COMIC: Top of the Stack - Secret Avengers #10 (Review)

Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Mike Deodato & Will Conrad
Cover by Mike Deodato & Rain Beredo

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99

The last week of February brought another huge stack of comics to read with more Marvel books than I usually find, which is always refreshing. Several previous top of the stack winners had issues come out, including Detective Comics, Fantastic Four, Secret Avengers and Star Wars: Legacy - War so it was not surprising that the latter two books were contenders to be at the top of this week's stack. And while the new issue of the Star Wars: Legacy - War mini-series was solid, in the end it was the consistent quality of my favorite current Avengers book to read that put Secret Avengers #10 over the top.

Ed Brubaker has been the writer for Secret Avengers since its inception and in that time has produced a solidly entertaining story with a well thought out team put around Steve Rogers where you see each character do their part to contribute into the overall success of the team. The mix of action, mystery, romance and humor bring a level of simple complexity to the book that I do not find in any of the other Avengers titles.

This issue was the conclusion of the story arc involving the attempted resurrection of Shang-Chi's father by the Hai-Dai and the opposition of John Steele and the wacky life model decoy of Nick Fury, Max. There were some great moments in the issue, like Moon Knight's signal to the Secret Avengers, and then how the rest of the team arrived to the temple, and as well how they dealt with the bulletproof John Steele who was too much for Steve alone.

One of the best things to come out of this series has been my increased appreciation for Mike Deodato's art. I never saw much of his work on Dark Avengers because of my distaste for villain books but I had thought the look of the book was too dark for my liking. Yet now on Secret Avengers, I think the dark style of Deodato works brilliantly with the tone of the series and having several characters with bright colors (Steve Rogers, Beast, Moon Knight) really help with the contrasts on the pages and add to some awesome panels that continually pop up in every issue.

Unfortunately Brubaker only has two more issues left on the series, and this was Deodato's last issue drawing the interiors. They made a superb creative team that left the book at a high level that will be heard for the next writer and artists to match. I hope that the relationship of Steve and Sharon Carter continues with the creative change, some of the best moments in the series have been the few panels dedicated to the couple that always work so smoothly into the story and are true to the characters bond with each other. I hope Secret Avengers continues to be my favorite Avengers book through 2011.

Check out GeekPlate's Tumblr for today's Secret Avengers themed picspam.

COMIC: Top of the Stack - Secret Avengers #6 (Review)

Written by Ed Brubaker
Pencils by Mike Deodato
Cover by Marko Djurdjevic

Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99

It was the ever reliable Secret Avengers book written by Ed Brubaker that stood out in a week where it seemed like every other title came up short in one way or another. The one Avengers book that gets pushed aside - undeservedly - by the more well known Avengers books (Avengers, New Avengers) but is by far my favorite incarnation of Avengers and as a result is the only one I am still reading.

There is something about Brubaker's Steve Rogers that shows off the best he has to offer as a leader, fighter and someone to care about. While Brubaker's Captain America struggles to get free from the past it can not let go, here in Secret Avengers the characters are free from such burdens.

One of the best things I have enjoyed about reading Brubaker's Steve Rogers is how important he has made Sharon Carter and their relationship together to the ongoing story. Too many times, especially lately, the fact that the heroes have another part to their personality besides crime-fighting and numerous characters from the big two comic studios do not seem to have relationships anymore or even be seen thinking of the opposite sex. Normally I would say the writers were staying true to their target audience of young boys, but then the rest of the content in these books seem written for adults instead but that one angle of storytelling is woefully underused.

I will admit to being a little confused to some of the characters in this issue; was not familiar with Shang-Chi, his father or the Prince of Orphans. I loved the casual intimacy between Steve and Sharon, her massaging him while they talk about their day and what is going on with their mission.

Mike Deodato's art fits perfectly for the mood of this book, and while his barechested Steve Rogers might be a tad too buff, his version of Beast is great and Sharon Carter and Black Widow look fantastic. And if that was not enough, the cover by Marko Djurdvejic kicked up the art quality another notch. I am glad Black Widow is a part of this team, and dating Bucky because Brubaker writing Natasha seems like a more appropriate version than the one in her current solo title.

As the only Avengers book that has my interest I hope that the title and Brubaker's presence writing it will be around for a long while. There is also the fact that this group has several characters that I am a fan of but aren't big enough to support their own series like Valkyrie, Beast, War Machine, Sharon Carter. It is fantastic to get Beast away from the Mutant terror/discriminating stories that plague X-books and be a science man. Now if only Brubaker could sneak Agent Brand into this book.

Check out Geek Plate's Tumblr for today's Secret Avengers themed picspam.