Credits

• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Pencils: David Finch
• Inks: Danny Miki and Mark Morales
• Colors: Frank D'Armata
• Letters: Comicraft
• Editor: Axel Alonso

Quick Summary

Several of the New Avengers confront Maria Hill, SHIELD Deputy Director, in their new headquarters. They discuss the jailbreak, the formation of the new team, and other matters. Hill is fairly hostile, and asks to speak to Captain American alone. The team views a list of the 42 escaped criminals, and Spider Man recognizes Electro on a surveillance video. Traveling to Boston, they confront Electro and take him prisoner.

At Ryker's Island, the team confronts the criminals who were recaptured, and discover that the prisoner freed by Electro was Karl Lykos, a.k.a. Sauron. In a new quinjet, they travel towards the Savage Land, discovering some unusual circumstances about the SL on the way. No sooner do they land and disembark than a dinosaur crushes the quinjet. Backing into the forest with the others, Spider Woman is assaulted from behind by a figure who strongly appears to be Wolverine.

Commentary

I almost wish the "let's form a new team" discussion of issue # 3 had happened at the very end of the arc instead of where it did. Then it may have felt a little more like these heroes had truly gone through an amazing experience together, one that might have inspired thoughts of a new team.

I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that Sauron was the target of the breakout-or could Sauron be a red herring? Sauron is a colorful and fairly novel idea, especially since he has no direct links to the historical Avengers. I hope we're going to see the formidable Sauron of the late Sixties, who was an object of real psychological terror and a genuine monster--a far cry from the reptilian dullard we've seen for the last 15 years or more, who has been largely played for jokes.

However, I can't understand why such experienced stalwarts as Tony and Steve would think that, within 24 hours, Sauron-perhaps still in human form-would already be in the Savage Land. Or necessarily travel there-he's been out and about the MU over the decades as well as in the SV, where his luck has been no better.

And certainly whoever broke him out may have had other intentions than merely freeing him. In fact, it's reasonable to think Sauron was basically kidnapped and is about to become someone's pawn or weapon, willingly or otherwise. For me, 'the Savage Land is his home' doesn't cut it in terms of rational.

An ambiguity: why would Electro refer to Sauron as "sir'? Many of the other Raft inmates were as fearsome and powerful as Sauron-and some far more so, like the Molecule Man. Why the respect?

Another question: why didn't the team easily deduce who was missing from the Raft, since it was made clear to them who had escaped, and who was back in lockup at Ryker's? Certainly someone at the Raft should have known the names of all those incarcerated. It would seem to be a simple matter of deduction.

Why would wanted criminal Electro frequent a restaurant every day for two weeks, especially under the circumstances, use a bank regularly, and thus make himself traceable?

The best Electro I've ever seen in MU history would have taken off immediately on a lightning bolt of his own devising, and quickly flown away-as fast as a streak of lightning. Of those present in Boston, only IM would be able to fly after him, though SM could have swung into action and Cap might have hurled his shield. Still, the scene was well done. Seeing additional Electro characterization was a big plus.

I didn't care for much of the dialogue overall, which often seemed strained, forced, and obvious, though it's reasonable to expect that not all heroes are even remotely alike in mannerism. In fact, the dialogue seemed to want to induce a "guffaw-guffaw" kind of response in the reader. No thanks.

Spider Man seemed unnecessarily snide throughout. Peter has always had a pronounced jocular side, and must be Bendis' version of it. But it doesn't breed sympathy for Peter in me. He almost seems like someone badly in need of a dose of hard comeuppance; the experience of having his arm snapped like a twig apparently didn't teach him anything.

Cage's "DAMN, girl" remark when he saw the fetching Spider Woman coming down the stairs walked a thin line for me. It's been well argued that Cage is nothing but a black stereotype, and will and should continue to be. It's a thorny question: what is caricature, what is parody, what is balanced, non-exploitive presentation? Or is exploitation "just fine"? I'm on the fence about it.

Urban and inner city characters-of all races and ethnicities-certainly deserve representation, but I felt the ghost of Austen's very outdated and clichéd gay stereotype Northstar, attending Lorna's otherwise all-girl bachelorette party while all the other men (save Bobby) attended Havok's, hovering in the background.

Why doesn't Cage, who has walked the MU for decades, know about the existence of the Savage Land? His long friendship with Danny Rand should have provided that information, at very least.

As I said, the entry of the Sauron and the Savage Land has really changed the focus of the arc. In my MU experience, most SL stories are very good, despite, perhaps, its overuse. I'm looking forward to seeing the balance of the arc play out there, especially since the NA team are-apparently-stuck there now. Or not-if Wolverine in present, can the other X-men be far behind?

The art was fantastic, if still somewhat stiff. The panel of the quinjet flying towards the SL was awesome.

No doubt there are still some surprises ahead, and I'm anticipating yet another 90-degree turn in terms of who hired Electro, whether the team remains in the SL or not.

A villain or villain group not usually linked with Sauron, mutants, or the SL would be exciting, like the Circus of Crime (not that I think that's likely!), the Zodiac, the Red Ghost, Llyra, the Collector, or the Leader. Mr. Sinister or Apocalypse would be interesting too; in fact, both of these characters are badly in need of rejuvenation, and Bendis might be the writer to give them new life.

--Tiger Shark