Avengers vs X-Men, issue #9 review

I hate to say I told you so, but I have been saying it all along; power corrupts and Captain America knows this. While some have been critical of Captain America’s activities and attitude in this series, this reader has been behind him all the way. Well it looks like we were both right, as the mutant hosts of the Phoenix force appear to be losing their grip on the awesome power they wield.

Last issue left off with the Avengers scoring a costly victory as they engaged a more antagonistic than usual Namor in the nation of Wakanda.  Issue #9 opens with the Avengers still on the move, and trying to stay off the Phoenix Five’s (or I guess its four now) radar.  With the Avenger’s numbers diminishing, Captain America chooses to mount a risky rescue mission to free his fallen companions. What makes this issue work so well is that it really pushes the growing desperation felt by the Avengers in this skirmish.  This issue also illustrates that many of the X-Men themselves are starting to question the motives of their current powered-up leadership.

When you read a comic book, two things that can make or break the experience are the art and the storytelling of course. Issue #9 does not lack in either of these areas. Writer Jason Aaron deserves props for balancing the action and the drama equally well in this issue. He also manages to pull of equivalent billing for both teams, not truly favoring one over another. Artist Adam Kubert once again delivers superb pencils, including a very dramatic rendering of a section of limbo that has been transported  to the heart of a volcano in Siberia by Colossus’s little sis, Illyana. 

The Avengers vs. X-Men series has had its share of both exciting and bland rounds. Like issues #5 and especially #6, issue #9 stands out as one of the more enjoyable rounds in the series. Some of the highlights include: Black Panther and Storm’s fallout regarding recent events, Emma Frost makes some more malevolent moves and Spider-Man walks his talk, as he steps up and does his part as an Avenger in a major way.

Hopefully, the rest of the series can keep up the momentum built by this issue. If so, it may yet deliver a satisfying ending to this tale.

Final Grade: A-