After arriving on the alternate Earth to see Galactus devouring it. The Illuminati encounter a very pissed off Terrax, will they be able to stop Galactus from devouring the alternate Earth?

Here is the summary from Marvel:

“BLACK SWAN” Learn the history of the enigmatic Black Swan.What answers can she provide the Illuminati?And watch as the New Avengers do the unthinkable!

After trying…and failing to save the alternate world from Galactus, the Illuminati return to our Earth to lick their wounds and figure what to do next. With little to no choice left, they decide to release the mysterious woman known as Black Swan from the prison they put her in. As she begins to tell them of the origin of the incursions, the group decides to plan their next course of action, and with another incursion imminent, they may make their most controversial decision yet.

The action once again takes a backseat to the plot this issue, but that’s usually the kind of direction Jonathan Hickman is taking with this book. While I am a fan of exposition, this book can be a bit too talky for my taste (even though it doesn’t reach Bendis levels of text). We get the origin of Black Swan this issue, but all that is used in order to set up how these incursions are happening. Her origin is nothing too spectacular but it does frame the issue well enough, especially that there is more than one “Black Swan”. Character interactions stay solid though as the Illuminati members try to keep calm with the clock running out.

Steve Epting’s pencils continue to do good work. Keeping the atmosphere serious to add with Hickman’s script. While there is alot of talking this issue, there is one action scene between the Illuminati and Terrax. There are no words exchanged which means it is all up to Epting to deliver with the pencils, and he does an amazing job. The battle is fast, but very satisfying with Black Bolt finishing off the mad Herald with a roar (literally).

New Avenger’s #5 is another decent issue, but I can’t find myself getting as excited as I 1st was about the series. That being said I still recommend it to those who like sci-fi stories and alternate realities with a methodical pace.

3.5/5