Avengers #12: Liberation Begins

The Avengers’ relations with their mutant brethren have improved by leaps and bounds since the dark age of war and revolution, and this month’s issue is the latest and greatest display of solidarity between the two powerhouse teams. Asking why miscellaneous characters don’t just seek help from the Avengers has evolved from genuine question to inside joke amongst Marvel fans, so seeing it answered in earnest feels monumental. It’s cathartic witnessing figures such as the Scarlet Witch, who began the Krakoan era as a bogeyman feared by mutant children, unleash her power against those who seek to harm them. Wanda even takes a page straight out of The Matrix’s book, halting a hail of bullets in mid-air as a glorious demonstration of dominance. And that’s only one of the many character spotlight moments that Jed MacKay brings to the table.

The invincible Iron Man, who has been fighting this war longer than any of his cohorts due to his technology being misappropriated for the latest generation of sentinels, is finally ready to let his allies off their leash. The other avengers have been ready and waiting to spring into action, prepping their war strategy to fit with the X-men’s larger campaign. The plan is simple enough, by superhuman standards at least: Scarlet Witch, Captain America, and Black Panther liberate Orchis gulags and teleport the prisoners to safety aboard their base floating in Earth’s atmosphere. Meanwhile, Thor, Iron Man, Vision and Captain Marvel race across the globe at supersonic speeds, destroying vital Orchis infrastructure before the fascists can catch up.

Artist Francesco Mortarino nails the sensation of speed not only in individual panels but the layout of the pages. A little background detail goes a long way here, as Mortarino and colorist Federico Blee make each new location immediately apparent even without the accompanying text.

The only hitch in the heroes’ plan is the surprise involvement of 3-D Man, a former teammate who had lost relevance following the events of Secret Invasion. 3-D Man has been hired as a threat assessment consultant by the evil organization Orchis, and he has seemingly sussed out the Avengers’ only vulnerability. He is not the only new face, as Yuna Yang, the cat burglar with whom Captain Marvel involuntarily switches locations, makes her debut. This is the first time MacKay has acknowledged the circumstances of Carol’s solo comic, and the decision to do so is very calculated. Carol is inconveniently benched just as the Impossible City comes under attack from an armada of sentinels. With the Avengers still scattered across Earth and with one of their big guns absent, the tide may be turning in the enemy’s favor.