Avengers #13: The Sentinels Strike Back

The “ticking clock” is a classic framing device that has gifted urgency and edge-of-your-seat tension to many climaxes. Typically, especially in the action-adventure of comic books, this trope is presented in the most literal of forms; the countdown to some doomsday device. There is no detonator for Earth’s mightiest heroes to dramatically defuse at the last second, but the ticking clock element is undoubtedly present in Avengers #13.

Artist Francesco Mortarino barges into the issue guns-blazing with a fantastic one-page spread that quickly and concisely establishes scale. Wave upon wave of sentinels launch themselves at the Avenger’s orbital fortress as its sentient defense system holds the line with a barrage of energy blasts. Federico Blee’s colors imbue the carnage with equal parts terror and beauty; the gold and scarlet swarm being bisected by beams of white light is a mesmerizing spectacle against the black backdrop of space. The issue is rife with Avengers battling in zero gravity, which gives the artist free reign to play with various angles and orientations. Sentinels fly in from every possible direction like a swarm of frenzied bees, conveying the chaos of the situation well.

The Avengers need only a second to compensate for the major curveball that Orchis has thrown their way, formulating a new strategy to stop the sentinel horde. While the team’s heavy-hitters give it their all in space, Captain America and Black Panther go after the brains of the operation: 3-D Man.

As it turns out, Delroy Garrett was employed as a sleeper agent by T’Challa months in advance, his bitter history with the Avengers making him the perfect mole. Given 3-D man’s status as one of the franchise’s many obscure C-listers, it wouldn’t have been a shock if he had truly broken bad. Many characters on his level and even greater have experienced similar character assassination, making this double-twist pleasantly effective. It also frames decisions from the beginning of this issue in a brand new light: it seemed idiotic for Delroy to sacrifice hundreds of sentinels in a frontal attack, when he was really depleting Orchis’ forces on Earth.

The day is saved and the issue culminates in a triumphant albeit quick ending. There’s no time left to see 3-D Man interact with former teammates, nor is there time to celebrate before the comic flashes forward to the next foreboding global threat. Such is the consequence of being sandwiched between two crossover events. Still, Avengers #13 amounts to another solid adventure showcasing the team’s capable, calculated side.