Vengefully Doomed
THE GOOD
The obligatory: cover art. There was no "Previously on Vengeance" for this issue. Instead, the same panel format was used to move the story along. Which worked. At this point, we really start to get what is going on, and how things will play out.
The simple fact that everything was wrapped up was nice. All the plot lines converged in this, the final issue of the Vengeance mini-series. Finally. Now, if I could only remember why everyone is in Latveria? I suppose it is because Dr. Doom is on the cover. Good enough. I guess.
The battle scenes were still visually appealing.
The "lesson" was good enough, though a bit overplayed. What's that? What was the lesson? I think, as far as I could tell: $4!7 Happens. Or maybe, Super-Kids are Super-Brats.
I have to say that I did not see the "twist" for the climax. For that, I commend the writers.
I do like how Egghead ends up - seems fitting as he was my favorite "kid villain" in this series. I was also pleased to see the fates of both the kid Executioner and Radioactive Kid. Bleh!
The ending pages with the Ultimate Nullifier had potential to be the worst thing ever. But, it wasn't all that bad - even though there was too much texting (any texting is too much texting). I guess we can be glad the Radioactive Kid left a lasting impression on ULT. If not, we may have thought this mini-series a simple addition to the The Tommy Westphall Universe.
THE BAD
Why did this mini-series end in Latveria with the son of Dr. Doom?
As it is pointed out in the issue, much of the story really felt too much "...like a kid throwing a kegger when his folks leave town for the weekend." In fact, as I think about it, that is what the entire mini felt like at times. Am I really to believe that the Teen Brigade helps the well known super-heroes to complete their goals without anyone knowing about it? Really? The well known super-heroes are that bad at their jobs they need teenage assistance?
Where was the Black Knight? Now it really feels like her character and "relations" with the Ultimate Nullifier were simply plot devices to promote the Red Skull Nazi back story. Did she really just quit in the last issue? Weak.
How is it that Hellstrom, She-Hulk and Miss America just happened to come back from the "Sixth Dimension" over Latveria? There was no way they would have known where to go? At least it wasn't explained. Oh well.
The texting. Again, I don't even see a phone in the Ultimate Nullifier's hands... yet he is texting to Miss America. Queue Big Sigh.
The In-Betweener stuff seemed a bit overdramatized. I agree with how it ends, it just seemed a bit out of place - or could have been handled differently (once the climax twist happens).
THE VERDICT
Recommended. Hey, you have made it this far, you might as well get it. Seriously though, it wasn't the best book ever written, but it does wrap things up. It makes for a nice little mini-series, nothing to write home about, but I guess something to write six reviews about. :)
The most interesting part of the entire series came at the end of this book, and I quote:
So... they had the art, no story. Now I know why things seemed contrived. Now I know why random "young" characters were used to move the plot along (even if it wasn't going the "right way" most of the time). Now I know why the covers really didn't have much to do with the story within their respective books. NOW everything makes sense.
Good enough, I guess. Maybe if they put that disclaimer at the beginning, I wouldn't feel as "cheated". I would have bought the issues for the covers either way, likely. At least I would have gone in with lower expectations - that is always better than having them cut down to size...
Either way, this series had some great parts. Just because those parts do not make something greater than the whole, doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable. If you purchased these books, at the very least, you have some nice covers too look at...