The Good

It is absolutely staggering how much content Rick Remender has crammed into this issue without making the issue seem overstuffed or directionless. The Uncanny Avengers, after learning Wolverine sanctioned not only the use of lethal force, but lethal force against a child (who, granted, would be the next Apocalypse) have split down the middle of those who think Wolverine’s actions were justified and those who think he shouldn’t even be on the team anymore. Both groups have decided to investigate the goings on of the Apocalypse Twins, and both go about them differently, but they both meet with the same result: catastrophe. Remender has created an interesting and very realistic internal conflict within a team that already has plenty to go around, but he’s also done something brilliant in forcing characters who would have no other reason to interact to be on a small, tight-knit team together. One of my favorite parts of this issue is seeing Rogue interact with Thor and Havok chatting with Scarlet Witch. These are characters that wouldn’t really have reason to do more than smile politely if they passed in the hall, so the situation is presented almost comically, but it also has a great impact and is self-aware enough to realize how disparate the elements of the team are.

Daniel Acuña is back, handling the art from top to bottom and bringing his vision of the horrific new Horsemen to stark, startling life. This is an issue that doesn’t have much in the way of action, so it’s interesting to see Acuña’s painterly style put to use on a lot of exploration, dialog and calmer scenes. The last few issues have moved at a fairly intense clip, and while things are still not exactly “relaxed” for any of the characters, this issue definitely dials it back and sets up a lot to come in the future.

The Bad

This issue is a little too much setup and not quite enough payoff. Of course set up is necessary, but there needs to be a balance struck and I don’t think this issue nails it quite on the head. It’s got a ton of potential energy, which makes me extremely excited for what’s to come, but I can’t review based on what I haven’t read, so for this one issue, there simply wasn’t enough happening. It’s a lot of meandering, exploring, and introductions (which is odd, because everyone who might be a shock was introduced both last issue and on this issue’s cover, which lessens the impact). I’m not saying the issue doesn’t have enough action, it’s just that the action doesn’t seem consequential in the moment and only serves to set up whatever happens next. As part of a tapestry, it’s great, but as a singular entity, it’s a bit lacking.

The Verdict

Even a lot of meandering can’t eclipse what is a great read and some amazing characterizations. Remender expertly juggles each and every character, ensuring that most, if not all, have at least a few moments in the spotlight, which makes this an easy book to recommend as there’s almost certainly someone in here you’ll wind up liking. Sunfire, especially, is having a renaissance over the last couple of issues, and that continues well into this one. He’s a surprising and integral part of the team who joined a little late, but feels like he’s always been there, and the same with Wonder Man, whose new pacifism makes him an odd addition to a team that is definitely willing to punch its way through problems. I thought that Williams simply coming back after literally trying to take the team apart and just shrugging and apologizing was disingenuous, so it’s nice to see that the character has actually changed and is sticking to his guns on the notion that the Avengers, as they currently are, don’t work. Coupled with Acuña’s superlative art that perfectly captures the unreal horror of what’s going on, this book is still easy to recommend.

The best Avenger book in my opinion.

I dropped this series after issue #2, but being a huge Sentry fan, am considering picking this up again. Can I jump in at this issue, or do I have to buy a few back issues to catch up on the current arc and have the story make sense?

@rideaspacecowboy: I would say from issue 5 or 6.

This book has improved quite a bit since the first arc, but it also has turned into the continuation of Remender's Uncanny X-force, which I loved, with new characters.

Rogue is going to die in issue by issue 13. I called it since the book was announced, and I'm more convinced than ever now.

Why So I would hate for her to die :,(

I definitely enjoyed this issue and the last. Hopefully the two groups will eventually come back together though I still don't know how they'll deal with the new Horseman they're facing, particularly Sentry

I'm very happy because of Daken's return.

The best avengers book out right now, he'll the best marvel book out as well with Thor and spidey trailing close behind. Loved the character interactions especially cap and wasp! Wolverine acts and talks like the classic wolvy of yesteryear. Remender is a superb writer and acuna does facial expressions like no one else!

You know what I love most about this book? It's clearly for the hardcore Marvel reader. Screw being new reader friendly, if you want to know what's going on in this book, you gotta know your $#!+. This issue alone makes references to:

Apocalypse Solution, Dark Angel Saga, and Final Execution from Uncanny X-Force

Siege

X-Men: Deadly Genesis

Escape from Dimension Z, the current arc in Captain America

Peter Milligan's Apocalypse arc from X-Men in 2006.

It's like a friggin' Master's course.

@sparty_dbq: Uncanny Avengers: where real fans can be found!

@magnificentstorm: There's a death coming in issue 13.

They won't kill Cap, Thor or Wolverine.

Wanda, Havok and Sunfire were seen in the flash forward.

Wasp got a new costume, and Wonder Man went through a lot of trouble to be in this book.

Seriously, it's Rogue.

Same here ( as in Sentry fan not that i dropped the issues). I think you are better off starting from last comics rather than this one, just make sure you read the re-cap page closely and use the phone to watch the cover recap as well, that should bring you up to speed.

This is a new take on Sentry, dont wanna spoil anything for you, but Sentry was totally over-the-top at least in terms of power.

You must be very happy, we now have an official confirmation from Sentry own mouth, that the next person to die wont be Thor. And just like, dammit...

@killemall: I smell Rogue's death, but yeah I'm happy! ^-^

@sparty_dbq: haha totally agreed....I am loving the series. I was disappointed when Remender's run on Uncanny xforce ended...but his run on Uncanny Avengers has been great!

Rogue better not die... Seriously. She's one of the most fun characters in this book right now. I'm loving her as an Avenger!

@sweetesttoaster: In my opinion, that's not an opinion... it's a FACT! :D.... buuuttt then there's the New Avengers which imo is equally good.

Remender's just about my favorite writer, but I wish he'd stop killing off characters so much I mean I hope he doesn't kill Rogue or Scarlet Witch as in Uncanny X-force he killed 2 of the main cast, and a ton of villains died I mean it was good really emotional (Daken), but Killing Ian in Captain America when he'd only been around for about 8 issues, there was so much potential with him. What I'm trying to say is Remender relies to much on killing characters to create an emotional impact, also he said in an interview that if he could do anything with any characters he would just kill them.

Rogue + Thor 4eva

Sentry's Back!

Good issue. My favorite thing about this series? I actually give a damn about Wonder Man for a change. Really love his new pacifist stance. I like that Remender touched on Cap and Dimension Z in this issue.

@cafeterialoca: i hope wasp dies... her over Rogue's death any day =D. annnnd please don't let wonder man die

Please let wasp be the one that dies im really disliking her in this book and im hoping its intentionally written for her to be disliked so that fans wont care as much when it happens but thats not usually the case as shock value sells books but wasp or wanda.....that bitch has got it coming for m day.

New Horsemen... eh! What happened to the old Horsemen from Uncanny X-Force? Pestilence got impregnated with Archangel's "seed" and Dark Beast took her away stating that she is carrying the heir of apocalypse!

I expected more from this issue but I like the set-up.Next issue should be pretty interesting for us to see.

Sentry should have no reason to kill Thor anyways. He killed Loki, Ares, Asgardians, Asgard and Thor still didn't kill him until Sentry himself told him too. The Sentry was pretty much man-handling Thor this issue. Thor with both hands couldn't break Sentry's one grip. Although it's to hear he wants Thor for future plans, while the other Avengers are meant to die.

@papad1992: The Twins are hers and Archangel children, they came just when Genocide was trying to claim the Apocalypse mantle (supported by the old cast of horsemen) and killed the celestial, declaring themselves the true apocalypse.

I'm loving this series. I hesitated during the first story arc, but Remender has been Remender now during a really consistent run of issues and he's simply great!

I love how he is tying together everything that has happened in the past, in his own stories and others like the Sentry (and still have to see if there is interaction with Rogue given what she said in the funeral).

@cafeterialoca: I hope Rogue doesn't die. When I read that claim of Sentry killing someone, I though it would be a "fake" death, someone that would return in the next issue.

The points you give make sense, and given her past relationship with Sentry, and how she's starting to flirt with Thor and Thor has been honorable with her as an avenger, Sentry could kill her in front of Thor as it would be meaningful for all of them, and will be a hard hit for Cap's side despising her and now she being dead without them being able to apology.

On the other hand, Rogue is and important character for other books like WatXM (not that much in this one lately) and the new all female X-Men.

I really hope this is a 1 issue lasting death.

Thanks for the insight... I picked up the first issue of this series and hated both the plot and art so that's why I haven't followed it at all. I loved Remender's Uncanny X-Force and collected the entire series from beginning to end. But when it was cancelled in favor for this series, I was skeptical and hesitant because of the cast of characters that were apart of the team. I knew Remender would carry his plot developments from his old series to his new series but that first arc scared me off. I'm glad that he furthered the Apocalypse heir plot to this new series, but I can't take this cast of characters seriously! When does this story really begin? I'd like to buy it in trade.

@baberaham_lincoln: Wasp just got a new costume. She ain't dying now.

@lokheit: Except Rogue really isn't important in X-Men at all. Like, what's the plot keeping her in that book?

And honestly, screw Death. It's the most overused trick in storytelling now.

@zr0c00l: Bah I say kill off Sunfire and Rogue it's an X-men story so I say kill off an X-member. It's their problem to begin with.

Well rogue does sort of look like death with that awful hood costume she's sporting these days

I approve: Scarlet Witch's death

@cafeterialoca: What issue has the flash forward you are referring to?

@knighthood: Scarlet Witch can't die, isn't she going to be in Avengers 2?...OHHHHH =O unless they kill her and then resurrect her as a different being, since Avengers 2 can't directly use the mutant name of Wanda for some legal reason between fox and disney. Imagine if they did that... i don't know how to react

I've been enjoying this series, and this issue matches the quality so far, so I'm quite happy with it.

Some nice character moments, well written, and Wasps costume looked great.

I'm glad the 3 characters I buy this series for ended up on the same side in the split too.

@knighthood: Issue 4. Remember? 3 months later?

I kinda hated that arc. Thanks for the reminder.

I was more surprised at seeing Sentry speed. We've all seen how truely strong Sentry can be when he is well not having mental issue. The whole issue seem to be Sentry without having mental issue, so him being far more powerful than Thor makes perfect sense.

Even the AR video that recaps Sentry's death goes to calls him "the near omnipotent member of the Avengers" although the video makes it clear Bob wanting to die had very little do with Thor actually killing Bob, but rather Thor managed to strike down Bob before he could turn fully back into Void.

Ok back to speed, we have never really seen much to suggest Sentry was even light speeder, although one particular issue where he goes crying to the sun in what looked likes minutes would say yeah FTL. Noboby every imagined Sentry would be this fast, travelling lightyears in moment, warping space and time, having atom fling around at FTL speed simply becaue of his velocity, and having Thor who himself can fly multiple times FTL in trouble because of sheer speed alone, thats pretty drastic increase in Sentry speed.

But Remember would tell you, we are to expect a epic confrontation with Thor next issue, i am just curious.

As per Sentry, he should really have no reason to kill anyone, the only reason he asked to be killed was because he was ashamed by what he or rather the Void persona had done. He asked to be killed, he begged to be killed.

@killemall: I agree with everything

@enzeru: So the Sentry is powerful enough to overpower the Death Seeds power, and influence?

My point was a bit different.

One reason Sentry was always crazy was because he knew the existence of the Void. A plot often used to downplay Sentry, like what Skrulls did and all.

Now knowing there is no Void, its hard to see how Sentry will be mentally unstable, although he seem to now think he is the new Apocalypse, when he actually have a kid apocalypse running around :p, brought into marvel universe by Remender himself in the very last series he wrote :p.

In short, the f*ck is happening there :p

If you wanna take that literally, Wolverine has met Thanos with IG, and Eternity in Infinity Gauntlet saga. :p

But no further comments, even my fanboyism wont let me believe Sentry is beyond "that" level, :p

When i read that, my face was like... like. this

Followed by

I really hope we see Thor trying everything in his power and get stomped :p

What can i say.

I am a Sentry fanboy.

Sue me.

Sentry being more powerful than Thanos actually makes more sense, although Wolverine met Eternity though, more powerful than him not so much :p

I was shocked and laughing with joy when i read Uncanny Avengers # 10 with Sentry speed thats what i mean

Its still an epic re-match where Thor tries everything and nothing works :p well at least in my mind.

Also yeah Remender likes Thor, he outright stated in a thread where he takes Q and A from people, in regards to Uncanny Avengers way before Sentry was going to be in it, and there were people who asked who do you think is the most powerful hero on Earth.

Remender was like Thor. People even asked do you think him more powerful than Silver Surfer and he said yes. So yeah he really really like Thor.

Sort of make sense because earlier in Uncanny Avengers # 4, Wanda tapped into the power of Dark Hold, became pure Chaos, slowed down time, and even with amp like that this is what Remender had to say.

And lastly not a huge X-men fan so i dont know, havent read enough about Apocalypse, apart from Remenders own run of Uncanny X Force and not sure what he is going to do about the real apocalypse being on Earth and not wanting to be , well Apocalypse.

And apocalypse idea was survival of the fittest, which he believe will actually help people in the long run because only those who deserve to survive will survive.