Have You Slapped A Fascist Today? — Reviewing ‘Uncanny Avengers’ #2

A Brotherhood of Mutants sure is making things tough for mutants. Good thing the Uncanny Avengers have risen once more. The bad thing for them all is that this new Captain Krakoa happens to be a full-fledged Orchis mole sowing chaos everywhere he goes.

Guess we’ll all just have to follow Quicksilver’s example and speed-slap a fascist when we see one.

Uncanny Avengers #2 picks up the fight between the two groups, while throwing a few new characters and wrinkles into the whole affair. The fascist-stomping series comes courtesy of Gerry Duggan, Javier Garrón, Morry Hollowell, and Travis Lanham.

One of the highs of this issue was that slap, and there were some other elements that were just fantastic. Unfortunately, there is one scene that brought everything crashing to a halt that I have to discuss. It doesn’t sink the issue fully but by golly is it something.

This scene in question has the mutant members of the team, and used to be but actually never was a mutant Quicksilver, stating that Captain America cannot be the leader of the team. They lay out very logical reasons, they are the ones being exterminated and framed after all, including how if Cap died Orchis could use that as fuel against mutants. All well and good, then right?

Nope. Cap promptly brushes them off to go chase a lead, and then human ally Deadpool decides to get serious and sanctimonious about the whole thing. He’s team Cap, of course, as has long been established, and reads them the riot act basically. It’s a scene that just doesn’t work and sticks out like a sore thumb. Excise that scene out and you have a perfectly fine issue.

It’s not Havok asking not to be called the M-Word level of Uncanny Avengers cringe, but it’s at least on the same road somewhere.

Duggan, of course, means well, but it’s a bit tough to watch a human sort of lecture mutants about their fears.

Warning: Mild spoilers follow

I think I may know who Captain Krakoa is behind the mask. My guess is a bit on the nose with what was stolen in this issue, but some of the clues seem to lead me this way. My thought: Frank Simpson the man known as Nuke.

I believe we haven’t seen him since before Krakoa, but can’t say for sure. Not to mention the blatant reference to Urich’s part in Daredevil’s Born Again, the first appearance of Nuke. It also fits the shocking romance angle the solicits have teased. Because what’s more shocking than America flag-painted guy hooking up with a Nazi/fascist. While her brother listens in the other room sobbing.

There are a ton of great action sequences here, as Garrón really taps into the energy. Slick detailed visuals that really give the characters room to shine. Shifting the framing through the pages gives us some unique perspective, and really allows the usage of powers (from Quicksilver running to Blob smashing the Earth) to take center stage. Superpowered battles are a frenzied thing and Garrón makes sure we feel that without actually losing track of what is happening here.

I will say there are a few panels sprinkled throughout where the faces take a bit of a hit. By that I mean they are a bit off compared to the panels near them, with faces smushed or stretched a bit. That very well could be just a sacrifice made when choosing how to frame a scene, a natural consequence of the angle. It also could be the tight deadlines that artists are under, scrambling often to get these issues done. Overall, it’s not a huge detractor or mark against the comic, just something that stands out a bit at times.

Darkness permeates the story thematically and also actual color-wise. Hollowell drops in some vibrant colors to contrast the darker tones that can be found here, but also plays with some scenes that are very light. It toes the line between pulling from its superhero roots while remaining respectful of what this book and the moment represent.

Settings feel toned down or more grounded, while the fantastical elements get the splashiest of colors. That is how it should be really. These costumes and powers and such are the things that are beyond the ‘normal’ when compared to our world. While the Marvel Universe is not our world, foundationally it’s built to mirror ours for that whole ‘world outside your window’ appeal.

That darker heaviness fits into the work that Lanham delivers with the letters. We feel the heavier emotions, dripping from every word. All the captions, bubble choices, and even how the font is used in different spaces all reflect this notion. Again, it’s a hero book but one that is against the backdrop of bigotry and extermination.

All the SFX and some other elements bring the levity and the fun of hero books, remember that slap again and chuckling. Sprinkling them through the heavier elements makes sure that a balance is struck.

Uncanny Avengers #2 is now available from Marvel Comics.