Avengers (Vol. 4) #25
Background
The new 'main' Avengers team has been chosen and Osborn dealt with, now it's time for another crossover! The Phoenix approaches the Earth and the Avengers and the X-Men disagree on the appropriate course of action, so it's time to fight.
Story 'Avengers vs X-Men crossover'
Avengers (Vol. 4) #25
| Executive Producer: | Alan Fine |
| Publisher: | Dan Buckley |
| Chief Creative Officer: | Joe Quesada |
| Editor In Chief: | Axel Alonso |
| Editor: | Tom Brevoort |
| Associate Editor: | Lauren Sankovitch |
| Writer: | Brian Bendis |
| Pencils: | Walt Simonson |
| Inker: | Scott Hanna |
| Cover Art: | Daniel Acuna |
| Lettering: | VC's Cory Petit |
| Colorist: | Jason Keith |
The majority of this story is set just before the Avengers vs X-Men crossover kicks off. But, there is time for a double page splash of the Avengers fighting the X-Men before we head into flashback mode. The main story can be boiled down to the Protector finding an AIM base (who escaped from the confrontation with Osborn), the Avengers finding the base, easily defeating and capturing the enemy. The issue ends with the Protector receiving a message from the Supreme intelligence that may mean he has to betray his new friends the Avengers.
General Comments
I think it sucks, that what should be Marvel's flagship book, is already becoming an ancillary title to a crossover after only just getting clear of the boring Fear Itself crossover issues. It's ridiculous, the Fear Itself crossover issues read like a bad limited series and now it's happening already. Since the relaunch of this title, there has only been 3 'non-event tie-in' story lines. One of which left interesting plot threads (the Ultron plot), that have yet to be followed up on. So, before I comment on this story, for it's own merits, I just want to make totally clear that it totally sucks to have this title a part of an event again!
The issue itself isn't bad, there just doesn't seem to be much point outside of trying to build up the Protector and the fact the other Avengers are trusting him and relying upon him more, just so it can be revealed at the end that he is probably going to betray them. The battle with AIM itself is boring, it's a battle that is supposed to show how awesome the Avengers are, but it's not entertaining.
I know Simonson is a legend of comics, but I couldn't really get into his art here. Particularly his rendition of Spider-Woman and her hair... It wasn't horrible and did tell the story clearly.
Overall Rating 
Nothing of consequence really happens and a bit boring really.