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

Having just shot Sauron through the head, a group of apparently rogue SHIELD agents, led by Yelena Belova, the second Black Widow, are ordered to turn their guns on the New Avengers. Spider Woman identifies herself as a SHIELD operative and orders them to “think twice.” When her male operatives hesitate, the Black Widow opens fire, saying, “This is not a world of men.” The Avengers spring into action. Iron Man initiates a “polar magnetic field,” drawing away all the SHIELD weaponry. Continuing to take charge, Spider Woman threatens the Black Widow, who remains defiant. Demanding to know who the Black Widow is working for, Spider Woman receives the reply, “I work for the same people you work for.” Sauron attacks, burning the Black Widow badly, who rushes into the brush. Taken down once again, Sauron reverts to human form.

A message from Iron Man’s armor indicates nearby activity, and the Avengers discover an enormous SHIELD operation which is utilizing inhabitants from the Savage Land to extract vibranium from a huge pit. As the Avengers reaches the pit, the entire area is destroyed by incoming missiles, with the exception of the team, who are protected by a repulsor field Iron Man throws around them.

Overhead, SHIELD, led by Agent Hill, arrives in by helicarrier. Captain America calls Hill a “murder,” and Hill explains that “you did your investigation, and we did ours.” She states that a covert SHIELD faction was indeed “poaching vibranium off foreign soil,” which is “an act of war.” Sauron is taken into SHEILD custody. After both groups discuss the ramifications of what has occurred, Iron Man explains that he has run the information concerning the super criminals SHIELD provided the Avengers after the Raft breakout with the team’s “old databases.” He has learned that “at least 14” of the prisoners “supposedly died years ago”; Spider Woman says, “someone in SHIELD is stockpiling powered criminals.” Realizing that the situation is a much larger one than originally suspected, Captain America tells the others that they’re free to leave the new team if they want to, especially since the unknown enemy probably now has knowledge of them. Iron Man and Captain America step aside to discuss offering Wolverine a place on the team; Iron Man thinks he is needed “in these times,” while Captain America says, “he’s a murderer.” But Iron Man apparently convinces Captain America that Logan’s presence is needed.

In a dark, dingy hospital room, a horribly disfigured person lies in bed, swathed in bandages. An unseen figure enters and says, “Yelena. You failed in your mission, Black Widow.” The figure offers her an opportunity to regain her “livelihood and pretty face” and to “strike back” at the Avengers.

Commentary

This issue happily fulfills the promise sensed intermittently throughout the previous five issues of Breakout. There’s a lot of love and little to dislike; in fact, readers may get the sense that this issue is what modern hero comic writing is all about. While the story will obviously be an ongoing one within the series, some may have the impression that it’s unfortunate that Bendis allowed the arc to drag out as long as he did. All in all, the plot of Breakout could have been economically told in four effective issues rather than six, since some issues were rather desultory and felt padded with extraneous material.

While this issue didn’t wrap up everything in a tidy package, that was clearly Bendis’ purpose. The Avengers have long needed an ongoing enemy (or enemies) such as Claremont provided the X-Men with Mr. Sinister and the Marauders during the Eighties, one who doesn’t simply strike, face an ostensible defeat, and then disappear for 15 months, such as Kang or Ultron, but one who remains an active and persistent player behind the scenes. Whoever is behind events here is clearly a foe or foes that the team takes very seriously. Some previously introduced elements are satisfactorily explained, like the presence of “dead” super criminals at the Raft in the early issues.

The presence of the second Black Widow—whom Finch depicts as a kind of sneering 9 & A Half Weeks-era Kim Basinger—is inspired indeed, and her sociopathic personality is awesomely portrayed. Though similar in character to the Viper (whom Bendis has said will be featured in the series shortly) and Mystique, she still manages to shine magnificently in all her amoral, arrogant glory. She certainly is presented as having more teeth than all the Raft inmates but together.

Her telling remarks that “this is not a world of men” and “I work for the same people you work for” bode well for future arcs, especially since they seem to indicate that both she and Jessica work for another woman. Whom? The Viper? Mother Night? Hela? The second Crimson Cowl? Karnilla? Spiral? Though Spiral seems like an illogical choice, the mysterious figure on the last page clearly has the power to “fix” the horribly scarred Yelena Belova, as Spiral has done for others via the Body Shop. The last page is grim and gripping indeed, and, unlike many of Bendis’ previous cliffhangers, actually works, and works powerfully.

Unlike some of the previous issues, the characterization and dialogue work throughout, but that’s perhaps because there’s very little would-be humorous prattle. Occasionally, Bendis has made both the Avengers and the New Avengers seem like strangers riding an elevator, obligated to make low-grade small talk to ease their temporary social discomfort. Spider Woman is the dominant player in this issue, and if Bendis maintains his enthusiasm for her as he does here, then it seems likely that the Avengers will eventually have another standout female character to rival The Wasp, The Scarlett Witch, and Captain Marvel (Photon/Pulsar) in terms of characterization. This interpretation of Spider Woman would make a great team leader indeed.

Though some events seem to begin and end too quickly, such as the sudden arrival of the missiles and SHIELD after the team discovers the vibranium operation, the action is believable, fast-paced, and dynamic. Captain America and Jessica’s deep concern over the larger plot also seems a bit misplaced considering the kind of scenerios the team has faced in the past, from the Kree-Skrull War, the first and second Secret Wars, the Red Zone affair, and Ultron’s and Kang’s last salvos, but most readers will be willing to look the other way here, especially since this unknown enemy is exactly what the book has needed---for decades.

Finch’s art remains superb, especially in the emotional shadings he allows the Black Widow both during her assault on the team and her subsequent interrogation.

This is the best issue since this creative team’s Avengers 502.