Avengers: The Initiative #21 (Marvel – Gage / Ramos)
THE INITIATIVE DISASSEMBLED begins here! The Fifty State Initiative stands revealed as a Skrull plot. Key personnel have left Camp Hammond, never to return. And that’s the least of the shocking fallout from Secret Invasion. Is there a future for our heroes? It could be a moot question when the mad clone of Thor, last seen in CIVIL WAR, is revived and turned loose on Stamford! This is no idle hype, True Believer–after this story, the Initiative will never be the same!
The Initiative disassembled begins here. And it begins with a solid one-two punch!
The beginning of the issue deals with the logisitics problems of the present leadership (or lack thereof because everyone is jumping ship) of the 50 state program. Osborne and H.A.M.M.E.R. are going to come through and cannibalize the program and I am guessing there isn’t going to be too much left.
With the public turning against the program and the present mood of the leadership, the latest cohort of recruits graduate and are given their assignments without so much of graduation cake and very little fanfare. Joseph Green, AKA Guantlet, who really enjoys being a drill Sargent, is now the commanding officer and is at ends with what to do. If he withdraws from the leadership ranks, it will leave the Baron Von Blitzschlag (a former Nazi badguy) with the superior rank. And he is not willing to do that. Words go back forth, temperatures are rising and then… BAM! The Thor clone (from Civil War), who apparently had some regenerative circuitry built in, re-emerges. And he believes he is the real Thor and is ready to set things right! He goes toe-to-toe with some of the Initiative’s best and brightest. While I was sad to see Dan Slott, leave the book, here’s a place where Gage gets to shine. Christos Gage has the ability to write an excellent battle scene! Everything about is a perfect fit.
And as if this pot isn’t already boiling over, the New Warriors show up…
This book does not get enough credit. Easily Marvel’s best new book in the last 2 years!
Issue grade: A
