This one is really
messed up and freaky. Initially solicited to feature Luke Cage,
Hawkeye, and Mockingbird, the story replaced the latter with Spider
Woman as one of its point of view characters. After being captured
by the X-Men and imprisoned in Utopia, these three Avengers find
themselves forced to do things they wouldn't do to people they once
called friends in order to escape. With all the elements of a
psychological thriller, this AvX tie-in is perhaps the darkest tale
told so far in the event.
The most
representative character of Bendis' run with the Avengers is Luke
Cage, and this chapter has a sense of upcoming finality for him;
will Bendis take Cage with him when he leaves the title? Mike
Deodato relies heavily in shadows and dark tones to match the theme
of the issue, successfully conveying that scary movie feel. Scott
Summers: you are a bad, bad man and things cannot end up well for
you. Fantastic issue!
