Those words on the two-page spread of pages three and four, for me, are the first real sign of the coming of the Heroic Age that Marvel has been crowing about for months now. This actually feels heroic – the real Captain America leading a motley cadre of New Avengers, Young Avengers and Secret Warriors into battle against the villainous forces of Norman Osborn. I actually let out held breath and my heart began to beat faster – finally, someone to root for. Too bad it doesn’t last.

Even though led by Captain America, these aren’t really the Avengers, at least not recognizably, but still these are the good guys. When Patriot says in response to Cap’s “Avengers assemble!” with “Oh, man, I can’t believe I’m included in that.” I can’t believe it either. However cool it is to see Eli Bradley fighting side by side with Steve Rogers and James Barnes, it still doesn’t make him an Avenger. Patriot’s tenuous ‘membership’ hangs on the premise that he and his friends decided to call themselves Avengers. Heck, if that’s how it’s done, I’m an Avenger.

But let’s get serious. In a day and age where nearly every Marvel character has been shoved into the team’s ranks to the point of ridiculousness, it is a hard point to argue. As an old timer I could say being an Avenger used to mean something, but now they are a dime a dozen – it seems time to bring back a classic line-up that does in fact mean something. Alas, but that’s a rant for another time. Let’s get back to Siege #3.

Bendis pats himself on the back in the Avengers assemble scene by having Spider-Man say, “I know. Cool, right?” Remember when we didn’t have to be told that something was cool? I guess it’s our loss that Spider-Man wasn’t there to break the fourth wall and narrate when Thor said, “Ultron, we would have words with thee.” It almost serves as a reminder, lest we forget in our excitement, that we are still in the Bendisverse.

There are things, before this exciting opener where Captain America nails Norman Osborn with his shield, that should be addressed. The awkward wording in the previously page again makes me wonder how many editors are needed to actually do some editing. I count three in the credits. Who was responsible for “all the gods who it called home”?

Page two raises some interesting questions about how Marvel Comics views the Obama Administration, or rather how they indirectly present President Obama. And don’t tell me that Marvel Earth’s US President isn’t Barack Obama just because he’s shown in shadow. We all saw the ‘special tribute-to-dating issue’ of Amazing Spider-Man. The idea that President Obama would allow Osborn to do all that he’s done implies ineffectualness if not incompetence.

That small point out of the way, the conversation between the President and an advisor continues as narration over the battle as it begins and ensues. And if you didn’t catch the visuals, and this further narration, the entire issue is repeated once more in text on the extra six pages at the end of the comic. I gotta say, Marvel is not softening the blow of the extra dollar for stunts like this.

On pages seven and eight Thor confronts the Sentry. This is something that many of us have been waiting for for years, ever since we were presented with Sentry as an almost-ill-equipped Thor replacement in the Avengers early on in the Bendis era. The Sentry, fresh from last issue’s evisceration of Ares, is positively chilling when he asks, “How many gods will I have to kill today?” Thor’s first strike pushes the Sentry back, and yet his foe still stands. Readers at this point can only stare wide-eyed and the panels and whisper, “whoa.” When artist Olivier Coipel was doing the Avengers titles I was frequently, and loudly, critical of his work, but since then he has found his niche – Thor, and on this character, he is king. And he makes this conflict as powerful as it is.

Osborn calling on The Hood and his ‘masters of evil’ to fight on his side seems not only overkill, but more stroking for Bendis as he has to include his favorite pet villain in the mix. Two pages for Speed to bring Tony his suitcase armor seems too much, especially when making us wait for Thor and Sentry to go at it. Sadly, when it happens, it fizzles out much like many Bendis climaxes.

Instead of more of Captain America kicking the crap out of Osborn, or Iron Man kicking the crap out of Osborn, or Spider-Man kicking the crap out of Osborn – or perhaps more on target, more of the Big Three together for the first time in years, or the Big Two together for the first time since Civil War, we get something else. And no, it’s not more Thor and Sentry, the fall of Asgard (again?), or even Osborn’s long-expected transformation into his alter-ego – it’s a left turn into a subplot that barely relates to Dark Reign that Bendis spins out at us.

The apparent identity of the Sentry is revealed while he battles Thor. He’s not Miracleman, not Galactus, not Mephisto, not the Red Hulk, not Moses, not Lolth, not even The Void… It appears that the Sentry is just your run of the mill Biblical demon, or possibly as was hinted at in Dark Avengers, the unbridled wrath of God. Yep, that’s right, Sentry is the Spectre. Betcha didn’t see that coming. So much for another Bendis guessing game for readers.

This letdown kinda crowns the disappointment I felt with most of the issue. Amazing first five or six pages and then nothing. Like so many Bendis events, Siege had much potential but little of it is realized. The bad news is that there’s one more issue left. After all is said and done, this issue has a strong start then quickly, or in some cases, slowly, fizzles. I give Siege #3 a solid three stars out of a possible five. With Dark Reign essentially over with this issue, I look forward to the end of Sentry as well in the next issue. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

	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.