Avengers vs. X-Men #6, by Marc Alan Fishman – Snarky Synopsis | @MDWorld

June 26, 2012 Marc Fishman 6 Comments

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Art by Olivier Coipel

Once again, I looked at the pile of books I’d picked up for the week… and looking back at me were titles I’ve reviewed already since returning to this column. In an attempt to go above and beyond for you, my adoring public, I took a leap of faith. I nabbed my friend’s copy of Avengers Vs. X-Men #6 on the train ride home. Please note: I’ve not read another issue in this epic multi-issue crossover. I had the very basic knowledge of what was going on in the series previously. I even read the “previously on…” page at the beginning of the book. So, with what little info that invariably gave me, I dove in. What I found was a pretty simple story that didn’t have me scratching my head too often. Was it any good? Sure. Was it jaw-droppingly good? Meh.

So, the cliff notes: The Phoenix Force (that crazy powerful cosmic thing that was all the rage in the 1976, and off and on ever since) came back to Earth. I assume for poops and giggles. Well, the Avengers were not happy about it. The X-Men were. They punched each other a lot. Iron Man made yet-another-suit to solve the problem. He shoots said force. Force splits into 5 parts (and some loose change picked up by Marvel Boy), and imbues Cyclops, White Queen, Namor, Colossus, and Not-As-Important-But-Hey-She’s-Colossus’-Sister-Magik with super-er powers. Issue 6 takes place after this imbuing.

Jonathan Hickman takes the writing reigns, and his deft hand keeps things moving briskly. In the short amount of time since becoming demi-gods, the Phoenix Force Five Go! have taken to solving all the world’s problems at once. No more war. Fertile ground where there were once barren deserts. Pure drinking water for all. And I think they made all parking free too. Hickman wisely chooses to cease the punching and blasting long enough to explore the moral ambiguity here. It’s really quite heady, for a mindless comic book, no? In the single oversized issue (and I’m only guessing it was longer than 20 pages, cause it sure felt like it), we get philosophical debates abound. Frankly, these small moments are the best part of the book. Take the scene where Hank McCoy (Beast) debates with Cap and Wolverine whether to proceed with a contingency plan to remove his friends from the board. It’s played pitch-perfectly.

The book suffers (as many main books of a multi-issue super crossover) from having to keep multiple balls in the air. Scenes are entered a beat after they should, and end a beat before. We flash forward, then backwards. All to keep the ‘widescreen’ feel of the book in tact. There’s a tie-in to Iron Fist that jumps right in the middle of the book, that frankly caught me off guard. Obviously this book exists in a pocket of time The Defenders doesn’t. As Danny Rand enters a fracas, I was stumbling to figure out just how he was in THIS adventure as well as the one a few books over. But I digress. Hickman’s Rand is milquetoast in this issue. That aside, the book clips along well, and keeps the drama amped to 11.

As an outsider to not only this series, but to the Avengers and the X-men in general, I have to say I’m truly curious to the editorial mandate of splitting the Phoenix Force into 5 different vessels. It’s novel, I admit, but this issue does little for anyone aside from Cyclops. His near omniscience makes for a fun bend on the character. He takes the lessons learned over a lifetime of superherodom, and makes a leap to proaction instead of reaction. I love the idea. So does Black Panther. Sadly, the other PhoeniX-Men are just wallpaper during the issue. Colossus apparently defeats Zzaxx with his mutant diplomacy power. Namor … stays in the water. Magik … stays out of the book. And White Queen … asks Scott a question in that quasi-all-powerful-yet-detached voice that reads funnier on the page than it should. Like I said—Cyclops steals the issue. His compatriots? Window dressings.

And what of the Avengers? Well, they continue to play the “Batman” card. Cap suspects bad mojo, and wants a plan to remove the most powerful piece off the board. Wolverine seems to agree. Black Panther, not so much. And the reveal of their “ace in the hole” comes well-earned in the issue… if a bit predictable. If it wasn’t written well, I’d be more pissy right now. Lucky for Hickman, he knows how to sling a caption box or two.

Art duties are taken by Marvel’s Designated Hitter… Olivier Coipel. As always, he handles things with the appropriate amount of gusto. His figures are thick, meaty, and generally well-posed. When action ramps up though, he can get a bit too excited. At times, there were so many beams, and fists, and explosions, I simply couldn’t decipher what was going on. It’s only in a few spots, so don’t consider this to be a deal breaker. What you get here is your standard epic series artwork. It’s big, bold, and every character is given a panel or two to look pretty. Nothing really stood out to me as being “above and beyond” though. So, take what you will from that. Oh, and whoever thought it was cute to combine Nightwing’s costume with Darkhawk’s visor to make Cyclops’ new outfit? Better luck next time.

Ultimately, I’d like to say I was curious enough to see how this series ends, but I’m not. Given that I think it’s branching off into dozens more books, I’ll keep to the sidelines on this one. Even with a consummate writer and artist tackling the main book… there’s not enough there for me personally to care enough to continue. It’s not the train wreck I’d assumed it would be, but it’s also not making me run back to the shop in a fever to see what’s next. Avengers Vs. X-men carries the same stalwart tent-poles all major crossovers are using these days. Frankly? When that happens… there is no winner in this fight for your money.