Dark Avengers #9 was the first issue that of this title that I have read. I have to say that I enjoyed it.
Synopsis: We begin with Victoria Hand walking down the hall towards Osborn’s workshop and talking to the Secretary of Defense on her phone. Hand presses a button and is prompted for Voice Identification. Hand states her name and is denied access. This confuses her so she attempts to talk through the door to Osborn.
Hand informs Osborn that the Secretary of Defense is on the phone and needs to talk to him. Through the door Osborn tells her that he can’t talk. Hand asks if Norman is alright but gets no response.
Hand then tells the Secretary of Defense that Mr. Osborn is on a mission at the moment. She walks back down the hall. Once she is gone Osborn says her name and asks if she is still there. Norman then says that he thinks he needs some help.
We cut to Ares’ apartment. Ares wakes up Phobos and tells him its time for school. The newscaster on TV is talking about Osborn’s ideas on mutant rights. Ares can be seen on the TV destroying something. Phobos says that he saw Ares on the TV. Ares tells him that that the Avengers were called in and the Avengers bested the nutants in battle.
Phobos looks back down at his breakfast and Ares senses he has a question and tell Phobos to ask it. Phobos asks if it was the right thing to do with the mutants. Ares says it was, Phobos asks how does Ares know. Ares tells him because he is older and wiser.
Phobos interjects saying that on the TV then stops. Ares tells Phobos to speak like a man so Phobos obeys and says that some people say Osborn is a monster. Ares tells Phobos that he should meet his grandfather. Phobos asks his father if Osborn is the right person to be working with. Ares says Norman is. Phobos asks why. Ares slams his cup down and screams because I said so.
Ares tells Phobos that he is late for school and storms out of the apartment. Phobos waits until his father is out of sight and then walks out to meet Daisy. Phobos asks where they are going and she tell him that they are off to their new secret base.
They take off down the street, but what they don’t realize is Ares is behind them on his bike. Phobos asks if Daisy saw what happened in San Francisco. She says she did and it drives her nuts. She checks the rear view mirror and sees nothing and makes a turn. Ares continues to follow them. (What I want to know is how you miss a giant man riding a big black motorcycle with a fricken battle ax on his back?)
Fury is at the secret base telling the Secret Warriors that they have to read AIM intelligence reports for the day. They all are complaining but Daisy claims it is actually fascinating. Fury begins to say something when the intruder alert sounds. Ares is outside busting down the front door.
The Secret Warriors watch Ares on the security cameras. Daisy says that he must have followed her and Phobos on their way to the base. Hellfire raises the same question I have. How do you miss a giant dude with a battle ax? Which Fury explains was given to Ares by Zeus. The Secret Warriors are still standing around when Ares breaks in.
Hellfire attempts to take Ares on with his chain, which Ares catches then throws and then catches Hellfire in the face with the handle of his ax. Fury says for everyone to stand down. Fury and Ares start talking.
Ares asks Fury what he is doing down there with his son. Fury informs him that he is training to fight back. Ares turns to Phobos and asks if that is what he does all day while he is gone. Phobos simply answers that the world is kinda a mess.
Fury sends everybody to another room so he can talk to Ares in private. Ares asks why his son. Fury tells Ares that Phobos has amazing powers. Fury says that there aren’t words to describe Phobos’ potential.
Ares puts his head down and says that he had to flee his father’s courts to find his way, but he doesn’t want his son to have to leave him. Ares says that he doesn’t know what to do. Phobos is in the door way listening to the conversation.
Ares sees Phobos in the doorway and asks if staying with Fury is his path. Phobos says yes and Ares accepts it. Before he leaves, Ares starts to say to Fury that if the boy dies in battle with him. Fury interjects that Phobos will die a warrior.
Ares says that he and Fury may see it that way, but that won’t stop the boy’s grandfather from striking Fury down.
Fury tells Ares that he bet on the wrong horse with Osborn. Ares replies that it must be humiliating to Fury that Osborn has his old job, but that Osborn is doing a fine job at it. Fury says yeah, well the show ain’t over yet.
Once Ares is gone Fury tells the gang to pack the place up and burn it. Even if Ares doesn’t tell Osborn where they were hiding Osborn’s psychics will find out. Hellfire finally gets up and asks what happened. Fury says that he battled the god of war and lived to talk about it so it was a good day. Hellfire leaves and Fury tells Daisy to always keep eyes in the back of her head.
At Avengers Tower we see Daken is bragging about how he cut off Deadpool’s hands with his claws. Bullseye argues that Daken didn’t but eventually believes that Daken did. Venom says he doesn’t care. They begin to complain about Spiderman and his sense of humor. As Sentry flies past the window, Bullseye wonders how long it will be until Sentry goes crazy and kills them without realizing it.
As Sentry enters his room, Lindy meets him at the door. She is holding an alien gun on him. When he tries to approach her, she pulls the trigger. Sentry falls to the floor. His face is blown off.
In the hallway to Norman’s vault, a beep is heard.
The Good: Dark Avengers #9 was a good issue. This is the kind of story that brings out the best in Bendis. The reaction of Ares is very believable. Bendis shows that Ares is like any other father. He wants what is best for his son. He wants a better life for Phobos. We get to see some of Ares’ backstory. Bendis reveals that the gods suffer through some of the same issues that plague humans.
Deodato continues to excel with the art. I loved the dynamic cover. The panels with Ares and his son show Ares from Phobos’ point of view. Ares looks even more intimidating from Phobos’ angle.
Deodato is a master of the facial expressions. The looks of worry and fear on both Ares and Phobos’ faces are very well done.
Deodato also cranks up the intensity on the short lived battle between Ares and the Secret Warriors.
The Bad: The art is weak on the first few pages with Victoria Hand. Deodato got off to a slow start but once he made it through these pages, the art returned to his normal level of quality.
Overall: Darl Avengers was a great issue. The focus on Ares and Phobos played to Bendis’ strengths. Deodato continues to turn in quality art. Highly recommended.
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Joel