The Avengers Take on Magnitron's Sentries
Issue 17 of Avengers Assemble marks the penultimate chapter of the Captain Marvel crossover, "The Enemy Within". The stakes are high as Yon-Rogg's plan to terraform Earth into a New Hala enters the final stages of preparation. The Avengers break into teams and fan out across North America to prevent Kree Sentries from completing their circuit. Elsewhere, the Wasp is tasked with recruiting an old ally who can help the team track Yon-Rogg, the Eternal Sersi.
This is hands down my favorite issue of the crossover. First of all, it's packed to the gills with action. Secondly, Kelly Sue DeConnick once again demonstrates a deft hand at capturing the voices of the sizable cast. Everyone sounds as they should, and you get a strong sense of their frustration from dealing with a seemingly endless horde of Sentries. Third, the art is simply the best it's been since the current volume of Captain Marvel started.
Matteo Buffagni's storytelling is improved over issue 16. His figure work is strong and characters grimace as the story calls for. His Carol is undoubtedly the best she's looked in years. Bringing an assist is Pepe Larraz on two pages in the back half of the story. While his style isn't as crisp as Buffagni's, it doesn't clash with it either. Stepping in on colors for Jordie Bellaire is Nolan Woodard who does an exceptional job and really helps to add suitable volume to Buffagni's lines.
All-in-all, this is a fantastic issue, and is turning out to be the story readers have been waiting for since the current Captain Marvel volume kicked off. If you've been reading this long, you're in for a treat.
