AGE OF ULTRON passes the halfway point with a very controversial issue. What might be the biggest thing to happen in comics happens, but besides that what about everything else? Well…

Here’s the official description from Marvel:

The heroes take the fight to Ultron…with a near-broken Captain America taking the lead! Meanwhile, Wolverine takes it upon himself to make one of the most controversial decisions in the history of Marvel comics…and you’ll never believe who goes along with him!

We’re six issues in, and yet the title antagonist does not appear. That’s right, Ultron fails to make an appearance yet again. While the story is technically revolving around him, I can’t help but feel now that with this issue the event is being used to do something to the Marvel universe, whether it be relaunch or new status quo. With four issues to go, I’m starting to think the robot won’t appear until #10. But, it is important to note that big things do happen in this issue. The most shocking thing is the ending, because it’s just ultra surprising, not to mention the ramifications that will come out of it. Besides that it’s just build-up to the moment.

Brian Michael Bendis’s best piece of writing comes from Wolverine near the beginning. He challenges Sue Storm by asking a question, “Would you kill someone to save your kids? This is that…times a million.” It’s very good stuff, it makes the reader think that maybe this really is the right thing to do. But then you have to ask yourself…he’s going back in time to kill Pym before he created Ultron, so technically at that point in time he wouldn’t be guilty of anything. It’s an interesting dilemma, it’s great when the writing can make you think like this. The issue is divided between two segments, the future and the past. The future is where the action is, the heroes attempt to take the fight to Ultron. I do like a lot of the dialogue, such as Nick Fury telling everyone to follow Captain America’s orders from here on out. (It makes a certain panel very powerful later, though it’s easy to miss upon first reading.)

Artists have switched, Bryan Hitch has been replaced by Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheo. While I do think Hitch’s art is superior, both can draw some intense action sequences and splash pages. Sadly some of the up-close shots of the faces look off, namely Cap’s. (The panel where he shouts “Incoming!” is pretty cringe-worthy.) But, the ‘powerful’ scenes of the book are drawn very well. The main cover is a cool shot of the Avengers taking on a bunch of Ultron heads, which are drawn in maniacal fashion. The first variant is one of the most clever things I’ve seen from Marvel, having Wolverine literally slashing the classic Avengers #42 comic. Naturally however, the Ultron variant is the most stunning of them all. It’s a great tease of what we should be getting within the story.

Overall, this is definitely the biggest issue of AGE OF ULTRON yet, which is thanks to the controversial ending. Without the latter, then there wouldn’t be too much to say about the comic. Ultron doesn’t appear yet again, and we’re halfway through. For two years we’ve waiting for his big return, so in that this event is turning into a disappointment. Still, things have changed and the next issue will be very intriguing.

SUBMIT OR PERISH_

3.5/5

My name is Daniel (@Destroyer_199), the main guy for comic reviews here at Unleash the Fanboy. I was born in 1995 in the Big Apple, spent my formative years in Staten Island, and currently reside in the awesome state that is New Jersey.