Avengers (Vol. 4) #16

Background

The Fear Itself event is ravaging the Marvel Universe. In the main Fear Itself series, the new Red Skull (Sin, the old Red Skull's daughter) killed the new Captain America, aka Bucky Barnes.

Story 'Fear Itself'

After Bucky's death, Steve Rogers is hanging out in his Quincarrier, running the events over in his head when Sharon Carter comes and lets him now they think they have found something on Sin's whereabouts. Steve decides to follow up on the lead himself, but doesn't call in any of the other regular Avengers because they are currently engaged in handling other Fear Itself related crises and he doesn't want to tip Sin off. He decides to take Sharon, Maria and hill and Victoria Hand. All just regular humans.

They head to Sweden and enter a castle there by stealth, they split up and start investigating the castle and are quickly ambushed by a bunch Nazi bad guys. It was a trap and they are now fighting for their lives. Steve and the girls manage to do okay, but then there is an earthquake and the castle crumbles around them. As they pull themselves from the rubble, Agent Daisy Johnson greets them and apologises for bringing the castle down with them inside. She tells them she didn't know they were in there and was following up on the same intel they were.

Steve loses it a bit in frustration and his desire to avenge Bucky. The issue ends with a more subdued Steve reflecting in an interview room and obviously grieving for Bucky.

General Comments

A pretty solid issue, with excellent John Romita, Jr. art.

While the interview room style is used a little this issue, it is different to other issues, the panels are different sizes and it seems like more of a military type situation: dark room, one overhead light in comparison to the lounge chair and tight panels of previous issues. Because these interview parts also add to and explain parts of the story and aren't just comments, they aren't even remotely annoying, like previous issues.

They story itself is interesting and mainly serves to portray Steve Rogers' grief and frustration. I can't shake the feeling that these tie-in issues totally dodge the Avengers mandate of "Earth's mightiest heroes, united against a common threat! On that day the Avengers were born, to fight foes that no single hero could withstand!" Surely this story would of been better suited to run in Secret Avengers or Captain America?

BTW, Spidey has been getting very minor billing in these tie-ins, only appearing in one or two panels each issue.

Overall Rating

Meh, it's okay.