Jed MacKay is never better than when he’s writing Black Cat. All apologies to the dozens of other books he seems to write for Marvel on a monthly basis, but he clearly had a passion for the character that brings the fun, heart, and twisty storytelling that lets him excel as a creator. And thankfully, that’s exactly what happens when Spider-Man’s sometimes ex-girlfriend arrives in Avengers #22.
In the issue, the team is trying to get ahead of the next Tribulation Event – world-ending catastrophes that have been foretold by Kang the Conqueror that will eventually lead to the doom of the Avengers and the Earth. They’ve gotten a bead on some info from Kang, and to get it are going to have to pull off a casino heist.
You might have gathered from the cover of the book, but Black Cat is also there at this cosmic casino, with plans of her own. And while she only appears briefly in this issue, the light sense of fun that MacKay always hits in his Black Cat stories spills out into the rest of what is usually an extremely serious book.
Artist Farid Karami also seems to draw the whole thing with a light, deft touch. Seeing characters smile, the wild environs of the cosmic casino, everyone’s revised costumes for the caper… It’s a blast to read.
Look, comics don’t have to be for everyone. The Avengers, by their nature, are a big team with big crises they need to deal with at every turn. So having them be gruff and all business for most of this run makes sense… But personally, I find it far more enjoyable to read the team behaving like friends, instead of affiliated business associates. That’s what we get in this issue, with Storm and Scarlet Witch having a playful fight over the latter’s convoluted continuity.
Same with Tony, Sam, and Carol trying to break into a vault after being dressed as Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Even Vision, a usually emotionless android, seems to be having a little fun here. And while I won’t spoil it, there are at least two twists by the end of the issue that point to even more fun to come.
Again, this might not be the mode everyone wants The Avengers in, and I certainly appreciate that soon enough Doctor Doom will take over the world and they’ll have to deal with that, probably back in business mode. But taking a break for a few issues and allowing the Black Cat to wreak a little havoc is a delightful diversion that makes me like these characters, and the title, all the more. Perhaps when we get back to the Tribulation Events proper, we can hang on to some of that fun?
The Avengers #22 Rating:
The Avengers #22 Official Synopsis:
BLACK CAT JOINS THE AVENGERS?! For a cosmic caper! The Avengers attend an intergalactic auction in an attempt to get ahead of some of these Tribulation Events… but they are in for a shock when Black Cat shows up on SOMEONE’S arm! The most shocking date of 2025 — and the year has only begun!
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