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Dark Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis
Siege: Dark Avengers
After years of mystery, the secrets of the Sentry are revealed! How deep is his madness and who is really in control of him? What is the limit of his power, if any? And what deadly mystery surrounds him causing mortals and gods to tremble in fear? Also, Captain Marvel aka Marvel Boy found out he was surrounded by madmen and villains and ran for the hills. But no one gets out of Osborn's grip that easy...
Collecting: Dark Avengers 13-16, Annual; Dark Reign: The List Avengers
Collecting: Dark Avengers 13-16, Annual; Dark Reign: The List Avengers
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 2010
5 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,399Ìýbooks2,523ÌýfollowersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event� projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event� projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 30, 2015
Marvel’s Dark Reign crossover event, where the bad guys find themselves in the driver’s seat, was a great idea on the drawing board, but the problem with any crossover event, no matter what company is doing them, is you have some writers who have a difficult time (lack of interest, anger, talent limitations) incorporating the event into their ongoing story lines. Consequently, the company wide storyline as a whole, suffers.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case with Brian Michael Bendis. He acknowledges in this volume how much he enjoyed his part in the overall saga and it shows. In this wrap up to Dark Reign, Bendis� writing sparkles with wit, bold plot twists and finely tuned characterization.
The real origin of the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) is revealed. The character of The Sentry combines someone who has Superman-like power levels, a dual-evil personality called the Void, and the needy, self-destructive mentality of an addict. And he’s being manipulated by the evil loon, Norman Osborn: “Hi Bob, let’s put that mean, old, Mr. Void in the naughty corner and how about you and I order cheese burgers and fries for everyone? Would you like that, Bob? Bob?
Say hello to the disaster waiting to happen.
Bottom line: Anything penned by Bendis during Dark Reign is well worth reading. Tread carefully with anything else.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case with Brian Michael Bendis. He acknowledges in this volume how much he enjoyed his part in the overall saga and it shows. In this wrap up to Dark Reign, Bendis� writing sparkles with wit, bold plot twists and finely tuned characterization.
The real origin of the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) is revealed. The character of The Sentry combines someone who has Superman-like power levels, a dual-evil personality called the Void, and the needy, self-destructive mentality of an addict. And he’s being manipulated by the evil loon, Norman Osborn: “Hi Bob, let’s put that mean, old, Mr. Void in the naughty corner and how about you and I order cheese burgers and fries for everyone? Would you like that, Bob? Bob?
Say hello to the disaster waiting to happen.
Bottom line: Anything penned by Bendis during Dark Reign is well worth reading. Tread carefully with anything else.
September 21, 2021
This was actually an okayish volume and like fills the gap between whatever was going on with Noh-Varr the Marvel boy and where he has been and his future missions having become the new Captain Marvel and I like how its done and his face off with the Sentry!
And we finally get to see the twisted origins of the Sentry and I love the way Bendis writes it, showing him as the screw up but also the dark origins he gives him and the emergence and true nature of void and how old it is and finally tie-ing to Siege and what happens there when the Void is unleashed and everything!
Its awesome and the fallout is good too, the new status quo after Siege and fall of Asgard and the beginning of the heroic age. Its a good volume with great twists and turns and much needed origins tying perfectly into Siege event. The art was amazing here, the dark pencils of Deodato complimenting Bendis really well. Its an okay and good read and must read for Sentry fans!
And we finally get to see the twisted origins of the Sentry and I love the way Bendis writes it, showing him as the screw up but also the dark origins he gives him and the emergence and true nature of void and how old it is and finally tie-ing to Siege and what happens there when the Void is unleashed and everything!
Its awesome and the fallout is good too, the new status quo after Siege and fall of Asgard and the beginning of the heroic age. Its a good volume with great twists and turns and much needed origins tying perfectly into Siege event. The art was amazing here, the dark pencils of Deodato complimenting Bendis really well. Its an okay and good read and must read for Sentry fans!
March 15, 2011
Wow! This was way better than I expected! It was dark, funny, and filled in gaps (gaps, I wasn't even aware of) that left behind. Reading this was like reading the flip side of Siege, so make sure and have it handy when you go into this one. I recommend it to anyone who has been following the Avengers stories for the last year or so. Extremely entertaining!
January 21, 2021
A lot of what’s in here takes place before and after what happens in the main Siege. It’s also Bendis� final time of going into the psyche and motivation of Sentry and Osborn before both their arcs are wrapped in Siege.
Since Siege is pretty short and to the point, these are things that the main book doesn’t have time to cover, so it’s cool they’re explored here, while also closing out the Dark Avengers book in general.
Since Siege is pretty short and to the point, these are things that the main book doesn’t have time to cover, so it’s cool they’re explored here, while also closing out the Dark Avengers book in general.
August 4, 2022
Really solid story. Can’t wait to read Siege.
April 4, 2015
Collecting the "Dark Avengers: Annual" and the last 4 issues of the book's run (#s 13-16), "SIEGE: Dark Avengers" answers many questions that fans of the series might have: What happened to Noh-Varr after he left, how the Sentry got his powers, also *WHAT*, exactly, is the Sentry, and lastly: what happened to the Dark Avengers at the end of .
I really liked this book. Not only for all the questions it answered, but in the way it answered them: with great dialogue, exciting action sequences and Amazing Art! Chris Bachalo supplied the art for the Annual, one of his more "restrained" efforts, by that I mean less cartoony than what I'm used to from him (...and that's good!). Though I must add that Noh-Varr's new costume design seems pretty bland, like not much thought went into it. Mike Deodato Jr. maintained his usual level of quality art right until the last panel of the book. Issues 15 and 16 even have a slightly "painted finish" look to them. That was nice to see.
As for the writing, Brian Michael Bendis does what he does best (great dialogue & exciting action sequences). Though he's been criticised by... well, critics, that he "totally destroyed what the Sentry and Marvel Boy are about" and that "he perverted the core of these characters to suit his story", I personally enjoyed his take on them and where he ultimately took these characters. Every writer has a different take on the characters they are writing. And Hey, these ARE comic books, after all, not Holy Writ. Just enjoy the story on its own merit.
[End Commentary]
So the book helps enrich the 'Main Event Book' by showing us things that went on "off-camera" and how the Sentry went from "unstable" to the full-out menace he was in . The book brings closure to a series that, while very popular, was controversial for most (if not all) of its run. There is also a reveal, a scene between Osborn and the Sentry, from issue #3 of the series, that is revisited and expanded in issue #13. This scene casts a whole new light on the dynamic between the two characters throughout the series, making us want to go and re-read the series from the very beginning.
I really liked this book. Not only for all the questions it answered, but in the way it answered them: with great dialogue, exciting action sequences and Amazing Art! Chris Bachalo supplied the art for the Annual, one of his more "restrained" efforts, by that I mean less cartoony than what I'm used to from him (...and that's good!). Though I must add that Noh-Varr's new costume design seems pretty bland, like not much thought went into it. Mike Deodato Jr. maintained his usual level of quality art right until the last panel of the book. Issues 15 and 16 even have a slightly "painted finish" look to them. That was nice to see.
As for the writing, Brian Michael Bendis does what he does best (great dialogue & exciting action sequences). Though he's been criticised by... well, critics, that he "totally destroyed what the Sentry and Marvel Boy are about" and that "he perverted the core of these characters to suit his story", I personally enjoyed his take on them and where he ultimately took these characters. Every writer has a different take on the characters they are writing. And Hey, these ARE comic books, after all, not Holy Writ. Just enjoy the story on its own merit.
[End Commentary]
So the book helps enrich the 'Main Event Book' by showing us things that went on "off-camera" and how the Sentry went from "unstable" to the full-out menace he was in . The book brings closure to a series that, while very popular, was controversial for most (if not all) of its run. There is also a reveal, a scene between Osborn and the Sentry, from issue #3 of the series, that is revisited and expanded in issue #13. This scene casts a whole new light on the dynamic between the two characters throughout the series, making us want to go and re-read the series from the very beginning.
September 2, 2013
This was a major missing piece to the Siege Event for me. I also liked getting some more info on major players who were either not paid attention to or who seemed lost. The story on Capt. Marvel (Noh-Varr) was very enjoyable and explained why he was there at the beginning and then gone just as quickly. Look forward to reading some of his adventures as The Protector.
Also really liked having someone FINALLY explain the Sentry and what the hell was going on there, since he was just destroying everyone in sight.
Good to see Normy still pulling strings, Bullseye still a sadistic bastard, and Daken every bit the survivor his father is.
Very cool to see Victoria Hand's interactions with Cap/Steve Rogers, as well as Norman by himself and what happens when he's alone...
Definitely add this to your list if you read/will read any of Siege, or Avengers. Dark Avengers, methinks I need your earlier issues!
Also really liked having someone FINALLY explain the Sentry and what the hell was going on there, since he was just destroying everyone in sight.
Good to see Normy still pulling strings, Bullseye still a sadistic bastard, and Daken every bit the survivor his father is.
Very cool to see Victoria Hand's interactions with Cap/Steve Rogers, as well as Norman by himself and what happens when he's alone...
Definitely add this to your list if you read/will read any of Siege, or Avengers. Dark Avengers, methinks I need your earlier issues!
September 10, 2010
The probing of the psyches of all these larger-than-life characters is what makes Bendis' writing such compelling reading. Sentry/Osborn story arc over the last year or two is some of the best writing I've ever seen, and Deodato's art more than stands up to the challenge of exceeding my expectations of how to fully render the majesty of the work.
Gravitas. Surprises. Totally understand the characters and the world they live in.
Gravitas. Surprises. Totally understand the characters and the world they live in.
May 7, 2022
The final trade in Bendis’s Dark Avengers run, this arc builds nicely on the character dynamics and twisted intrigue that has marked the series to date � until the final issue, which is a perfunctory end that leaves loose threads dangling and assumes you read the full Siege event and found closure there. In that sense, this run doesn’t end � it stops. A crucial distinction.
Even so, I enjoyed it, and trust that as I keep reading, the loose threads will be tied up at some point down the line.
Even so, I enjoyed it, and trust that as I keep reading, the loose threads will be tied up at some point down the line.
December 25, 2021
3,5 stars.
February 18, 2014
What happens when a bunch of arrogant criminals try their hand at being the Avengers? Well... this apparently. Bendis provides good look at Norman Osborn as the new leader of Shield, but the other members of this anti-team kind of get lost in the shuffle. The first three parts of the story flow rather well, but the fourth part, which is the series ending annual, is obviously inserted after many events had happened in other Marvel titles. It didn't really fit. And what is with The Sentry character? I didn't buy him as much of anything, but definitely not the "big bad" that Bendis intended. Excellent art by Bachalo and Deodato throughout.
April 5, 2011
The stories are a jumble of tie-ins to the major "Siege" storyline, so they don't really make a cohesive book and they don't flow as a single story. Bendis is a great writer, but I don't think Marvel chose a great format to publish these stories in. And I'm usually not a fan of breaking up titles into combo books, but this just flat-out doesn't stand on its own.
December 24, 2015
Even without reading the main Siege event, this book is still awesome. Neatly wrapping all the ongoing plot lines of the first two volumes, this book concludes the Dark Avengers run. It was a great, absolutely broken, insane and crazy team. I loved every moment of it.
March 1, 2024
After Norman Osborne receives sole credit for ending the skrull invasion, Spidey’s main nemesis is promoted to the head of homeland security and rewarded with all of SHIELD (which he rebrands as HAMMER). The international counter-terrorist agency begins to harbor illimitable persuasion over US defense and its umbrella of internal affairs. With direct line to the president, Norman Osborne finally achieves what he always wanted: a ’new world order', in an apogee of immutable influence over the city's power-players; backed by the blind capitulation of the New York mayor himself, J. Jonah Jameson. Whom, in turn, guarantees the reverse spin of ‘super-heroes� he once portrayed as a menace. Most importantly, Norman puts together his own ministry of masterminds that puts Reed’s Illuminati to shame. Norman’s Cabal includes Emma Frost, Namor, Doctor Doom, Loki, and the Hood. Enforced by his rag-tag team of super-villains, the New Avengers consist of: Sentry (Bob Reynolds), Ms. Marvel (Karla Sofen), Ares (God of War), Wolverine (Daken), Hawkeye (Bullseye), Spider-man (Mac Gargan) and Norman Osborne as the Iron Patriot. With OG Avengers out of the limelight, still reeling from the consequence of the registration act, Stark’s failure at the Head of SHIELD, and Cap’s subsequent imprisonment/death, Norman’s reign throughout the year long initiative will largely go unchecked. His only weakness begins and ends with his, and his cabal’s, (alter) ego(s) that are weakened by the mental malfeasance the Green Goblin carries into Norman’s fragile state of mind. The goblin disease will inevitably fracture the group, leaving Norman to rule with only his Avengers besides him, the Thunderbolts below him, and Loki quietly pulling the strings from behind.
The soul of villains in the body of heroes.
In Dark Reign and Siege, Brian Michael Bendis gifts the comic reader with a unique status quo where the bad guys ultimately have popular approval. Typical antagonists transform into the protagonists that are no longer constrained by the plot armor that once was only saved for superheroes.
When the Dark Avengers are introduced, the chaos begins. Debauchery and lust, carelessness towards such ‘great responsibility.� Osborne’s Avengers are less about truth and justice, and more about acting in the behalf of Norman Osborne; his personal police force, and relishing in the perks that come with it.
Each villain gets an extensive day-in-the-life mini in the dark reign solo series. Dark Reign: Hawkeye (Diggle, Rainey, Hanna) and Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-man (Reed, Bachalo) specifically stand out for its unapologetic portrayal that extends any or all psychopathology behind the facade to the front of the page. Hawkeye, on the patrol, picks off one by one gangsters in the middle of assaulting a news reporter. He then saves the female news reporter, as his last victim. Sinister Spider-man, the symbiote king of chaos, swings across the city like spider-man, but lacks the cleverness, intelligence, and friendliness that defines the wall-crawler. His escapades consist of pinning gangs against each other, consuming his therapy session (quite literally), framing JJ, and dismembering the Redeemer.
Both series illustrate the possibilities of the new status quo that brings forward an uncommon narrative that Marvel fans have never seen before: the bad guy’s perspective.
Dark Reign: Lethal Legion (Tiarri, Santiloco) is an engrossing murder mystery that takes place in the Raft, entangled by interrogation, subterfuge, Norman’s failed assassination attempt, the Legion, and more subterfuge. A seldom explored genre in Marvel comics that succeeds almost every time its attempted.
The initiative’s elaborative mark on the villain/hero dynamic through the tie-ins reconstructs the portrayal of super-villian life and how it applies to when evil finally gains political and celebrity power;. Still wreaking havoc but now equipped with the approval of authority that is additionally secured by the people’s fanfare for them. The once shunned super-criminal is now planted in the upper-echelon of society
Although Dark Reign’s final tie in, The List, garnered the most hype. The 7 eponymous mini-series, which preceded to introduce each hero on Norman’s kill list (Daredevil, Hawkeye, Hulk, Secret Warriors, X-Men, Spider-man, and Punisher) is a good concept that lacks the killer instinct necessary for its epic conceit. Thanks to a largely inconsequential epilogue in which no heroes on the kill list were actually ever killed. That is, expect for one: the Punisher.
The List: The Punisher (Remender, Romita Jr., Jansen) is a panel by panel visage of raw brutality, and the only good issue across the mini-series. Drawn by the none other than the illustrative king of fisticuffs, JRJR. Wolverine is assigned to take down the most controversial anti-hero in the Marvel Universe, Frank Castle. The two morally bankrupted, masculinely garish anti-heroes leave it all on the city’s rooftops, as Daken and Castle fight to the death. What ends in one of the greatest epitaphs in comic book deaths—the worse of the worse of all anti-heroes dismembered, piece by piece, until the final slice� “If I didn’t know better, I’ll say you look relieved.� As Wolverine puts one final cut to the Punisher’s neck. The List: The Punisher would turn out to be the single greatest issue of the whole event.
After what appeared as nice and steady pace for a year long status-quo change, Dark Reign ends fast. The whole saga essentially concludes in four short issues. In Siege (Brian Michael Bendis, Oliver Coipel)—a la the madness behind the man—Norman’s alter ego, the Green Goblin, is unfurled. Norman, like all madmen, never satisfied, seeks something even greater than world domination. He seeks Asgard. Under the guise and manipulation of Thor’s disgraced brother, Loki, who intends to return Asgard to the nine realms (removing it from the Earth realm which it has stood for centuries). But Norman/Goblin loses himself to his own mania, portending the fall of his Dark Avengers and the rise and return of the original team; and Loki, failing to realize the the power of a Sentry fully tranced, is killed by the Void. As Sentry becomes too powerful, Thor is forced to unleash the full power of Mjollnir, leaving Bob Reynolds, whom never asked to exist as Sentry in the first place, to dust. Norman is then sentenced to die alone deep in the belly of the Raft. Solitary madness, and only his madness. Once the personification of extreme wealth and power, Spidey’s greatest nemesis slowly perishes to the depth of his diseased mind.
Dark Reign provides a temporary respite from the typical comic book formula: where hero fights bad guy, hero wins, but bad guy gets up to run amok another day. For once, we finally see the villains on the winning side of things. Overall displaying a pressured-free joyride (its almost impossible for the reader to have any expectation to how such a character should act when we have seen very little of them in such a role before). Despite the short -lived status quo, Dark Reign might not be the Marvel’s best event or most impactful to the greater canon, but it might just be the most alluring. Bendis builds the foundation of the run all the way back to Secret Invasion, paying it off with a complete 180 status-quo and giving Earth-616 a temporary but much needed shock to the system that, for the year, expands on characters we’ve only ever seen as shallow antagonists. For we now know who they really are behind the mask.
The soul of villains in the body of heroes.
In Dark Reign and Siege, Brian Michael Bendis gifts the comic reader with a unique status quo where the bad guys ultimately have popular approval. Typical antagonists transform into the protagonists that are no longer constrained by the plot armor that once was only saved for superheroes.
When the Dark Avengers are introduced, the chaos begins. Debauchery and lust, carelessness towards such ‘great responsibility.� Osborne’s Avengers are less about truth and justice, and more about acting in the behalf of Norman Osborne; his personal police force, and relishing in the perks that come with it.
Each villain gets an extensive day-in-the-life mini in the dark reign solo series. Dark Reign: Hawkeye (Diggle, Rainey, Hanna) and Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-man (Reed, Bachalo) specifically stand out for its unapologetic portrayal that extends any or all psychopathology behind the facade to the front of the page. Hawkeye, on the patrol, picks off one by one gangsters in the middle of assaulting a news reporter. He then saves the female news reporter, as his last victim. Sinister Spider-man, the symbiote king of chaos, swings across the city like spider-man, but lacks the cleverness, intelligence, and friendliness that defines the wall-crawler. His escapades consist of pinning gangs against each other, consuming his therapy session (quite literally), framing JJ, and dismembering the Redeemer.
Both series illustrate the possibilities of the new status quo that brings forward an uncommon narrative that Marvel fans have never seen before: the bad guy’s perspective.
Dark Reign: Lethal Legion (Tiarri, Santiloco) is an engrossing murder mystery that takes place in the Raft, entangled by interrogation, subterfuge, Norman’s failed assassination attempt, the Legion, and more subterfuge. A seldom explored genre in Marvel comics that succeeds almost every time its attempted.
The initiative’s elaborative mark on the villain/hero dynamic through the tie-ins reconstructs the portrayal of super-villian life and how it applies to when evil finally gains political and celebrity power;. Still wreaking havoc but now equipped with the approval of authority that is additionally secured by the people’s fanfare for them. The once shunned super-criminal is now planted in the upper-echelon of society
Although Dark Reign’s final tie in, The List, garnered the most hype. The 7 eponymous mini-series, which preceded to introduce each hero on Norman’s kill list (Daredevil, Hawkeye, Hulk, Secret Warriors, X-Men, Spider-man, and Punisher) is a good concept that lacks the killer instinct necessary for its epic conceit. Thanks to a largely inconsequential epilogue in which no heroes on the kill list were actually ever killed. That is, expect for one: the Punisher.
The List: The Punisher (Remender, Romita Jr., Jansen) is a panel by panel visage of raw brutality, and the only good issue across the mini-series. Drawn by the none other than the illustrative king of fisticuffs, JRJR. Wolverine is assigned to take down the most controversial anti-hero in the Marvel Universe, Frank Castle. The two morally bankrupted, masculinely garish anti-heroes leave it all on the city’s rooftops, as Daken and Castle fight to the death. What ends in one of the greatest epitaphs in comic book deaths—the worse of the worse of all anti-heroes dismembered, piece by piece, until the final slice� “If I didn’t know better, I’ll say you look relieved.� As Wolverine puts one final cut to the Punisher’s neck. The List: The Punisher would turn out to be the single greatest issue of the whole event.
After what appeared as nice and steady pace for a year long status-quo change, Dark Reign ends fast. The whole saga essentially concludes in four short issues. In Siege (Brian Michael Bendis, Oliver Coipel)—a la the madness behind the man—Norman’s alter ego, the Green Goblin, is unfurled. Norman, like all madmen, never satisfied, seeks something even greater than world domination. He seeks Asgard. Under the guise and manipulation of Thor’s disgraced brother, Loki, who intends to return Asgard to the nine realms (removing it from the Earth realm which it has stood for centuries). But Norman/Goblin loses himself to his own mania, portending the fall of his Dark Avengers and the rise and return of the original team; and Loki, failing to realize the the power of a Sentry fully tranced, is killed by the Void. As Sentry becomes too powerful, Thor is forced to unleash the full power of Mjollnir, leaving Bob Reynolds, whom never asked to exist as Sentry in the first place, to dust. Norman is then sentenced to die alone deep in the belly of the Raft. Solitary madness, and only his madness. Once the personification of extreme wealth and power, Spidey’s greatest nemesis slowly perishes to the depth of his diseased mind.
Dark Reign provides a temporary respite from the typical comic book formula: where hero fights bad guy, hero wins, but bad guy gets up to run amok another day. For once, we finally see the villains on the winning side of things. Overall displaying a pressured-free joyride (its almost impossible for the reader to have any expectation to how such a character should act when we have seen very little of them in such a role before). Despite the short -lived status quo, Dark Reign might not be the Marvel’s best event or most impactful to the greater canon, but it might just be the most alluring. Bendis builds the foundation of the run all the way back to Secret Invasion, paying it off with a complete 180 status-quo and giving Earth-616 a temporary but much needed shock to the system that, for the year, expands on characters we’ve only ever seen as shallow antagonists. For we now know who they really are behind the mask.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2018
Alright that’s the last volume of Dark Avengers. And I have to say it was a really good volume to end on. Almost everything here is solid, it’s fun, well written, and the art gets the job done even though I’ve said I’m not a fan of the style.
Norman Osborn and his team of criminals were more fun to read then other Avengers books I’ve read and they had more interesting stories going for them too. While you may have seen some of these before it all works.
Also I should note the conclusion to Siege is in here, or what you could call Norman’s conclusion. Though Spider-Man doesn’t come up much.
The annual is actually really good, it’s a very good issue in here. The Dark Reign: the list Avengers issue is cool but a follow up is not collected in this trade.
I’d recommend it because it’s fun as hell and pretty well put together, with the disclaimer that it’s a Bendis book and if for some reason his style doesn’t gel with you this won’t.
Ok? 4 stars.
Norman Osborn and his team of criminals were more fun to read then other Avengers books I’ve read and they had more interesting stories going for them too. While you may have seen some of these before it all works.
Also I should note the conclusion to Siege is in here, or what you could call Norman’s conclusion. Though Spider-Man doesn’t come up much.
The annual is actually really good, it’s a very good issue in here. The Dark Reign: the list Avengers issue is cool but a follow up is not collected in this trade.
I’d recommend it because it’s fun as hell and pretty well put together, with the disclaimer that it’s a Bendis book and if for some reason his style doesn’t gel with you this won’t.
Ok? 4 stars.
June 25, 2018
Not bad... but I feel like I must have really missed something at the end... what was with Daken, Wolverine's son, being in Kansas or something at the end? Why was the invasion of Asgard skipped? Why were they invading Asgard at all? The death of Ares happens outside the story - he's supposedly one of the Dark Avengers but we never even see him, he never has any dialogue that I can remember, in this entire book! These events must have happened in other comics, right? Without that context the ending comes completely out of nowhere. Not a great standalone to pick up.
June 3, 2021
I picked up eight Siege... graphic novels at a used book story. Lucky me! Lucky because each gn leaves Volstagg-sized holes in the plot that one of the other books fills! The first story in this collection has the weakest art, the rest of the book is pretty good art-wise. The story is well-written, we get an insight into the Sentry in this book. Reading all the gns together makes for a very well- written saga that encompasses nearly all of the Marvel universe.
November 10, 2019
Seems kind of strange that The Sentry is revealed as being part of Galactus, but then it's never brought up again. I really think they should have used Odin's spear to kill him, but I guess they probably have plans for that. Also seeing Daken and Bullseye indiscriminately kill innocent people is getting kind of old.
August 21, 2023
I think this is when Dark Avengers started to work for me. At one point, Bullseye does something unspeakably cruel and I was actually shocked. Because to a certain degree I guess I had bought into the lie that these guys are heroes now.
It's well done and in a certain way I'll miss these psychopaths. But it's good they're gone before they've outstayed their welcome.
It's well done and in a certain way I'll miss these psychopaths. But it's good they're gone before they've outstayed their welcome.
May 3, 2022
I really like the stories within the third Vol of Dark Avengers about Noh-Varr. His power-up from the Kree Supreme Intelligence. The story of Sentry told by his wife
The death of Ares and his son, the God of Fear, Alexander finding out about his Dad.
This is a great book
The death of Ares and his son, the God of Fear, Alexander finding out about his Dad.
This is a great book
February 8, 2023
We get to see the conclusion of Osborne and his Dark Avengers, but most of the action seems to have taken place in the SIEGE series rather than in this volume. Still interesting, especially for readers who followed the story from the beginning. Mike Deodato's art is great. Not a bad series overall.
October 3, 2017
Intense.
March 31, 2018
Easily a 4-star job of writing this book, but I only care about this particular storyline a 3-star amount. Also, I’m bothered by collections that leave gaps in the event, the way this one does.
June 3, 2018
pretty good lead-in and epilogue to the Siege event. Too bad the actual Siege wasn't in this book.
February 27, 2019
This was pretty good, especially for a tie-in. I find that some tie-ins assume that readers have already read the main event, when I personally am just reading a title because I like it.
October 23, 2019
I see someone else saying this book answered questions. I don't feel like it. This feels like not enough information about anything.
September 29, 2021
A great end to this Dark Avengers run.
January 8, 2018
Collects Dark Avengers issues #13-16 and Dark Avengers Annual issue #1
This collection brings a close to the "Dark Avengers" series, while also filling in some holes for the story happening in the "Siege" event.
Before reading this collection, I had never read about the true origin of Sentry before, so I appreciated those issues.
This volume also had me realizing that Victoria Hand isn't so much a villain, as she is a patriot with her own views on what will make the country (and world) safer. For some reason she believes that Norman Osborn can make the world better, so in a lot of ways her actions are heroic.
SPOILERS:
Even Captain America recognized this in Hand, and I was happy to see what happened for her at the end of this volume.
I read this collection after reading "Siege," and I think the story would have benefited from reading the books side-by-side.
This collection brings a close to the "Dark Avengers" series, while also filling in some holes for the story happening in the "Siege" event.
Before reading this collection, I had never read about the true origin of Sentry before, so I appreciated those issues.
This volume also had me realizing that Victoria Hand isn't so much a villain, as she is a patriot with her own views on what will make the country (and world) safer. For some reason she believes that Norman Osborn can make the world better, so in a lot of ways her actions are heroic.
SPOILERS:
Even Captain America recognized this in Hand, and I was happy to see what happened for her at the end of this volume.
I read this collection after reading "Siege," and I think the story would have benefited from reading the books side-by-side.
August 14, 2022
not really a fan of the "let's use the death of a woman close to male hero to show him having feelings"; 1) overdone trope and 2) we're talking about the freaking Sentry here, there are so many emotions to explore here in much better ways than that
plus i don't really get the logic behind it? if Osborn wanted to manipulate the sentry how is this going to help him in any way whatsoever?
ah well, one is now in prison and the other one is dead so i guess none of this matters at the end of the day
plus i don't really get the logic behind it? if Osborn wanted to manipulate the sentry how is this going to help him in any way whatsoever?
ah well, one is now in prison and the other one is dead so i guess none of this matters at the end of the day
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2013
Reprints Dark Avengers (1) #13-16 and Annual #1 (February 2010-July 2010). Norman Osborn’s Avengers are falling apart. Captain Marvel (aka Marvel Boy) is questioning Osborn’s leadership and is seen as a weak link by Fury and Captain America. Moonstone is flaunting her intelligence in Osborn’s face and constantly trying to undermine him. Osborn himself is slipping in and out of his Green Goblin persona and facing more and more pressure as he plots an invasion of Asgard. Osborn's biggest problem however might by the Sentry who is slowly losing his grip on reality, and if the Sentry succumbs, will the world survive?
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Chris Bachalo (Dark Avengers (1) Annual #1) and Mike Deodato (Dark Avengers (1) #13-16), Siege: Dark Avengers was the tie-in collection for Bendis� “Siege� story which wrapped up the universe spanning Dark Reign storyline.
I am pretty hard on Bendis nowadays because of his writing of the Avengers and his big series spanning crossover (including Siege) which have floundered and ruined multiple titles. I love/loved his Powers, Alias, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Daredevil, but really hated his Avengers, Secret Invasion, Secret War, and House of M which wrecked much of the Marvel Universe. The Dark Avengers was on the fence of my like/dislike category and this collection is the reason why the series sometimes flies but often falls.
The first thing is that the issues collected in the series are almost unreadable. If you didn’t following Siege (not many did), the stories aren’t stand-alone, but also not crossovers. This is one of Bendis biggest problems. Series like Secret Wars (not Secret War) were able to have a fun limited series that you could read independently and still had an effect on the rest of the universe with tie in and such. Here, you get half a story and that isn't fair to readers of the series that are faithful to the development.
The next problem with Dark Avengers is the big flaw of the augmented role of the Sentry in the years under Bendis� pen. The Sentry limited series by Paul Jenkins was really interesting and a great concept, but the second Sentry limited series was almost nonsense (and heavily tied to this collection). The Sentry was never meant to be a character for comics and he fails as a member of the Avengers because writers are never sure what to do with him. A nice, interesting character is turned into a mess.
Siege: Dark Avengers is a poor conclusion to a rather interesting series. Like the Thunderbolts, I love heroes as villains and Dark Avengers does provide that. Too many series spanning crossovers and unlikeable characters have ruined years of Marvel comics and chased readers away. I hope that Marvel starts to improve, but collections like this just drive me and other readers away.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Chris Bachalo (Dark Avengers (1) Annual #1) and Mike Deodato (Dark Avengers (1) #13-16), Siege: Dark Avengers was the tie-in collection for Bendis� “Siege� story which wrapped up the universe spanning Dark Reign storyline.
I am pretty hard on Bendis nowadays because of his writing of the Avengers and his big series spanning crossover (including Siege) which have floundered and ruined multiple titles. I love/loved his Powers, Alias, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Daredevil, but really hated his Avengers, Secret Invasion, Secret War, and House of M which wrecked much of the Marvel Universe. The Dark Avengers was on the fence of my like/dislike category and this collection is the reason why the series sometimes flies but often falls.
The first thing is that the issues collected in the series are almost unreadable. If you didn’t following Siege (not many did), the stories aren’t stand-alone, but also not crossovers. This is one of Bendis biggest problems. Series like Secret Wars (not Secret War) were able to have a fun limited series that you could read independently and still had an effect on the rest of the universe with tie in and such. Here, you get half a story and that isn't fair to readers of the series that are faithful to the development.
The next problem with Dark Avengers is the big flaw of the augmented role of the Sentry in the years under Bendis� pen. The Sentry limited series by Paul Jenkins was really interesting and a great concept, but the second Sentry limited series was almost nonsense (and heavily tied to this collection). The Sentry was never meant to be a character for comics and he fails as a member of the Avengers because writers are never sure what to do with him. A nice, interesting character is turned into a mess.
Siege: Dark Avengers is a poor conclusion to a rather interesting series. Like the Thunderbolts, I love heroes as villains and Dark Avengers does provide that. Too many series spanning crossovers and unlikeable characters have ruined years of Marvel comics and chased readers away. I hope that Marvel starts to improve, but collections like this just drive me and other readers away.
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