From Marvel Comics, Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, Danny Miki, Paul Mounts.

Alright, for those of you who may not remember I was not impressed with the first issue of this comic.  Sure, there needs to be an Avengers title on the stands that shows the same Avengers team in the upcoming movie.  I totally get that.  But it goes against everything else that is going on in Marvel.  Especially by having Hulk on the team.  Hulk is on the original Avengers team, but anytime after that is reluctant and rare.

However, with this issue it all comes together.  A large part of that is from building up the bad guys.  The Zodiac gimmick has been done before in Marvel, but never to this level.  Aquarius holds his own against Hulk.  Taurus takes out both Thor and Iron Man.  Then there are ten more members of the team.  Its been a while since bad guys have debuted and been a threat to the entire world so quickly.

The Zodiac is stealing/collecting some of the most dangerous items in the Marvel Universe.  There is an even bigger bad guy behind them, pulling all of the strings and handing out powers.  Sure Skrulls are great and all, but this is new and exciting.  We don’t know who the big bad is, nor how powerful all of the members could be.  If these guys can take out Hulk and Thor, then what hope to Black Widow or Hawkeye have?

The crazy thing is that this could be a summer event idea.  Seeing twelve brand new bad ass villains attack all over the Marvel Universe would be exciting.  Destroying the X-Men, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and all related teams.  With the powerful items at their hands the cosmos itself would get involved.  I have been more excited turning each page in this issue than I was for all of Fear Itself.

If issue 3 rises above this issue the way it rose above the first, it will be the best team book on the stands.  I look forward to where this book goes next.  Bravo to Bendis, Bagley and Marvel for tricking me with an average first issue and then surprising the world with this great second act.