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Age of Ultron #8 is Heavy on Action, Light on Characterization

Age of Ultron #8 is Heavy on Action, Light on Characterization

Age of Ultron #8
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist/Cover: Brandon Peterson
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Publisher: Marvel

Unlike the previous two issues, which struck a nearly perfect balance between action, plot, and characters by focusing on Wolverine and Sue Richards, this issue introduces a whole host of new characters on this alternate earth as well as a new villain for the series. At the end of the last issue, Sue and Wolverine arrive on an alternate earth that is either better or worse than their own Ultron controlled reality. There are some answers in this issue, but even more questions and last minute plot developments.

Ultron

Does not appear in this comic

One thing that  Age of Ultron as a miniseries has done as whole is have a constant source of conflict from the Ultron’s robot goons and supervillains at the beginning to the internal conflict between Wolverine and the other heroes (especially the alternate version) and most recently Tony Stark from an alternate timeline. The multi-faceted conflict between Wolverine and Sue, the Defenders, and Tony Stark (who is aided by Emma Frost and Professor X) would be enough to tell a solid story, but Bendis throws in an old Avengers foe for good measure. This leads to more punching, flying, and explosions, but the character has nothing to do with Ultron, Vision, or Hank Pym. (One could say it is the anti-Ultron.)

Between the explosions, there is little time to develop the characters of this new reality with the exception of Tony Stark. Even Emma and Professor X become one note telepaths with Emma being slightly more amoral than Xavier. Stark’s interrogation scene with Wolverine reveals some of the backstory of this alternate world in which the Avengers are disbanded, and a darker version of Stark whose paranoia has turned him into a man, who is broken both physically and mentally. His characterization reminded me of Ultimate Reed Richards, but with more fear and anger and less villainy. This alternate universe Tony Stark is one of the most interesting characters in this events and sets the stage for an all out battle between magic and technology. This conflict has become a major theme of Age of Ultron as an event.

Brandon Peterson continues to excel and both penciling and inking this book. His Tony Stark has become more machine than man, and he gives him a pasty white face, like Darth Vader’s at the end of Return of the Jedi. He continues to be influenced by Age of Apocalypse and gives Xavier and Emma Frost pouches and kevlar. Frost’s costume is much more functional than her usual White Queen getup.  Colorist Paul Mounts gives this alternate earth a shiny, yet rusty sheen surrounded by artificial intelligence controlled helicarriers using different colors to differentiate between magic and technology. Peterson and Mounts continue to give Age of Ultron a kinetic quality,which is perfect for a book centered on action. Whether it’s The Thing’s rage, Doctor Strange coolly using magic, or a battered Wolverine, the art always gives the characters something to do and focuses on them, not cityscapes or explosions.

With two issues to wrap up the story, Bendis will probably continue to move the plot ahead at the expense of characterization. This issue is a good example of that philosophy. But this doesn’t mean that the story will be just exposition dumps and talking heads. Even though the alternate timelines aren’t explored at length, there will be plenty of punches thrown, claws bared, and magic/technology induced explosions. With one dystopia replaced with different one, Age of Ultron rumbles on to its “unguessable ending”.