New Avengers (Vol. 1) #28

Background

Civil war is over. The pro-registration side won after the surrender of Captain America. The Avengers have been split into two groups, the New Avengers who are unregistered, lead by Luke Cage and the Mighty Avengers lead by Ms. Marvel.

Last issue the newest Avengers rescued Maya Lopez A.K.A. Echo A.K.A. Ronin from Elektra and the Hand. With them in pursuit the team need to find a safe place...

Story Details

On a rooftop in Tokyo the team stop to figure out where to take Maya so she can be helped with the drug the Hand gave her. After some discussion they head to the Silver Samurai's home. When the Avengers confront him he's watching a Lindsey Lohan movie, the team make jokes about this, but Harada confronts Wolverine about cutting his right hand off. He asks why they are in his house? Dr. Strange brings in Maya revealing that she was Ronin. He tells them that he knows they aren't the Avengers any more and asks how they even got out of their country, Cage tells him that's a whole thing.

Yesterday in Harlem, Luke stopped a robbery while buying some milk, only to be stopped by Capekillers. Luke manages to escape to Dr. Strange's house, which now appears to be dilapidated and soon to be a Starbucks. Luke gets to the door and realizes he forgot the password. He is let in by Dr. Strange. Jessica Jones notices the damage to Cage's jacket and asks if he's ok. Luke tells her he's fine and asks if anyone can see them in Dr. Strange's house. Dr. Strange tell them the spell he cast works fine. Luke, Jessica and the baby, (still unnamed) walk into the kitchen where Spidey, Wolverine and Iron Fist are eating the food Wong cooked. Jessica says she's getting a manservant, Wolverine tells her she has already got one. Cage tells him to show some respect, Wolverine tell him he was joking, Iron Fist tells them both to calm down as they only have each other now. Cage asks if The Falcon has been in touch but he hasn't since Captain America died and Jessica Drew has gone missing too. Suddenly Spider-Woman appears. She tells them she's glad to see them and that Cap isn't dead they're holding him at the Raft, Carol Danvers told her. The team wonder if this is a trap and that if they were being held Cap would save them trap or no trap. Cage agrees, Wolverine tells them there is a way they could find out if it is a trap.

Later at the raft S.H.E.I.L.D. Commander Hill is checking on a prisoner. Dr. Strange is there in his Astral form and sees that Captain America is alive on the Raft. He returns to his body and tells the Avengers its not a trap. Cage says if they get Cap back they can start calling themselves Avengers again. We see the New Avengers attack the Raft and make their way to Captain America. Wolverine tells them he's not the real Cap when Iron Man and the rest of the Mighty Avengers arrive.

Back in the present in Tokyo Maya is fighting off the drug the Hand gave her when Dr. Strange uses a spell to reduce its affect. Harada asks what happened to Maya. Spider-Woman tells him the Hand got her. Harada tells them they will come to his house after her, and since Elektra took over they work for no one, all the Yakuza syndicates are working for the Hand now. Harada attacks Wolverine cutting a huge chunk out of this neck. Ronin puts Harada down, Cage tells Harada they didn't know Logan and him had something going on. Spidey's spider sense goes off, Elektra and the Hand are here...

General Comments

Another good issue. Its good to know that the revelation that Caps still alive, seen in CW: The Initiative lead somewhere. I'm sure next issue will explain how the New Avengers get from a confrontation with the Mighty Avengers in the Raft, to rescuing Maya in Tokyo.

More of the same for art and writing but I must say this, Spider-Man is wearing his black suit due to the whole "Back in black" story. The black suit is supposed to reflect Spidey's frame of mind. After the shooting of Aunt May and Death of Captain America Peter should be in a dark place right now but here he is cracking jokes like nothing has happened. I would like to see some issues of NA with Spidey not being the light hearted Spidey but the darker more brooding Spidey we see sometimes. A few issues of Spidey being closer to the edge with the team having to hold him back would be cool.

Overall Rating

3.5 webs - This issue was mainly set up on how some of the team came together. I'm looking forward to seeing how some of the team members become Avengers.

Footnote

Also one thing that been bugging me - Can't Dr Strange teleport anywhere? Why not teleport out of Tokyo?