Mighty Avengers 14
Unlike the Mask, I'm quite a big fan of the Sentry and am always keen to read about his trying to maintain a superhero existence whilst dealing with his serious mental health issues. Early on we learn from the Void that he is schizophrenic and agoraphobic. Those are big issues to come to terms with, particularly when you are as powerful as Bob Reynolds. A key moment occurs in this issue when Skrull Jarvis reveals to his comrades that Iron Man keeps his close not because of his powers but because he doesn't know what else to do with him. Quite chilling, in its way.
Like the Mask, I'm not really warming yet to Khoi Pham, who has recently be awarded a Marvel exclusive deal. Pham's art is a little like Romita Junior, a little like Leinil Yu's and a lot like British artists like Cam Kennedy or Mike McMahon, who used to work on 2000AD. However, he is also quite distinctive. I'm wondering whether Pham was hired due to his speed as much as his stylings. There is however at least one nice bit of artwork, a brief exchange of glances between Stark and Jarvis which tell you a lot about their trust of each other (which of course is about to be completely ripped asunder). It's a nice understated moment.
Both this title and the New Avengers seem to be chugging along with what are basically Secret Invasion background one shots. Whilst it's nice to get background details filled in, it's also a little frustrating that, as readers, we feel a little like we're going backwards not forwards with our characters. But Bendis' script and this issue in general are okay. But by no means an essential read.
