Age of Ultron #2 – Review

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By: Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Bryan Hitch (Penciler), Paul Neary (Inkers), Paul Mounts(Colorist), VC’s Cory Petit (Letterer)

The Review:  This’ll be a short review. Not because I’ve suddenly gained the ability to limit myself to sub-1000 word articles (I don’t think I’ll ever break that irksome habit), but rather because thanks to a dose of plot decompression there’s not much to add here that hasn’t already been covered in my review of Age of Ultron #1.

The same sense of despair, after all, is persistent. Even on the other side of America (this issue takes place in San Francisco) the outlook’s bleak. Ultron-Bots continue to ‘pacify’ the population while Black Widow scrambles over piles of dead bodies and Moon Knight snipes at violent looters from atop blown-out buildings. The two heroes were apparently caught off-guard by Ultron’s uprising while in the middle of a black-ops mission and are seen working together to locate a secure rallying point (a classic Fury hideout) and from there plan some payback.

Back in New York we get to see Spider-Man’s recollection of Ultron’s initial attack (as brief as it may be) and further discussion as to what happened while he was tied to that chair in The Owl and Hammerhead’s lair. It appears he was being prepped for a trade with Ultron, though what Ultron could possibly want with these broken heroes at this point offers a note of confusion for the assembled Avengers. Cap seems to have worked it out however, and rises from the throes of his demoralised stupor into a stance of action, clutching a jagged splinter of his Vibranium Shield in one hand. “We didn’t have a plan…Until now,” he states with conviction. I get the feeling that whatever the plan is it’s going to lead to more death and destruction than it will a much needed victory.

And that’s about the size of it; more a continuation of mood than a step forward in plot. From early previews of #3 it seems like the series will continue this format in the short term: half the book dedicated to catching up with the lost, scattered factions of the Avengers wherever they may be, and the other to the larger group holed up in the downed Helicarrier. Everyone’s moving towards a final confrontation with Ultron (where I’m sure the big shock moment of the title will reside) and while I can’t say it’s ‘fun’ getting there its certainly achieved with an impressively menacing atmosphere. Things are going to get much, much worse before they get better, but that should imbue the inevitable final victory with that much more power. Bring it on.

Hitch and co’s art is still up to the same high standards, its ruined landscapes and human frailty captured in cinemascope, a dystopian superhero tragedy presented in a series of unflinching storyboards. It’s consistently bleak, but brilliant with it, with the highlights going to Hitch’s Spidey (both in and out of the costume) and his beaten Captain America. Others have complained that he spends too much time pondering over rubble, but in a tale like this – where mankind’s near-annihilation is the backdrop – the devil lies in every demolished detail. It’s great stuff, though believe that the best is yet to come.

Conclusion: It’s true that Marvel event books often translate a little better when read in collected form, and in that tradition it certainly feels like these first two issues would have benefited from being packaged together in one bumper-sized offering. But then Marvel would have only sold one $4.99 comic rather than two $3.99 comics (thereby proving why I don’t work in marketing). Still, I can forgive the fact that this issue barely moves the story along when the story itself is so good. Bendis’ tale of woe continues unabated, the feel-bad hit of the season; fingers crossed it keeps it up.

Grade: B+

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.