Dark Avengers #10 - Marvel

And this becomes post #4001. My new adventure begins . . the road to post #5000. Boy that seems a long way off from here. Guess I'll just have to dig in . . buckle up . . and keep stretching and flexing those typing fingers. Ready or not . . here we go . . . This is a book where I definitely feel that the creative team has control, and the book wouldn't be as strong with anybody else. I love the stories that Brian Bendis is creating around these characters. And I think it's fantastic that Mike Deodato Jr has stayed on this book as long as he as. His art can have kind of a dark feel to it, and I definitely think that it's created, and sustained the mood for this title. There's a double-page spread on pages 3 & 4 where it shows this girl entering the restroom at this diner . . the belly of the beast, as it were . . and the angle and lighting of the scene is fantastic. It's perfect. Anyways, we start a new adventure this issue when these 2 girls, who are running away from some over-dramatized problems, find themselves in Dinosaur Colorado. Whatever's going on there . . it isn't long before they're swallowed up by it. Norman's given a call to look into it because one of the girls happens to be a Senator's daughter. Norman's first response is to send in Bob. I know that's kind of overkill, but . . when Victoria Hand did some digging, she found that there were 44 other similar incidents in the area. When he gets there, he tries to talk to a local, but . . he ends up exploding with energy from the inside out. Next thing they know . . thier most powerful member has been taken out. So now Norman brings the full strength of the Avengers and HAMMER down on this little community. The funny thing is, between both groups and the Helicarrier . . there's probably more people and ordinance in this group than there is people and land in this little burb. They should be able to squash it like a bug. When they get there, Ms Marvel is the first to disappear. And then when Norman swoops in for a look . . he turns around and his entire back-up is gone. He then finds himself in a cabal of magical and mischievous characters. This may be a little more than he can handle. This entire issue, Norman spends it in the Iron Patriot outfit. He's recently come out of the lab that he's locked himself in for a couple of days, and apparently doesn't want anyone to see that he's having problems with his alter-ego. But I'm thinking, where he's at now . . his alter-ego may be the only thing that can save him. But we'll have to wait until next issue to find out. As much as Mike's work brings to this book, so to does Brian's writing. The interaction and dialogue between these characters is fantastic. You spend the whole issue either being creeped out by what they say, or laughing hysterically. Brian really brings a lot more to these characters than I think anyone else could. I'm surprised at how much I like this book. I didn't think I would.