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Avengers Assemble #6: Review

Aug 2012
Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley

Story Name:

(no title given)

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Avengers Assemble #6 Review by (October 15, 2013)
Groot was an alien invader in the pre-superhero Tales to Astonish #13. The tree-being was cloned in Hulk Annual #5, and some version of him appeared in Supernaturals #4. But the real deal was definitely a member of Nick Fury's Howling Commandos. In Annihilation: Conquest he was killed but revealed the ability to regrow from a twig. He then graduated into the Guardians of the Galaxy. After their disbanding in Thanos Imperative he palled around with Rocket Raccoon in Annihilators. A Monster of Badoon is a large cyborg creature used as a weapon by the Badoon. One was 1st seen in Silver Surfer (1968) #2. Tony Stark must have brought a spare set of armour with him, which is the one Hulk wears and trashes. A comparison of this armour with that worn by Stark does indicate an older model. But it's a strange thing to have done because, as we were reminded in #2 and #3, Stark's real armour at this time is generated from inside his body. To fit inside the suit Hulk must have been in Banner-mode, as also indicated by Hulk's words after breaking out. This says that they can switch between states at will, which tells us something about where this fits in Hulk's continuity. Hulk and Bruce Banner were split (again) in Incredible Hulk (2011) #1. As this Avengers Assemble story unfolds they have been rejoined in IH#8 but Hulk must stay angry to keep evil Banner from surfacing. As the 2011 series moves to a conclusion the 2 personalities will reach an amicable solution. Thus this story (and Hulk's appearance in AvX) should be between IH(2011) and the Marvel NOW series.

The gathering of Avengers at the Tower is most members of the current teams apart from those on the mission, plus some ringers. This story arc was published concurrently with Avengers vs X-Men. In #1 I suggested that it occurs before AvX and after the Norman Osborne storyline in the preceding Avengers and New Avengers issues. This lineup supports that idea. We see the complete New Avengers team (including Victoria Hand). The presence of Jessica Jones indicates this is before AvX. The Avengers themselves are represented by Spider-Woman, Storm and Vision. The presence of Storm does place this in my target area. Quake and Red Hulk must just happen to be missing. But the absence of Protector may to avoid confusion with AvX where he leaves the team under a cloud. The Secret Avengers here are Beast, Captain Britain, Giant-Man, Valkyrie and War Machine. WM isn't really active member at this point. But CB & GM put this after #22. The absence of the android Human Torch (Jim Hammond) and Venom (Flash Thompson) might mean it's before #23. this is consistent with my continuity thesis. Ant-Man (Eric O'Grady) not being there may also be to avoid confusion over his ambiguous status around that time. Invisible Woman & Mr Fantastic are also present. Thing is also there as part of the New Avengers. These are the 3 of the 4 original Fantastic Four who have ever been Avengers. Along with New Avenger Spider-Man, this constituted the FF at the time, because the non-android Human Torch was missing presumed dead.




 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers Assemble #6 Synopsis by Rob Johnson
Maria Hill has gathered together the Avengers (and some others) who aren't directly involved with the case (despite Captain America's decision in #2 not to involve them) to tell them that there's a cosmic-level threat. Thanos has stolen an item of power, but she won't tell them what it is. But then the away team contacts them and Iron Man lets slip that it's a Cosmic Cube. (The Avengers are surprised to see Hulk alongside Cap, IM, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Thor.) The on-Earth Avengers are to prepare to defend the planet while the away team goes after Thanos.

Thanos is on Moord the homeworld of the Brotherhood of Badoon. He makes the usual promise of power over their enemies. All they have to do is hold off the approaching Avengers while he masters the Cube.

The Avengers are on their way in a souped-up quinjet, alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy in their own ship and Thor under his own steam. Iron Man waxes lyrical about the joys of being in space. Groot is now with the other Guardians (Bug, Drax, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon and Star-Lord). Suddenly they're attacked by a Badoon warship.

Iron Man and Thor bust into the Badoon ship, followed by the Guardians (except Groot). Mayhem ensues. The Badoon have a Monster of Badoon with them, but Drax just uses it as a club. Strangely, armoured Tony Stark also appears to be still back in the quinjet, until the 'Iron Man' fighting the Badoon proves to be Hulk who bursts out of the armour.

The surprise turns the tide as the other Avengers join the fray. But during the melee a Badoon accidentally ejects everyone into space.

And Thanos takes control of the Cube.


Preview Pages
Click sample interior pages to enlarge them:




Mark Bagley
Danny Miki
Paul Mounts
Mark Bagley (Cover Penciler)
Danny Miki (Cover Inker)
Paul Mounts (Cover Colorist)
Letterer: Clayton Cowles.
Editor: Tom Brevoort.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Beast
Beast

(Hank McCoy)
Black Widow
Black Widow

(Natasha Romanoff)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)
Daredevil
Daredevil

(Matt Murdock)
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange

(Stephen Strange)
Drax
Drax

(Drax the Destroyer)
Hawkeye
Hawkeye

(Clint Barton)
Hulk
Hulk

(Bruce Banner)
Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman

(Sue Storm)
Iron Fist
Iron Fist

(Danny Rand)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Tony Stark)
Luke Cage
Luke Cage

(Power Man)
Mr. Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic

(Reed Richards)
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel

(Carol Danvers)
Spider-Man
Spider-Man

(Peter Parker)
Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman

(Jessica Drew)
Star-Lord
Star-Lord

(Peter Quill)
Storm
Storm

(Ororo Munroe)
Thing
Thing

(Ben Grimm)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)
Valkyrie
Valkyrie

(Brunnhilda)
War Machine
War Machine

(James Rhodes)
Wolverine
Wolverine

(James Howlett)

Plus: Bug, Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), Giant-Man (Scott Lang), Victoria Hand.

> Avengers Assemble: Book info and issue index

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