We’re down to the final issues of AVX, but does the event start to dip in quality or rise to the occasion?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Marvel:

• Time is running out as the Avengers are cornered in their last stronghold!

• But the stakes change when Hope and the Scarlet Witch join forces! Why?! How?!

With only two people on Earth empowered by the Phoenix Force, the world is literally on a razor’s edge as we enter the tenth round of Avengers vs X-Men.  Hope is in danger because Cyclops has infiltrated the Avengers secret hiding place, while mutants in the greater world begin to question which side they should be on.  The proverbial stakes surrounding the fate of the Marvel universe have never been higher, as this creative team attempts to get the ball rolling for a dramatic finish.

Ed Brubaker does a fantastic job giving a quick but thought out script that feels like the beginning of the end for this mammoth crossover event.  From start to finish characters sound as they should even if some of them come off a bit stereotypical or even underused.  Despite that there are still key moments in this release where lesser heroes get a chance to shine, as the narrative begins to yield what feels like a direct yet dynamic change that will surely lead this series directly into Marvel NOW!

Adam Kubert handles the art once again, and his delicate but deliberate pencils inform a lavishly detailed world.  The methodically handled scenes with the Phoenix powered Cyclops or Emma Frost look absolutely stunning, as the two of them demonstrate their furious might.  The only fault I find in the art is that when the battles get a bit crowded some facial details drop off a bit, leaving panels that look a bit rushed.

Avengers vs X-Men #10 is an awesomely fun read that continues to allow this strong event series to barrel toward its finish.  Recommended.

4/5