By Brian Michael Bendis & various (Marvel/Panini UK) – UK EDITION
ISBN13: 978-1-905239-81-8
This collection gathers the Avengers tie-ins to the Marvel Crossover Event Civil War in which a super-hero confrontation results in huge collateral losses including a school and its occupants, provoking a panicked government to rush through legislation to register every super-being. Those who resist are guilty of treason.
This immediately divides the super-hero community, with Captain America as the most prominent dissident and rebel. Each of the five chapters spotlights one Avenger and progresses through the weeks and months of the crisis. Collecting issues #21-25 of the New Avengers comic book series, the implementation of the Superhuman Registration Act begins with an look into the heart of the Sentinel of Liberty, illustrated by Howard Chaykin, before moving on to focus on ex-convict Luke Cage (this one drawn by Leinil Yu), who is forced to separate from his wife and new baby to make a stand.
Spider-Woman is the focus of the next chapter as her links to terrorist organisation Hydra are finally clarified in an issue drawn by Olivier Coipel. Sentry and a guest shot by the Inhumans mark a turning point in the saga (illustrated by Pasqual Ferry with help from Paul Smith) before Iron Man takes centre-stage for a tense, beautifully illustrated (by Jim Cheung) but rather confusing final part.
These are well-delineated, edgy episodes that are designed to personalise the Civil War amongst the super-human community, and in parts they work wonderfully well. But unless you are a dedicated follower of the titles involved and read this book in close conjunction with the main text (Civil War – ISBN: 978-1-905239-60-3) you will have only the vaguest notion of what is going on.
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