AvX #12

Interesting! In an era when Marvel seems to have a hard time closing chapters, AvX actually ends with a pretty clear new status quo. Here’s the rundown.

The united X-Men and Avengers are all over the Earth battling the destruction caused by Phoenix. Cap leads a small team and tries to take on the new Dark Phoenix, Cyclops (as others have said, I predict some new action figures out of this). Jason Aaron gives us Cyclops apologists a nice moment where Scott Summers actually asks the Avengers to kill him; he realizes how he’s been dominated by the Phoenix force. That moment is fleeting, but it does give the character an out for future use.

Eventually, it’s down to Scarlet Witch and Hope. They were the stars in issue 0, and it’s up to them in the last issue. I think the story did meander a bit through this long, long series, but to give credit where it is due, the folks who opened the story also closed it. Hope even gets a moment to confront her destiny. The Phoenix force looks good on her! It can’t last, but she does one really nice thing. More Mutants! That’s right, House of M is finally undone and mutants are appearing in the Marvel U again. And that’s why Cyclops was right, and this was all worth it.

Cap has a quick after-battle conversation with Cyclops, and it is amusing seeing Cap so angry. Cyclops is sad at the cost, but happy at the outcome, and Cap just wants Cyclops to know he lost. Sorry Cap, I don’t think the X-Men see it that way. And while some of the X-Men are getting adopted by the Avengers and moved into the big leagues (Rogue, Havok, Cannonball, and Sunspot for sure), I guess the former Phoenix Five are in worse shape. Emma Frost and Namor are wanted for sure; it’s unclear if Colossus and Magik are in the same boat. Perhaps this is what the new X-Force series will focus on?

Adam Kubert does a great job on the art. He’s got a tall order with this many characters, this many fights, and all this destruction. But the action is always clear. Making Hope look enough like Jean, but still retain her own identity? That’s a tall order too, and Kubert delivers.

Oh, and one other note: the new Nova looks pretty cool and he’s obviously destined for his own series, but since he mentioned loving dubstep in his first appearance, I don’t think I’ll ever be won over.

Good