Written by: Jason Aaron
Art by: Ed McGuinness, Justin Ponsor and VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 24, 2019

While I have been really digging the War of the Realms Event so far, I was a bit worried about this tie-in issue. I mean, Jason Aaron has so much on his plate at the moment that I just figure something has to give somewhere and with most of the team stuck in Avenger’s Mountain, I could only cross my fingers and hope for something at least readable, right? Well, Aaron does a bunch better and while this may not be the most crucial WOR issues on the shelf, it is a really good Avengers issue, without the Avengers. Let me explain…

This is a Squadron Supreme issue and while I would have paid triple for it to be an Agents of Wakanda one, this is the next best thing. In his run on this book, Aaron has set up a bunch of things and one of my complaints about the series is we take our good old time getting back to each hanging thread. What better time to get back than while the Avengers team is dealing with Malekith problems, am I right?!?

Jason Aaron gives us a roll call issue here and I am fine with that. I am not what people call a “smart man” and my Squadron knowledge is very limited so this issue is 100% for me. Aaron introduces each member and then lays on the twist as we tie up another loose end…Coulson. Yep, he is pushing the buttons and turning the dials (literally) to put his team together and out in the field.

Speaking of the team…if you are a DC Comics fan (or hater actually), I’m sure you will dig the humor of this amalgam of the Justice League straight down to them being called “D.C.’s Greatest Heroes”! It really did have me laughing out loud.

We finally get to the WOR bit and yea, there isn’t much beyond the team fighting some Frost Giants, but when they push them into Canada and leave them for Canada’s Greatest Heroes to take care of I was laughing out loud again.

The issue ends with Coulson eating some Zebra and making a deal that is sure to bite him right in the butt. But (transition there), he doesn’t seem to care much in the here and now.

This issue is just fun and while I am all smiles right now, I can’t wait to see the Squadron go toe to toe with the Avengers and maybe even the WInter Guard down the line. The art is another big reason I enjoyed this one so much as well. This is one of Ed McGuinness’ best looking issues of the run and his character models for the Squadron were great.

Final Thoughts:

If you are looking for an integral tie-in to the WOR story, you may be a bit disappointed. However, if you are looking for a fun issue that begins tying up loose ends of this series and set up some exciting things in the future, you will like this as much as I did. This is more for regular Avengers readers than casuals showing up for the big event.

8.5/10