The Avengers #24: A Battle Amongst Stars

What began as an inconspicuous heist has escalated into an all-out star war as Kang the Conqueror’s armada fires upon the Grandmaster’s space-faring casino in a display of strength and ego. Artist Farid Karami pulls no punches opening Avengers #24 with such an explosive action set-piece, his penciling so masterful that these still renditions of massive starships seem to shake with the impact of every laser and proton torpedo.

There is a nostalgic sensibility to the clunky, industrial silhouettes of these war machines, far different than the sleek and shiny aesthetic that the Marvel universe’s more advanced technology is often portrayed with. Karami lines just about every surface with rivets, emphasizing where panels of metal meet to form the hull, creating perfection by embracing imperfection. In that way, the ships have a tangible sense of history to them, looking as if they’ve seen many battles. Even more visually stunning is the way their angular metal bodies contrast against the organic shapes of the cosmic storm raging around them, creating danger and tension.

Of course, all of this thrilling set-dressing would fall short without characters to root for at the core of it, which writer Jed MacKay understands completely. With a monkey wrench thrown into their plans, the Avengers must put their main goal aside to rescue innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of Kang and the Grandmaster’s firefight. MacKay excels at portraying the team as expert strategists under pressure, putting their minds and abilities together in some truly outside-the-box ways. With an incredible assist from Vision’s supercomputer brain, the three female powerhouses, Storm, Scarlet Witch, and Captain Marvel are able to save everyone and outmaneuver Kang in his own scheme.

Felicia Hardy reaches the culmination of her 3-issue arc, catching on to Kang’s malicious nature in time to sabotage his ship and help the avengers save the day. Black Cat proves to be the comic’s heart and soul, topping off this wild adventure with an emotional exchange with her long-deceased father. The emotional send-off perhaps could have hit harder had the father and daughter been seen working side-by-side more, given that the opportunity to do so had been Black Cat’s motivation from the very beginning. Regardless of this oversight, their tearful goodbye is effectively bittersweet both for knowledgeable fans and newcomers, ending Avengers #24 on a strong note.