Savage Avengers #7
The Savage Avengers go looking for help in Savage Avengers #7, by writer David Pepose, artist Carlos Magno, colorist Espen Grundetjern, and letterer Travis Lanham. Pepose and company nail the world of 2099 yet again, cementing this book as one of Marvel’s best.
Ultron learns about the Savage Avengers’ latest attack, which the issue tells in flashback. The Avengers hack Deathlok’s systems and make their way to a prison for high-value prisoners. As Miles, Daredevil, Black Knight, and Cloak go in through the front door, Anti-Venom, Weapon H, and Dagger sneak in to take on D.E.A.T.H.D.O.K., a Deathlok virus-infected MODOK. Both teams find themselves in battle, with Miles injured and the team battling Jigsaw 2099. Cloak brings in Punisher 2099, and DEATHDOK escapes Weapon H and Anti-Venom as Dagger goes after the real reason the team is there. The Avengers triumph and gain a powerful new ally.
Going back and reading the 2099 books from the early ‘90s reveals a funny version of what people think the future was going to be like, especially when it comes to hacking. Pepose embraces that with the opening action sequence, which sees the Savage Avengers put on VR helmets and go into cyberspace. It’s classic cyberpunk cheese and an excellent way to kick off yet another amazing issue of this comic.
The chapter starts with an explanation of the Machine Empire, which is a fun little info-dump. Pepose reveals the reason why this version of 2099 happened - Conan cutting off Deathlok’s arm and Deathlok finding it in the future. From there, it’s just more of Pepose’s madcap action-oriented writing. There’s something amazing about the way Pepose combines action and exposition. He writes like no one else in the industry, and this shows that. There’re two info-dumps, two action scenes, a great twist ending, AND a Deathlok-infected MODOK. No other Marvel book can match the sheer insanity of Savage Avengers.
Magno and Grundetjern don’t get enough credit for how fantastic an art team they really are. Pepose throws so much at them to draw, and they deliver. Cyberspace hacking fight? Here. Anti-Venom doing a Drogon impression? Here. DEATHDOK? Glorious and here. The action flows wonderfully, the detail is impressive, and the page layouts are top-notch. Grundetjern’s colors have that perfect extra oomph that every page needs. He knows how to light a scene brilliantly and is a great compliment to Magno’s pencils.
Savage Avengers #7 just keeps the hits coming. Pepose, Magno, Grundetjern, and Lanham are putting out a book that keeps raising the bar for everything else at Marvel. Every issue is better than the last, and this one keeps that up.
