First things first however, the issue has a cover that I like. I’m so sick of covers that double as poster and have nothing to do with the contents of the book. And that’s not the best part – besides depicting a scene that sort of happens inside, it also features one of the reasons the Black Widow shouldn’t need a gun – the Widow’s Sting. Rock on, Frank Cho, for remembering that. Good to see the various Iron Man armors as well as just the simplicity of the Mighty Avengers in the midst of combat. Just add a word balloon or two, a caption, a story title (where did they go?) and some hype – and this could be a classic 1970s cover easily. And that’s a good thing, for me at least.

Words are messing with me this time. On page two, where artist Frank Cho shamelessly and unfortunately uses Frank Miller repeat image techniques, the Ultron Interface (finally a name for this version of the Avengers arch-foe) says, “I am a cybernetic intelligence organism created by Doctor Henry Pym.” I won’t comment on the techy gobbledygook, but then she follows with, “I was created to replace you.”

Now that is just patently not true. Ultron was created in an artificial intelligence experiment; Pym was trying to create an, duh, artificial intelligence. He succeeded, and unfortunately did so much too well. Ultron himself developed his protocols for annihilating the human race. If anyone should know better, it is Ultron. Saying his father told him what to think is the last thing Ultron would ever say.

This is only the beginning of writer Brian Michael Bendis’ problems with Hank Pym. He’s made no secret of his dislike for the character, mostly due to the pivotal Jim Shooter story in Avengers #213. Unfortunately, Pym has become a one-note character because of that story, and other writers (like Mark Millar in the horrid Ultimates #6) won’t dig any deeper than this one incident. Even editor Tom Brevoort has stated that the perception most people have of the character is ‘wife-beater.’

Some writers have tried to get past that tag, like Kurt Busiek in Avengers Volume Three and just lately Dan Slott in Avengers: The Initiative. Of course my spider-sense keeps telling me he might be revealed a Skrull there because he’s getting such good treatment. None of that keeps BMB from treating Pym badly here however.

Ms. Marvel in her thought balloons expresses serious malice for Hank Pym. This doesn’t make a bit of sense to me. Why the hate, Carol? She’s never served on an Avengers team that has faced Ultron. She wasn’t around at any time when Pym has lost it and turned on the team. And according to previous issues of Mighty Avengers, Janet Van Dyne isn’t her favorite person either. Sooo, where does this hate come from? Not experience, that’s for sure. Did she get this attitude from the Avengers files? … Or maybe from the writer of the comic?

Speaking of the writer speaking through the characters (an old trick for Bendis whose Hawkeye spoke in his voice frequently in “Disassembled”), what is up with the Wasp on page ten? Why is she preaching at Hank? She knows him, and yes, lovers or not, she loves him. Why would she do that? And let’s say you want to take the other end of the spear, why taunt a mentally fragile man who may be the world’s only hope against probable doom? Not smart no matter how you take it.

Going back to the thought balloon issue, at least Bendis lets Hank get one in on Ares. I loved the “Thor-lite” bit. What surprises me is that Hank didn’t just say, “Ares? Hey, didn’t you try to kill us half a dozen times? We should take you out when we get done with Ultron.” But Hank couldn’t have said that, especially to pet Avenger Ares, because Bendis doesn’t like Pym.

As recently as this past week on the Word Balloon podcast Bendis has taken shots at Pym fans because they defend their favorite hero. He makes fun of those who say Hank only hit Jan once. Not a great defense, but no reason to be made fun of either. Not only doesn’t Bendis like Pym, he doesn’t like Pym’s fans either. I have to wonder what he thinks of Spider-Man for hitting Mary Jane?

Now let’s talk about Bendis’ pet Avenger, the god of war, former enemy of the team and possible Skrull suspect, Ares. The old boy gets a bit of a spotlight this issue. The Ares I know is a bit thick, which shows here, and he’s also a bit of a coward, which apparently he’s gotten over – maybe substituting posturing and intimidation for that less desirable attribute. I loved his airborne wading through the army of Iron Man armors just as much as I loved seeing Cho’s depiction of both. Loved seeing the armors, Cho does his homework well. Way cool.

But the fact remains, Ares is a loose cannon, and villain no more or not, he is very dangerous. He is more so dangerous because he doesn’t follow Ms. Marvel as a leader. If Iron Man, his employer, doesn’t come back soon, my little joke above may turn out true – and the Mighty Avengers might really have to take out Ares when they get done with Ultron.

Speaking of Ultron, or more properly the Ultron Interface, I found what she did to Linda very disturbing. I mean Ultron is no stranger to slaughter, he has killed thousands in his war against mankind, but somehow this individual act was especially nasty. And quite possibly unnecessary. What will this do to the Sentry… and the Void? And where was C.L.O.C. at? Would it have even been within Ultron’s sphere of control?

It was good to see the Mighty Avengers doing stuff such as destroying satellites and catching EMP-failed aircraft, but one question lingered in my mind. We see the whole country, or at least everything east of the Rockies, go out from the EMP. Who saved all the other falling aircraft? I hope each state’s Initiative team was on the ball or the Civil War was fought for nothing.

The art as always with this title, and as always with most work of Frank Cho, was tremendous. Props for the action scenes and spotlights on Ares, as the talking heads rut that Bendis sometimes gets in was becoming tiresome. Good to see Wonder Man and Ms. Marvel and Sentry ‘doing stuff.’ I absolutely loved Sentry on page seventeen yelling “Ultron” in Thor font. As a matter of fact every time I look at Cho’s Sentry I can’t help but think what an amazing Thor he would draw. So when do we see Thor in these pages? Here’s at least one official vote!

I can’t wait, despite my reservations, to see what becomes of Sentry and Linda (and C.L.O.C. for that matter), Ares’ plan, Tony Stark and of course the missiles of the world. So that’s three out of five possible stars for Mighty Avengers #4, and most of that is for the fabulous art of Frank Cho, despite his unnecessary Frank Miller moment on page two. And here’s hoping next issue Bendis won’t be as hard on Dr. Hank Pym, or maybe that’s too much to hope for…

	Glenn Walker
	Glenn has been a fan of Marvel Comics' Avengers since the early 1970s, when their current adventures were chronicled by Steve Englehart and their early exploits by Stan Lee in classic reprints featured in Marvel Triple Action. He has persevered through many incarnations of the team and he still loves the Avengers to this day.