Avengers #15: Monsters Always Come Back

The dastardly Baron Blood, always one for theatrics, doesn’t miss a beat when falling right back into his repertoire with Captain America. The issue-long verbal quarrel between hero and villain is so dense with its allusions to prior encounters that it sells their relationship as a true rivalry. The baron may be nowhere near as recognizable a foe as Red Skull, but Cap treats him as an equal threat nonetheless. The two spend the entirety of their page time pursuing each other through the labyrinthian innards of an old helicarrier, exchanging blows in a high-octane chase sequence that never lets up. This relentless energy spills over into every other aspect of the excellent Avengers #15.

Jed Mackay further develops the dynamic of this unorthodox lineup of heroes, giving each of them enough focus to make this a true ensemble. Kate Bishop and Hazmat, both youthful and sardonic, could have been difficult to vary, but Mackay finds fun ways to keep their voices distinct. Hazmat’s hesitant, glass-half-empty perspective makes her the perfect straight man to goofy arrogant antics of Hercules and Quicksilver.

But the true shining moment is awarded to Miss Bishop, who steps up and delivers a sage speech to the hundreds of civilians held hostage aboard the Nazi vampire ship. It’s far from the inspiring spiel that Steve Rogers would utter; it’s blunt and pragmatic but well-intentioned, true to her nature as anyone familiar with Matt Fraction’s iconic run on Hawkeye will know.

There are plenty of walls to be smashed through and vampires to be incinerated along the way, all dynamically penciled by C.F. Villa and colored beautifully by Federico Blee. When certain big actions are performed, such as Cap throwing his mighty shield, Villa and Blee include a translucent specter of the wind-up, a technique possibly influenced by manga, to emphasize the strength behind it. All these aspects and more come together to form a classic, feel-good Avengers adventure worth the read.