Previously in Age of Ultron: All of our heroes except those who have had multiple issues in the past are doing nothing, Spider-Man got captured and was going to be traded to Ultron for a 1st Edition Blue Eyes White Dragon, and Captain America sat wondering if he remembered to DVR Turn before realizing he has a plan, maybe.
So, yeah, not much has really happened in the first two issues other than a solid establishment of "we're all gonna die" and "Ultron is gold because he is a fancy robot." I mean, sure, we learned where about twenty heroes were, and are left to assume they are the only ones left, but that doesn't really count as plot advancement so much as roll-call. The only characters who maybe did anything important were Marc Spector and Black Widow, and all they did was find some lair with everyone's mugshots. The biggest thing that really happened was Captain America saying he had a plan, which is good and all. It leaves us on a decent enough cliffhanger for what is to happen next.
Luckily, this week we're checking out major plot advancements, as well as a few fun twists and turns. And more roll call!
Our issue begins shortly after Cap exclaims he has a plan, where She-Hulk and Luke Cage are walking amongst some wreckage. Asking if she's ready, Luke Cage punches She-Hulk in the face then carries off her body to an unknown location.
Fantastic.
We see in a flashback about an hour ago that nobody else has any bright ideas. Peter Parker suggests just going out there swinging, but everyone else states that without such power-hitters as Thor, Hulk, or Benjamin Richards they have hardly a chance. We also learn that Jessica Jones and her baby, with Luke Cage, are also dead.
Again: fantastic. Heroes, popular ones at that, just dropping for no real reason. Okay then.
Cap once again says that the best way to gain information, maybe even Ultron's weakness, is by bartering one of the heroes and bringing it straight to Ultron at the core of his...metallic establishment. Once again we question why Ultron is doing this, to which Tony Stark claims it is because Ultron has been endowed with human needs and desires because of how Hank Pym originally programmed him, so these types of things make sense for him.
Because he's funny like that? I don't know this doesn't really gel with me. Ultron wants to take over the world by wiping out humanity, which he sees as the world's greatest weakness. Hence the constant robot uprisings. So, keeping humans alive, and subsequently dealing with those he wishes to hunt, doesn't really make much sense in the long run. Unless its for reasons we shall soon discover, in which case things get even more confusing.
Hawkeye, ever the vigilant one, suggests that this is all the fault of Hank Pym for creating Ultron in the first place. Hey, wait a second...where is Pym? Is he dead?
Now that is something I have a tough time believing. In a recent graphic novel, Avengers: Rage of Ultron (an Ultron superior to this one but just as confusing in terms of continuity), Hank Pym has a constant struggle with Ultron, his son, who in return calls Pym his father. He often spares Pym's life until Pym betrays him in a fairly emotional moment. It's here we see Ultron's greatest vulnerability is, technically, his own "family."
Thus I have a tough time believing that Ultron would just kill Pym off. Unless he was already gone in the continuity, in which case, alright fine. But I don't believe he was, I require some clarification on that. Nothing I look up is helping me out.
Anyway, Cap tells Hawkeye to shut up about Pym since it's irrelevant (which it is, thank you Cap) and asks for some volunteers. Cage and She-Hulk say they must go since they are the strongest both physically and in terms of the fact that they both have practically indestructible skin. Wolverine says he should go instead since he can regenerate--a wise notion--until Cap points out that his adamantium would be very valuable to Ultron for armor. Thus, it is settled. For safety, Cap and the gang will flee to the Savage Land to see if there is anything, or anyone, there left to help.
Meanwhile, over in Chicago, Black Panther, Red Hulk, and Taskmaster survey a few Ultron drones before Red Hulk attacks and rips one of their heads off.
Meanwhile, Black Panther and Taskmaster try to get away, but the battle between Ultrons and Red Hulk results in an explosion, killing Black Panther while Taskmaster flees with the Ultron head.
Back in New York, Luke Cage gets shown into the heart of Ultron's little command base, where he learns the truth about who is really the one dishing out the orders. It's not Ultron.
Say whaaaaat.
Hey, it's Vision!
Hey! It's Vision! :O
Yeah, not gonna lie, this is actually a very well-thought out twist. One that actually makes sense in terms of what Ultron would do. As I said earlier, Ultron's greatest vulnerability is probably his family. Vision is, technically, Ultron's own son. Having him captured and tooled for his use makes perfect sense, as not only does it mean Ultron doesn't have to be around but also means he has access to all the knowledge Vision has stored up in his data banks. It's a great way to end the issue was it leaves us wondering what the heck is going on with Vision!
Onto the next issue!
It picks up immediately where Issue 3 left off as Vision says that Ultron is listening in, but has a sudden fit where he exclaims Ultron is doing everything...from the future.
She-Hulk suddenly breaks free of Luke Cage and throws him away from the area, taking on the Ultrons all by her--
Aw, crap.
And gosh darn it, Marvel, do you really have to force the Jesus imagery of Vision on us like that? "The Forsaken Son," are you kidding me? Talk about over-kill.
Anyway, Luke Cage tries to fight the Ultrons, but it results, like any battle in this book, in a nuclear explosion. So...since he's so close in proximity to the base, doesn't that mean it also blew up and now everyone in New York should be free? Or are we pretended a nuclear blast wouldn't completely level New York City even more? Because it probably would.
Well because this comic apparently doesn't care, we switch over to Spector and Black Widow as they make plans to split town and also head to the Savage Land. Spector is skeptical, but since all they have to do is just sneak out of the city infested with Ultrons, it's no big deal. The odds of them making it out are pretty darn small anyway, not like they'll realistically make it...
Completely realistically, though, our main heroes over in New York escape via Sue Storm's telekinetic powers allowing them flight while Storm shields them. Yeah, I guess it's a good move to get them out unseen, but, still. Ultron has scanners, he has energy readers. Wouldn't he notice an energy reading of a bunch of super-heroes clumped together floating right over his fortress? Unless that nuclear blast did destroy everything, in which case, good job.
Back in Chicago, Red Hulk finally catches up to Taskmaster and the two have a fond reunion.
#besties
Eight days later, our New York heroes arrive in the Savage Land, where there is a crashed Quinjet somehow and the debate about where to go from here. Luckily, our old friend Ka-Zar is here to help!
Ka-Zar points out that the reason there has been so much damage is because society's outside the Savage Land have failed in allowing Ultron to succeed. It just hearkens back to the Hank Pym argument. It's not important right now, buddy, but thanks for reminding us.
Once in the village, Emma Frost and Wolverine realize that Luke Cage is there as well, and Frost relays all the information that we learned about the Vision, as well as the fact that Luke Cage is going to die since he managed to get all the way here from the Quinjet. He survived through sheer will-power.
Before they can go anywhere, though, some familiar faces show up to give our heroes a glimmer of hope.
The boys (and Black Widow) are back in town.
Phew. Thank God the plot actually moved this time around.
Whereas last week served up somewhat boring and definitely confusing plot elements, showing us that this is the "age of Ultron," this week showed the heroes from all over getting up and actually trying to do something. The reveal that Vision is now under the control of Ultron is big as is the reveal that Ultron is actually operating from the future. It raises many questions, but in a good way.
How can they defeat Ultron from the future? Where in the past/ present is the proper place to strike? What is this big plan Nick Fury has in store for all of us? And will Marc Spector wear the Moon Knight outfit proper? Who knows!
Issues 3 and 4 are some of the better material of the event, though comparatively that doesn't mean much. Still, these issues are better than last week's since there is some semblance of movement and caring among our heroes, as well as interesting twists and a good cliffhanger.
Next week, Nick Fury's plan gets set into motion, as well as the plan that will stray this comic away from the whole point of it. Oh, joyous day.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @seanovan13 to stay up to date on when I post. Thanks for reading!
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