Secret Avengers #23
Story By: Rick Remender
Art By: Gabriel Hardman
Review Score : 8/10
After the big reveal of the Adaptoids last issue Remender focuses largely on ust a few characters this issue . The main story centers around Ant man who Hawkeye had shrunk and jump onto one of the Adaptoids last issue. Remender uses Ant Man well here having him explain to himself and the reader that he hasn’t ever really felt comfortable being a “hero” mainly because at the start of his career he was anything but that. It’s a nice character moment that gets touched on towards the end of the issue in truly heartbreaking fashion.
Back at base Hawkeye has been up questioning his choices and generally lashing out at every one of his team mates , including Captain America. Steve Rogers believes that adding Flash Thompson (The New Venom ) to the team would greatly help Hawkeyes chances of turning his current failed mission around. Hawkeye takes offense at the notion and takes the rest of the team to go after Ant Man.
Easily my favorite character now that Remender is writing the book is Beast. Remender fills Beast full of Witty comebacks and one liners in the beginning of this issue. While towards the end has Beast take charge and remind Hawkeye not only how lucky he is to be in the Team Leader of the group but also that if he continues acting over aggressive and barking orders that he may lose Beast in the process.
Gabriel Hardman’s art is really starting to grow on me . It may not be the most detailed art around, but he tells a very clean and concise story. Facial expressions are spot on and he does well in both the Action scenes and quieter moments in the book which Remender mixes perfectly together.
I wont spoil anything for you but the end of this issue is truly heartbreaking stuff. The scenes I refer to are all done very real and through the images as well as the dialogue coming out of the character you get a sense that he’s in the middle of a fight he’s not going to win. I’m sold on this book. Even though there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the Adaptoids , Remender has made them a clear threat. I love the Team put together in this book and Remender clearly has a voice in mind for each character . Hardman’s art doesn’t disappoint and when you put that together with Remenders storytelling Marvel has another Home run book on their hands.
Mike DeVivo
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