issue is a mess - except for that terrific Alan Davis cover. The interior art by Renato Guedes just seems a poor match for this title. He's a strong artist, but his style is more suited to alternative work - not mainstream superheroes. The characters all seem "off," in awkward poses.

I can't recommend this one - the story just rambles all over and never really gets anywhere. Even the occasional glimpse of the Phoenix - in the sky, no less - can't jump start this one.

Grade: C+

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Secret Avengers #24

I realize that I was spoiled by Warren Ellis' recent run on this series, but so far I can't say I care much for the new take on the Secret Avengers.

The news isn't all bad - I like the cast fine, and it's great to see characters like the original Human Torch and Captain Britain in action.

The problem is, each of the heroes seems to have no sense, no ability to get along with each other, and none of them seem particularly likeable.

They're invading a mysterious city that seems to be home to a variety of artificial life forms - robots, androids, LMDs, cyborgs - all gathered by a mastermind who looks for all the world like General Immortus, the old enemy of the Doom Patrol (I'm assuming it's not actually him).

Upon arriving, Captain Britain's armor stops working, leaving him helpless, under attack - and then he flies away as though nothing is wrong. The artificial creatures worship the Human Torch - and then he flies away. The Beast suffers the exact same injury he suffered in this week's issue of Wolverine and the X-Men.

Basically, there's a lot of fighting and smashing and by the end of the issue, nothing has changed and we don't know much (if any) more than we did at the beginning.

The issue just seems to be trying too hard to keep us in the dark, and as a result it's difficult to care too much about the whole thing. Hopefully the next issue (out this week) will clear things up as we careen toward the whole Avengers vs. X-Men thing.

Grade: B-

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Secret Avengers #23

Two issues into a new creative team on Secret Avengers, and - for me - the jury is still out.

There are things I like about it. I like the new members in the lineup, especially Captain Britain, Giant-Man and Hawkeye. I like that this issue gives the spotlight to the new Ant-Man, a good character who's been underutilized so far. I love the Art Adams cover (though the scene on this cover happens nowhere inside the comic).

But that's about it.

I don't like the way the team failed utterly in its first mission (last issue), and doesn't fare much better this time around. I don't care for the squabbling between members, and I don't buy that Hawkeye would be so quick to reject Venom's addition to the team - after all, the archer started out as a criminal, too.

I'm still not sure Gabriel Hardman's art is quite right for this series. His art has a dark, rough look to it - it's good, but the coloring is very pale and washed out, and it makes the characters and panels all run together. Perhaps more vivid coloring would help.

So, I'm struggling here. The villains seem lackluster, there are teases of a bigger conspiracy afoot, but we still don't know who the bad guys really are, why they captured a woman and her child, and how the Secret Avengers got involved.

There's still time to pull this story together, but it seems to be slipping away fast.

Grade: B-

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Secret Avengers #22

Writer Rick Remender gets the unlucky task of following Warren Ellis' outstanding run on Secret Avengers, and it's a tall order.

And perhaps it's because I'm spoiled by the one-issue gems we've been getting, but this issue was a bit of a letdown.

Some of that is unavoidable, since they're doing a "rebuild the team roster" thing here - writing Captain America out of this series and putting in place some new faces, including Hawkeye, Captain Britain and Giant-Man (all welcome additions).

The team ends up fighting a mysterious new menace - but the opening adventure makes the team look like amateurs (or worse, bumblers). The heroes don't always have to win, but in many Avengers titles lately, there seems to be a movement toward making them inept. I don't get it.

I like the art, though I'm not familiar with Gabriel Hardman's work. It's a unique style with strong layouts and good character designs, but I'm not sure the muted coloring is the best fit.

By the way, am I the only one who doesn't understand why every single artist draws the Beast as a different character? I understand artistic license, but shouldn't there be some kind of basic design for everyone to follow? Some draw him to look like a big cat, some a bear, some a lion - could someone please pick one and stick with it?

Anyway, I'll give the new creative team more time to get a grip on this series - but so far, Secret Avengers is just OK.

Grade: B

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Secret Avengers #20

First of all, what a terrific cover by John Cassaday.

The interiors are outstanding, too - though the art style by Alex Maleev is completely different (in a good way). The interior art is much darker, more intense and stylized, including a section that mimics the art style of a certain comic strip heroine.

But Warren Ellis' story is the real star here. He keeps crafting these single-issue Secret Avenger gems, and this is another one to add to the list.

It features the most mysterious Avenger of them all - the Black Widow - as she tackles an assignment that includes time travel (this reads like a good Doctor Who episode), spycraft, playing fair with the story premise and some surprising deaths.

It's smart, well-crafted fun that will ask you to think a bit more than any other comic in recent memory - but trust me, it won't hurt a bit.

You know, I almost dropped this series just before Ellis took the reins. Am I glad I stayed!

Grade: A

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Secret Avengers #19

It would be easy to think that the "done-in-one-issue" comic books were a thing of the past.

In the modern era, creative teams seem focused on the four- to eight-issue story arcs, which can then be collected into a trade paperback. This often leads to stories that are padded or otherwise dragged out to fill the alloted length.

Thankfully, writer Warren Ellis is having none of that in his work on Secret Avengers.

Each story is contained in a single issue, and takes Steve Rogers and his fellow "Secret" Avengers all over the world, tackling strange menaces that jump from the super-scientific to the supernatural without blinking.

This issue brings a quartet to the eastern European country of Symkaria (which borders Transylvania and Latveria - how cool is that?), where they're investigating an insidious drug trade which is much more than it seems.

Working with Steve are Sharon Carter, the Black Widow and Moon Knight. It's a group that is underpowered but never outmatched.

The story is fast-paced, smart and economical - there's no wasted space here.

The art by Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano and Brian Thies is perfectly matched to the story - cinematic, dark and often brutal, the story is clearly told and we never lose track of the characters, even though there are few costumes in view. Strong work.

I could quibble about a few points - Steve Rogers seems to turn a blind eye to some brutal tactics - but he is a soldier, and one would expect he could handle such things.

Ellis is putting together a darned impressive series of stories here - and if you missed them, I'm sure they'll be collected, too - even if each chapter stands on its own two feet.

A radical concept, to be sure.

Grade: A-

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Secret Avengers #18

Do remember the work Warren Ellis did on Planetary, as a small group of operatives tackled some amazing "Fringe Science" threats to the universe?

Well, he's doing it again in the pages of Secret Avengers.

The last three issues have each been "done-in-one" adventures wherein a small group of heroes, led by Steve Rogers (in his Super Soldier guise), have tackled some amazing threats to our world.

Each one has been intelligent, cutting-edge and extremely entertaining.

This time around he uses one of my favorite characters, Shang-Chi, to great effect, as the team invades a space station (of sorts) where guns can't be used. Sharon Carter also gets a chance to shine here.

The art is outstanding, as David Aja and Raul Allen create an environment that almost hurts to look at, as the laws of physics bend. The action is well-staged and brutal in its execution, and it's great to see Shang-Chi going all "Bruce Lee" on the bad guys (though it's a bit graphic in places).

Oh, and speaking of Planetary, the cover by the artist of that series, John Cassaday, is amazing.

The comic is smart, fast and sharp as can be. Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of Ellis' work on Planetary.

More like this, please.

Grade: A

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Secret Avengers #16

So far the Secret Avengers book has mostly flown under the radar.

It has an odd, Defenders-like lineup and it often seems to operate outside normal continuity.

But in the hands of the right creative team, that can work to the book's advantage, and that's the case with this issue.

Written by Warren Ellis, it takes the team to a city hidden beneath Cincinnati, Ohio. It was built by the Secret Empire for a sinister purpose (natch), and Steve Rogers has assembled a team to investigate, which includes the Black Widow, the Beast and Moon Knight.

What follows is a strange menace, an atomic-powered car, shootouts and more than a few plot twists.

The art is by Jamie McKelvie, and the visuals are fantastic. The line is clean and deceptively simple, but the depictions of the hidden city, the action scenes and the interaction between the heroes is a pure delight.

The odd sideways cover by John Cassaday is impressive, too.

If you haven't been following this series, this would be a good "done-in-one" issue to check out. If you have been following it, this may be your favorite issue in the series.

Grade: A-

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Secret Avengers #14

Even though the character has been around for what, almost 40 years, the Valkyrie is still mostly a figure of mystery.

She appeared as a member of the original Defenders team, but when that series was canceled she was relegated to guest appearances - and only a few of those.

Now she's back as a member of the Secret Avengers, and this issue focuses on her. We actually get some background flashes of her previous life in Asgard and how she earned her title.

Writer Nick Spencer makes an effort to parallel a story from the past with the present-day battle linked to the Fear Itself event, but the two stories of star-crossed lovers doesn't quite work - if they'd just had a few more pages to work with...

I like the art by Scott Eaton - he has a classic, illustrative style that captures the expressions and the heroic figures quite well.

It's good to see the Valkyrie getting some long-overdue attention, even if the story raises almost as many questions as it answers.

Grade: B

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Secret Avengers #8

We're at the halfway point in this story that brings back Shang-Chi and his father Fu Manchu (he whose name cannot be spoken in the actual comic for legal reasons), and the plans of the bad guys are starting to become clear (although we're still not sure why anyone would want to bring Fu Manchu back to life).

The action centers around two big battles - one a violent attack on the ground in Hong Kong, and the other a battle high in the sky.

Writer Ed Brubaker continues to weave an interesting mystery here, and he introduces a little-known hero from World War II who makes a formidable opponent for Steve Rogers - and a potent ally for the "other" Nick Fury.

I'd pick up this comic just to see Shang-Chi in action again, but it's also a darned good adventure, with the good guys finding themselves facing a serious challenge.

There's not much more to say about Mike Deodato's fantastic art that I haven't raved about before - but he continues to turn in Hall of Fame work here.

I'm really enjoying this book, and the storyline is much more in line with what I would expect from a "Secret" team - covert operations, working behind the scenes to protect the world, lots of hoo-hah action - you get all that and more in this series.

Good stuff!

Grade: A-

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Secret Avengers #7

I feels like I'm getting whiplash from reading Secret Avengers.

That's because writer Ed Brubaker's story keeps jumping around. Last issue had me riveted, as it brought back Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, and his father Fu Manchu (who is never referred to by name for legal reasons).

This issue features those characters, but they're largely unused. Shang-Chi becomes a hostage and faces death. His father complains to his allies - which seems out of character. The rest of the issue gives us some glimpses of the Shadow Council - and that's about it.

The art is excellent as always. Mike Deodato supplies amazingly lush, detailed art, and the issue is loaded with frantic fight scenes.

The last page offers a nifty surprise, and the mysteries behind the story continue to build, but this issue just felt like a long delaying tactic before the story really gets going.

Hopefully next issue we'll be back in the "riveted" column.

(Oh, and someone left the credits off this issue - or else they hid them very well.)

Grade: B

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Secret Avengers #6

This issue had me at "Shang-Chi."

As I've mentioned before, I've been a big fan of the Master of Kung Fu series since it began in 1973.

So I was happy to see this issue featuring that character as the Secret Avengers uncover a plot to bring Shang-Chi's evil father back to life.

For those who came in late, his father is Fu Manchu, the original model for villains from the Far East. Presumably Marvel no longer has the rights to the character, so here he is not referred to by name.

Writer Ed Brubaker seems to have a good handle on martial arts characters - he did a terrific job resurrecting Iron Fist, and he does a great job here. The character really "feels" like the original Shang-Chi - ferocious in battle, always in control, yet gentle by nature.

Artist Mike Deodato turns in his usual phenomenal work, with near-photo realism, frantic action scenes and amazing panoramas.

One issue into the five issue series, and already I like this story much more than the first arc. This one is more down to Earth (more James Bond than Star Wars), with a formidable opponent, mysteries to solve and lives hanging in the balance.

All this and Shang-Chi, too! What's not to like?

Grade: A-

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Secret Avengers #4

I feel confident that the week is fast approaching wherein I could do a week's worth of reviews based only on Avengers comics.

This week was close. I picked up three Avengers-based comics, including New Avengers, Avengers Academy, and today's topic, Secret Avengers. If I had picked up Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet, I would have been two-thirds of the way there.

Ah well, to the topic at hand. Here we reach the end of the first story arc, and I wish I could say it was an amazing ending - but it's not.

It's really a hodge-podge, as we get to see Steve Rogers formulate a way to beat Nova, who's been enslaved by the mystic Thorned Crown.

The problem is, aside from one other team member who (improbably) prevents disaster, the rest of the team just keeps busy with a side threat that appears out of nowhere and goes back there after its purpose has been served.

It's an anticlimactic conclusion to a battle that had built nicely over the previous issues - but at least it does leave us with a tantalizing mystery to solve.

The art by Mike Dedato, Jr. (as always) is outstanding - detailed and crackling with energy.

I still feel that this opening storyline has been a bit of a stumble. With a team that lacks the powerful heavy hitters, it seems odd to send it off on galactic adventures. Surely there's plenty of mischief to sort out at ground level in the Marvel Universe.

This opening series has had its ups and downs, but I think the series has a lot of potential. It just hasn't realized it yet.

Grade: B-

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Secret Avengers #3

A month ago I wrote some harsh words about the Secret Avengers.

Now that the third issue is here, and I realize I should have had more faith in writer Ed Brubaker.

With just a few revelations in this issue, he eliminates my concerns about the Roxxon construction site on the planet Mars and manages a sly homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars at the same time. Impressive!

This issue is all about shedding some light, as we get a look at the secret organization looking for an incredibly ancient artifact on Mars, and the reason why our heroes must stop the efforts of this ancient evil.

The problem is, they seem to be completely outmatched by Nova, who's been possessed by the Serpent Crown and whose powers have been amped up considerably.

Mike Deodato's art is back to its usual heights, perhaps because it's an action-intensive issue. I especially enjoyed the western flashback at the beginning of the book, and he also gets to depict some cosmic-level events.

For the first two issues I had my doubts about this comic, but after reading this comic, those concerns are (mostly) gone.

Sorry for doubting you, Ed.

Grade: A-

Secret Avengers #2

While I certainly like comics that tackle cosmic stories, I have to admit that I prefer them to have at least some kind of basis in the real world.

And yes, Marvel Earth is different from our Earth - but in this issue of Secret Avengers, the team flies a spacecraft to Mars (that part's ok) where they discover a mystery that's linked to the ancient Serpent Crown (still ok) and some other strange crown-like artifacts that are linked to it and having a strange effect on others (still ok). But all this takes place in a massive dig that an Earth corporation is managing on Mars! (That beeping noise is the alarm on my "baloney" meter.)

I suppose, given the scientific advances evident on Marvel Earth, one could make the argument that such a thing is believable - but for me, it takes us way outside the real world, where we're lucky to land a working probe on Mars that can motor around the general vicinity.

I could have bought into an alien race digging there - the Kree, the Skrull, whatever - but I don't buy this. So, long story short, this comic already has a strike against it in my book.

Getting back to the issue - we have the Secret Avengers splitting up into teams and investigating the mystery on Mars, which involves lots of fighting, tracking, energy blasts, enslaved minions and a big mystery man.

The art by Mike Deodato and Will Conrad is mostly good, though there seem to be an awful lot of dark shadows and silhouettes going on here. Perhaps they're going for mood, but the end result is: it's sometimes difficult to figure out which character is which.

We're still early in the story, and writer Ed Brubaker has plenty of time to bring this one home - but so far, for me, this series is on shaky ground.

Grade: B

Secret Avengers #1

The rollout of the new Avengers titles continues with the Secret Avengers.

It's something of an odd concept - I suppose it's the Avengers by way of Mission: Impossible. The idea is that Captain Steve Rogers (Capt. America, natch) has assembled a covert team of operatives to handle the dark menaces outside of the public eye.

(By the way, shouldn't Cap be promoted if he's going to be the head of SHIELD? Just asking.)

To that end he's assembled a team that seems to be chosen at random. I can understand adding the Black Widow and War Machine for their backgrounds, and I love seeing the Beast back on the team, but the Valkyrie, Moon Knight, Ant Man and Nova seem to be odd additions. Maybe it's just me.

As written by Ed Brubaker, the team jumps right in at the start of the story, invading a Roxxon office to acquire a dangerous (and mysterious) object. That leads them to an offworld site and a battle with a mysterious (yet familiar) power - and a strange organization with a surprising leader.

The art is by Mike Deodato with colorist Ranier Beredo, but it doesn't seem like a good fit so far - the story is very dark and small, while Dedato excels at those bigger-than-life moments.

The biggest problem with the story is that it's all setup - introducing the characters and just hints about the true nature of what they're facing. The whole concept seems shaky - why are they trying to keep their existence a secret? Shouldn't they use less distinctive costumes?

I have to say, this feels like a shaky start so far - but perhaps, as the team comes together and the storyline becomes more clear, these problems will clear up.

Here's hoping!

Grade: B-