Savage Avengers #4
As the Savage Avengers hunt down Thulsa Doom and Conan, Deathlok deals with his own demons in Savage Avengers #4, by writer David Pepose, artist Carlos Magno, colorist Espen Grundetjern, and letterer Travis Lanham. Savage Avengers has not missed yet, and this issue continues to show why it’s a must-read.
This issue runs between three plotlines: Deathlok reliving his death as Miles Morales as he fights his programming, the Savage Avengers trying to find Conan, and Thulsa Doom revealing why he took Conan: to resurrect Set. Miles died stopping the Annihilation but fights off his Deathlok programming, while Black Knight comes up with a way to find Thulsa Doom using Weapon H’s powers. They attack Doom’s base with Cimmerian zombies, but Thulsa makes his play.
There aren’t a lot of great team books in the Big Two right now. Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men aren’t burning down the world since Hickman left. Justice League, Legion of Superheroes, and Teen Titans are all gone. Justice Society of America is coming back, but it’s not here yet. The best team books, Immortal X-Men, X-Men Red, and Eternals, which ended not long ago, don’t really feel like team books. Then there’s Savage Avengers. It was just kind of there before, a book that no one was praising but had good sales. Pepose’s relaunch has taken the book to the next level. This is the team book to read at Marvel right now.
This issue proves it. The Miles Morales parts are just fantastic. Pepose perfectly captures just who Miles is: a hero. He throws himself into battle against the Annihilation Wave and Annihilus because that’s just who he is. It’s an action-packed little interlude that gives readers the exposition they crave, combined with deft characterization and action. It’s brilliant. Here’s the thing, though - the whole book is like that. Take the section with the Savage Avengers. There’re some character moments between Cloak, Dagger, and Anti-Venom. Daredevil takes command, showing why she’s the best leader for this team, and Black Knight thinks outside the box, using Weapon H’s powers in new and interesting ways. Finally, the way Pepose characterizes Conan is pitch perfect. This is a book that gets it all right.
The art adds to that. From the Morales pages which communicate the emotion of Morales’s action and the horror of the Annihilation Wave’s attack to the Savage Avengers striking out in their journey to find Doom and Conan to Doom and Conan’s battle of wits, Magno and Grundetjern are firing on all cylinders. The action is bold and breathtaking, the character acting is exquisite, and the detail is out of this world. This issue is a visual feast. Grundetjern’s colors are amazing; he lights the scenes just right. These are dark scenes, lighting-wise, but the colors never feel muddy. Everything pops, from the explosions to the costumes to Thulsa Doom’s cloak.
Savage Avengers #4 surmounts the high bar this book has already set. Pepose, Magno, Grundetjern, and Lanham are doing amazing work. There are so many great moments throughout this issue that will make readers smile, make them feel, entertain them, and leave them begging for more. Savage Avengers is the team book everyone should be reading.
