1095 ( )

Basically the "hidden" Avengers, trying to figure out how to take Norman Osborne down while staying out of prison. Not a huge fan of this line up, they don't really feel like Avengers to me, but it's not a bad series. ( )

More fallout from Secret Invasion, with Luke and Jessica (and the rest of the Avengers) trying to get the baby back, which made for a good story. The different art for each characters in the #50 battle was an interesting idea. Secret Invasion Dark Reign, while giving some insight into what Osborn is up to, ultimately doesn't get much of anywhere. ( )

Oh thank goodness, we are finally done with all of the stupid Secret Invasion tie-ins that don't add anything to any story at all!

First is the Secret Invasion: Dark Reign one-shot, which probably should have been included in some other collection, since it really doesn't have anything to do with the New Avengers. Alex Maleev's art is, well, distinctive. His faces are really weird, and poor Namor looks hideous in this - like an aging skeevy used car salesman. However, I do like how this issue shows that, in spite of the cold exterior that she presents to the world, Emma does have emotions, and she's obviously upset over what has happened to Kitty Pryde and her inability to save Kitty. I think this is the first time I've ever read Emma having a heart. Weird.

Next come the New Avengers issues. Luke and Jessica Cage's baby has been taken by the Skrull who had been impersonating Jarvis, and now the Avengers (as well as Norman's team) are looking for the baby. Once that is resolved, the New Avengers clash with the Dark Avengers...except not really. It's not the epic battle that was promoted, but it was okay.

The best part here, I suppose, is Spidey's humor. I can finally get a dose of genuinely funny Spidey moments, and all the while I can pretend that One More Day doesn't exist. I miss this Spider-Man. Also, Clint Barton goes on national television to expose Norman Osborn and his gang of criminals, which is pretty awesome. And I love that Mockingbird is back. ( )

The last one was X-Men ephemera sort of sunk by irrelevance; this one is decent comics, not flashy but without real flaws. A meeting of Osborn's anti-Illuminati; the real Avengers' reaction to the unveiling of Osborn's new Avengers; the loss and recovery of Cage and Jessica's kid. Longer on good lines than good action sequences; the best, Spider-Man upon the revelation that the new Wolverine is the old Wolverine's kid: "You've had sex?!" Also, I love Alex Maleev's aging-sleazebag take on Namor. ( )