SPOILERS - Avengers World # 2

The fate of Smasher in the pages of Avengers World # 2 by Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer with art by Stefano Casseli.

In this issue we find out that Cannonball, Sunspot and Cannonball's girlfriend Smasher aka Izzie Dare have been captured by AIM. Sam and Bobby are critically injured and AIM Scientist Supreme Andrew Forson has decides to turn Smasher into her messenger. They set Izzie free and as she wanders around, she encounters the new environment that AIM has developed...

While Izzie is slowly transforming, we find out that AIM has been in cahoots with the Entropic Man.

Poor Izzie. :( Thats now how you treat the granddaughter of Dan Dare.

Whether this is going to be a good thing or a bad thing is something that is still up in the air. Hope this upgrade's for the better.

Avengers World # 2 is finally out in the market right now.

Are the Avengers Going Global?

A new teaser from Marvel Comics for their upcoming panels in NYCC shows the word GLOBAL with a green hue.

And more importantly it boasts of a stellar creative team. 

So yeah, we got Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer (who's doing Secret Avengers) and Stefano Caselli who was also working with Avengers prior to INFINITY.

So what could this be? I've been reading the comments from various groups and it feels like they're on to something.

- It could either be a new expansion for the Avengers i.e. taking in new members from other superteams from around the world like Alpha Flight or Big Hero 6. 

- It could be a Hulk-centric storyline which is kinda dumb in my opinion.

- It could tie up to whatever will happen in the next Avengers storyarc featuring a renegade planet on a collision course with Earth (which would be interesting and solicited as well). 

Either way, NYCC is just around the corner so let's just play the waiting game. 

AVENGERS # 17 Spoiler Review

The Avengers World concept grows once again in AVENGERS # 17 with some cool new twists on the story. Spoilers abound. Special thanks to COMICX HUB and CASTLE GEEK. 

As we are about to kick off INFINITY, the Avengers finally gather and regroup. 

- The art was beautiful. Stefano Caselli is a beast in both making heroes and villains look iconic as possible. The colors were also a welcome relief as they really do justice to Caselli's line art.

- Manifold was such a great character and now he's really pulling his weight in this new book. Taking out an entire squadron of AIM soldiers plus Superia looked like a small chore for this guy. Plus he's also the bearer of bad news in this issue.

- Speaking of bad news, I'm really curious as to how AIM plans to dish out damage using the Robotic creature that trashed the Avengers last issue. How will they figure in upcoming events. Your guess is as good as mine on that end. And since it's Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer doing the driving, we can only expect the worse (and the best). And if that's not enough, they also have samples taken from every KO'ed Avenger in Perth. That'll probably bite them in the ass too.

- I loved how they relegated Spider-Man and Wolverine to background character. They didn't even get any speaking lines. All they did was pose menacingly at the end of the issue which made that twice as cool. The fact that they even got some lines in for Carol and Jessica means a lot. 

- Bruce Banner is still definitely kicking ass and I certainly love how they managed to integrate this iteration of Banner into a real somebody within the inner circle of the Avengers. Too bad his volatile demeanor can't merit him inclusion in the Illuminati over at NEW AVENGERS.

- Perhaps the biggest thing that unfolded in this issue (and probably why you should pick up this book AND this issue) is the recruitment drive that occurs. A complete heel turn face and 'oh shit' moment occurs in this issue when the trio of Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man decide to recruit the same people that gave them grief namely Starbrand, Nightmask, Abyss and Ex Nihilo. 

- And if things were not getting any better, we get Leinil Yu and co. starting next issue as INFINITY officially begins! 

Overall, I think this was a great issue. 

9/10

AVENGERS # 17 is now available in CASTLE GEEK (Glorietta, The Collective and soon in Greenhills) as well as online through COMICX HUB (Order HERE).

AVENGERS # 16 Review

Reviewing AVENGERS # 16 by Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer and Stefano Caselli from Marvel Comics. Available at Comicx Hub and Castle Geek.

Again another smashing good time as INFINITY races towards us. In this issue things are really looking bad for Earth's mightiest heroes. The mystery creature that hatched from AIM Island has finally reached the team in Perth, Australia. 

Well what can I say, I'm a sucker for a good story and great art. And thanks to Msrs. Hickman, Spencer and Casselli I have that this month. And as a bonus treat, more Hulk action and a look at the two New Universe characters we haven't seen for a couple of issues already. 

If you think the last issue had stunning art, then prepared to be floored as Caselli wows us with great battles, explosions and facial expressions on characters. Plus the man draws a pretty damn good 'hulk out' panel. Of course we also have to thank Frank Martin Jr. for his amazing contribution to make this a colorful yet deadly dead. 

It's pretty obvious from the way things are written that Hickman has taken a back seat. The good news is that it's not sorely missed. In fact, it's a breathe of fresh air for readers who have started with this book. Although one thing obviously missing in this issue is the cryptic stuff that Jonathan Hickman has been known for. But the dude is busy with INFINITY so let's just let him be for the meantime.

This is Spencer's show and he shows that he's worthy of the title. He brings the same energy that makes me read the current volume of Secret Avengers (the one with Nick Fury Jr. and Agent Coulson). Rather than focusing the story on secret missions and black ops projects, the energy is diverted to world savingl, grand fights with unknown entities. That works for me by the way.

Another interesting subplot that gets revisited in this issue is the fate of Starbrand and Nightmask; characters we haven't seen for awhile. The exposition on their character gets done mostly through dialogue and we only see a small hint of Starbrand's power. It's like talking about a shotgun's power but never really demonstrating it.

Overall, I love AVENGERS # 16. Get it if you're a fan of the book or if you really want an in-depth feel to Marvel's upcoming INFINITY storyline.

AVENGERS # 16 is still available in all CASTLE GEEK branches and online thru COMICX HUB (Click on the link HERE to order)