Avengers Vs X-men #7 Review

Cyclops changes the game with these three words: “No More Avengers!”

Summary

The Phoenix 5 split into teams along with a few selected mutants to search for the Avengers.  Magik’s team finds Cap and his crew. Magik takes on Scarlet Witch but Wanda manages to take her down while Iron Man runs tests on the battle from afar. Magik get’s backup from Emma Frost who flash fries Hawkeye while the other Avengers escape.

Back on Utopia the Phoenix 5 have dissension in their ranks. Cyclops thinks they should not be trying to kill their enemies while Emma, Namor and Magik think in war this is the proper course of action.

In Wakanda T’challa/the Black Panther proposes an alternate plan to Iron Man that he in all his brilliance hasn’t thought about the possibility that what they need to stand a chance is spiritual in nature.

The avengers then split into four teams with one among them under the illusion of being Scarlet witch. For the most part it works yet Namor reaches the real Wanda only for her to teleport him back to Utopia while they capture one of his teammates in Wakanda.

On Utopia Namor and Emma meet behind Cyclops back, share a kiss and she also shares the location in which the scarlet with has been hiding, Wakanda! Namor then takes control of the water of the nation and prepares a brutal assault!

The Good

Art-Oliver Coipel turns in another awesome looking book with smooth visuals and emotive faces.

Wakanda– I’m really enjoying how T’challa has eased himself into one of the pivotal roles here in AVX, his brilliance here aides Iron Man in discovering an alternative to dealing with the X-men. Also downplayed but equally important is that his nation has been the only safe spot up to this issue that the Avengers have been able to hide without being detected by the Phoenix. Also call me a fanboy but I got really excited to see my girl Shuri make a very brief Cameo.

Action- Lots of fisticuffs to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Phoenix 5- Namor and Scott have been the new “Logan and Scott” in recent years. Namor wants Cyclops girl and doesn’t hide the fact. Just like Jean before her she’s locked lips with the other man before and this issue she does so once more but also goes against Scott’s wishes and sets an enraged Namor on what will surely be genocide for Wakanda. The decision in the ranks was also telling there are five Phoenixes three see things one way (Emma, Namor and Magik) Colossus remains silent but we all know he’ll definitely side with his sister that leaves Scott the only person still willing to put the x-men’s non killing credo ahead of this “war”. Could this event split the already fragile mutant race even more?

The Bad

Cover- It sucked badly for a number of reasons. First off it’s a picture of the Phoenix powered Cyclops blasting the Avengers but the AVX logo has completely blocked him out so what we have is a red blast hitting the avengers. Why have an elaborate rendering of someone and put it on a cover only to obscure it with a logo? Doesn’t make sense to you? Well me neither!

Phoenix 5- Sorry but they seem very limited in their abilities as the Phoenix. Jean could remake time, eat planets etc the stepford Coocoos had comparable power able to resurrect the dead but these guys can’t do much……roast people and fly in addition to their normal powers? That’s it? Really? It’s tragic that the Phoenix is reduced to this!

The Ugly

The Phoenix five seem far limited in scope and power for them to be the threat that the writers want us to believe they are. House of M at least had a Scarlet Witch who could alter reality to suit her needs, facing her was scary, here the threat is subdued making this series more about what comes next than what’s happening in the now. Still an enjoyable read for what it is.  3/5