This isn’t a review of just Avengers the Initiative #12 so much as it is a review of the Tie-ins on a whole this month for the Secret Invasion, which have been really disappointing. They make the main story feel so out of sync. As standalone most of them are great stories, but when the tie-ins went off the path after the Howling Commando’s intro I kind of fell out of love with the series. Avengers Initiative #12 doesn’t do much to help with the situation as it focuses on a really small backdrop character. I mean all of the characters in the Initiative series are B-list heroes they are cadets, but this is Crusader, The Skrull.



This issue starts off with a nice double page layout which is what really got me into purchasing it because I thought I was going to get some Skrull reveals, but instead I got some Skrully madness with Crusader using his ring to manipulate 3-D Man’s glasses so he would see Humans as Skrulls and Skrulls as humans in order to keep himself hidden. The rest of the issue is just back story for Crusader’s Skrull character. Nothing too interesting either, which leads up to his big reveal as a Skrull traitor. Yeah he decides to betray the Skrulls and fight alongside his new heroes the Avengers, so much so that he kills his old friend from Skrull cadet school.



As a Marine let me tell you, a lot of people might not understand that because a lot of people don’t understand the bond that comes in something like boot camp, so him killing his friend is a big deal and definitely the highlight of this issue. Other than that I would have to say on a whole the issue was boring and got probably dropped from my mind, which is why it wasn’t reviewed this weekend. That or the fact I have been feeling a little out of whack myself. I apologize for that. As soon as I get out of this funk I promise this blog will be back on track with giving you the best, until then bear with me and I give you the best I can on these reviews.



One big thing that was in this issue which was a real question mark was War Machine’s interaction with Baron, who actually saves War Machines life. It is a questionable thing to bring up. We could be getting tie-ins to Secret Invasion months after the actual main story ends because these tie-ins are so far dated from the main story it really brings question to timing. I understand that in comic book land this is normally the break time because everyone is on vacation and why pump out the goods when your readers are not around to read, but geez can I get a good summer time comic other than Action Comics, which is the best thing on the shelves right now.



Like I said, I apologize to you guys for my downward slump. Just been busy with the mind, starting back college and work, its been a lot, I hope you guys are enjoying what you are getting. I can’t wait to see what happens with the tourney reports for the BYOT tourney for Versus and don’t forget GENCON INDY next month the 14th – 16th which I hopefully can still attend.

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