Avengers Assemble #11

It started out as a search for a fellow scientist but things never go as planned for the Avengers. Yun Guang Han has a lot of big talk for the Avengers that dare threaten his plans of taking over the world. But that’s not all they have to deal with; they’ve also got The Hulk fighting for his life against some bacteria, who knows what he’ll do.

Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick| Artist: Stefano Caselli

Cover: Mico Suayan, Jesus Aburtov & Stephanie Perger| Publisher: Marvel

Kelly Sue DeConnick is a goddess of writers, this is an issue that is easily one of the most entertaining stories involving the Avengers to come out. It’s brilliant, has a small sample of action, its moments of intensity for its characters, and yet it still has an affable air to it. DeConnick’s choice of cast for her team was interesting and versatile and maybe its just the dregs of the Avengers movie that still hasn’t left, but it’s really great to see a couple of these team ups. You’re bound to end up cheering for all of them because they’re all just that brilliant.

The relationship with Hulk and Spider-Woman is so fascinating. We’re hit with it first thing in this issue, carrying over tensions from last issue. And it’s carried throughout the whole book. She genuinely cares for The Hulk and it’s not easy to try and look out for a big green Hulk but she tries, and what’s great is that he tries too. Hulk is so complex with a multitude of layers to his being, and as he struggles in this issue, a lot of empathy goes out towards him, and Spider-Woman in extension. It’s genuinely not just her pheromones that keep him in check.

With Spider-Woman and Hulk opening the issue, its kind of a like a foreword to the rest of the themes that we see weaved throughout. The Avengers all care for each other and look out for each other, but they all have so much complexities that stain their lives that sometimes even them as superheroes find it difficult to do what they do, but they’re Avengers and they’ll keep doing it. Hulk ends up being the prime example of this but by the end, it’s sort of a lesson they all still learn even if they already know it.

Beyond all the sappy, touchy-feely, emotional goodness, this issue is hilarious. They quip with each other and even if you don’t laugh out loud, you’ll at least be grinning. It’s sometimes easy to forget how funny they can be with all the serious stuff they have to face sometimes, even in this issue, most times with The Hulk, it’s pretty somber, but even he gets his time to shine in the humour department.

Remember that bet that Tony made with Bruce at the beginning of this entire ordeal. None of the Avengers have forgotten and the losers end up paying the price. (And it’s great).