This volume opens with a reminder page on the Illuminati Group: Black Panther, Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, and Namor. The following page contains 5 boxes in which Reed Richards (on black background) is for an invisible audience (surely other Illuminati) in holding that all must die, it is inevitable and he accepts it. Elsewhere in Wakanda Black Panther discovers a passage to another land where he fights against Black Swan (Yabbat Tarru) he managed to capture and bring back to Wakanda. Having witnessed the total destruction of this alternate Earth, it shall convene a meeting of the Illuminati Wakanda: less the same as before Xavier (since deceased) with Captain America and more. In short, Black Swan explains a cosmic disorder causes collisions Lands parallel dimensions. The Illuminati must decide how to preserve their (Earth 616) and perhaps curb the phenomenon. Not everyone agrees on the means, but the first step is to gather the gems of the Infinite.
Jonathan Hickman has earned a reputation designer complex and sophisticated intrigues of unprecedented magnitude. When the player starts playback of an adventure Avengers, he is aware of the frame of the series. Many of the characters have their own regular series (Iron Man) or covered by another (Reed Richards in Fantastic Four). The writer therefore has a reduced flexibility because it can not develop these characters as he wishes. He still has the opportunity to develop the secondary characters appear only in "Avengers", or to focus the interest of the story in the plot. Hickman decided to favor the second approach.
He designed a disaster scenario across all alternative dimensions of reality, causing a shortening of the time, and thus the life expectancy of all beings. It appears the Illuminati group created by Bendis in a miniseries 2006/2007. This is an occult group of the biggest superhero Earth speaker at cosmic scale threats. The danger is somewhat conceptual (with an explanation diagram), but its manifestation is very real. The reader gradually discovers the extent of the disaster, together with the Illuminati. It also includes at progressively they will develop strategies and their risks, besides the sacrifices in human life they imply (destruction of other parallel Earths to avoid that of the 616). At As the reader can appreciate the reaction of superheroes concerned, consistent with their personality.
Hickman has developed a relentless suspense, each attempt failed one after the other, the tension increasing with the secret as fans herself, other people with malicious intentions are aware of what is happening (Doctor Doom, but not only). The members of the Illuminati are also becoming aware of the nature of their actions progressively, and their consequences.
Hickman integrates easily his story in Marvel continuity. He mentions in passing how Namor is not welcome in the country of Wakanda (see Avengers vs. X-Men). He developed the expected crossing points (glove Infinity) with a different perspective, without giving the impression of rehashed or copied. The threat is becoming more palpable, more and more imminent, the heroes take the initiative and attempt to aggravate the situation in attempt.
Jock realized 6 dark and full of innuendo covers in total keeping with the tone of the story. Steve Epting draws a realistic vein, somewhat simplified with a slightly leaning ink to emphasize the seriousness of the situation and the identification of the characters. It is not completely level income details of her first episodes of the series "Captain America" written by Ed Brubaker. It takes full advantage of the sequences set in an underground room without decoration on a black background (but in line with the scenario) to save on backgrounds. It benefits of setting colors of sophisticated and elaborate Frank Armata. Except for this little regret about the level of detail, the drawings Epting involve the degree of seriousness expected given the scale of the natural disasters and the global nature of the destruction that must occur. Epting easily handles the number of characters, it performs battle full of energy. It confers an aura of mystery a little mischievous at Black Swan making it a more ambiguous character.
With this second series on Avengers, Jonathan Hickman takes the concept of a clandestine group of Avengers ensuring the destiny of the world without the knowledge of all the other superheroes. It achieves the feat of inventing a global threat (across all realities) and original fully justifies the existence and intervention of this group. Steve Epting and Frank Armata images transcribing realize the seriousness of the situation and the gravity of the decisions that each Illuminati must take his soul and conscience. Hickman connects discreetly to that of the series "Avengers", especially with the reaction of Captain America appeared to be in dream in "The Avengers, Volume 1".
