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Secret Avengers (2010) (Collected Editions) #5
Secret Avengers, Vol. 1: The Descendants
Captain America has handpicked Hawkeye to take over his covert Avengers squad - as long as the world's greatest marksman proves he can cut it in the spy game. And with a new leader comes a fresh lineup as Giant-Man, Captain Britain and the Original Human Torch join Black Widow, Beast, Valkyrie and Ant-Man in the ranks of Earth's stealthiest heroes. But Hawkeye draws the line at Cap's final recruit: the deadly and unpredictable Venom! Will the quickly assembled team of powerful personalities unite behind the brash bowman? Can the archer lead them safely through their first mission, against the human/synthezoid hybrids known as the Descendants? Or will an Avenger make the ultimate sacrifice on Hawkeye's watch?
Writer Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force, Venom) presents his all-new, all-different Secret Avengers!
Collecting: Secret Avengers 21.1, 22-25
Writer Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force, Venom) presents his all-new, all-different Secret Avengers!
Collecting: Secret Avengers 21.1, 22-25
120 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 2012
About the author
Rick Remender
1,352 books1,324 followersRick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 1, 2022
This was a fun read!
We have Cap draft Hawkeye to lead this team and well we see them team up and go against the new Masters of Evil and great provocation by Steve and then the main story is when some incidents happen in Pakistan, Avengers go to confront it but then they are met by resistance from something called Adaptoids and "Descendants", basically robotic villains who seem to be reanimated from the dead and there is Sentinels and Doombots there too so the whole package so we get great moments for Eric Ant-man, Hawkeye fighting off threats, Venom (Flash) coming into save the Avengers and that was a fun one and I love the banter in the team especially between Cap Britain and Hawkeye!
It feels like an epic book though the threats are a bit unclear but still it makes for a fun read and it does sort of challenge the status quo of the team as they face all sort of threats and there are some interesting sub plots being built here especially between Eric and Jim and so yeah Remender seems to be playing a big game. The art was not good an dI didn't like it but the writing makes up for it. Zircher's portions were good.
We have Cap draft Hawkeye to lead this team and well we see them team up and go against the new Masters of Evil and great provocation by Steve and then the main story is when some incidents happen in Pakistan, Avengers go to confront it but then they are met by resistance from something called Adaptoids and "Descendants", basically robotic villains who seem to be reanimated from the dead and there is Sentinels and Doombots there too so the whole package so we get great moments for Eric Ant-man, Hawkeye fighting off threats, Venom (Flash) coming into save the Avengers and that was a fun one and I love the banter in the team especially between Cap Britain and Hawkeye!
It feels like an epic book though the threats are a bit unclear but still it makes for a fun read and it does sort of challenge the status quo of the team as they face all sort of threats and there are some interesting sub plots being built here especially between Eric and Jim and so yeah Remender seems to be playing a big game. The art was not good an dI didn't like it but the writing makes up for it. Zircher's portions were good.
April 17, 2020
Solid story from Remender although I'm not really sure where the secret part comes from. The main story could have taken place in any Avengers title. They didn't need a covert team. Gabriel Hardman and Patrick Zircher both provide fantastic art.
December 30, 2015
Pretty solid take on the Secret Avengers concept. I've tried out a bunch of different versions of this team, and this one is more intelligently designed than most. The team is carefully chosen for what is meant to be the covert Avengers. Every character on here either has good experience as a covert agent or has the ability to be support for those who do. It makes perfect sense for Captain America to form the team, then leave the regular operations to others, because he's just too damn recognizable. There are no obvious personality conflicts that would make me wonder what these people were doing working on a team together. The set up makes actual, in universe sense, and I'm grateful for that.
The storyline is weird, but kind of fun. Basically, the team finds themselves up against a consortium of just about every robot previously established in the Marvel Universe. Doombots and all. It's strange, but it works. There's also an issue about Cap testing out Hawkeye for leadership of the group that's a nice little bonus to kick off Remender's run.
The storyline is weird, but kind of fun. Basically, the team finds themselves up against a consortium of just about every robot previously established in the Marvel Universe. Doombots and all. It's strange, but it works. There's also an issue about Cap testing out Hawkeye for leadership of the group that's a nice little bonus to kick off Remender's run.
February 10, 2013
Absolutely hated this book for the first 20 issues. Brubaker had no idea what he was doing and so he just did what he does best in the super comics- bore us all to tears. Then we see Warren Ellis tinker with it a bit and I thought he'd be better suited to the space-and-science nature of the book. I was wrong. It was still pretty ho-hum.
But never fear! The brilliant and consistently overlooked Rick Remender has saved us all!
Hot damn, this man can write a comic like nobody else in the business. Between this and Uncanny X-Force, he was putting out the best books at Marvel, hands down. And unlike Bendis, he's not just snatching up a bunch of forgotten heroes and villains to play on the nostalgia factor of older fans, but actually utilizing these characters in ways nobody thought to before. He makes them into integral parts of the book, not just a marketing ploy. That's what I love about having the original Android Torch here, and f@&k- CAPTAIN BRITAIN. Oddballs are Remender's specialty, and he pulls off the characterization and plotting flawlessly.
If you're not into having fun while reading a comic, I can understand not liking this. But if you want something that keeps its distance from the rest of the Marvel U while retaining the integrity of the continuity and has a real mad-scientist vibe to it, this is just the book you've been looking for. It's like watching a double feature at the drive-in of '2000 Maniacs' and 'The Brain That Wouldn't Die'. It's just packed full of pulp and amazing, 60's styled science-fiction. Hell, it's like reading a James P Blaylock book, just pure American fabulism.
Writing: A
Art: A
But never fear! The brilliant and consistently overlooked Rick Remender has saved us all!
Hot damn, this man can write a comic like nobody else in the business. Between this and Uncanny X-Force, he was putting out the best books at Marvel, hands down. And unlike Bendis, he's not just snatching up a bunch of forgotten heroes and villains to play on the nostalgia factor of older fans, but actually utilizing these characters in ways nobody thought to before. He makes them into integral parts of the book, not just a marketing ploy. That's what I love about having the original Android Torch here, and f@&k- CAPTAIN BRITAIN. Oddballs are Remender's specialty, and he pulls off the characterization and plotting flawlessly.
If you're not into having fun while reading a comic, I can understand not liking this. But if you want something that keeps its distance from the rest of the Marvel U while retaining the integrity of the continuity and has a real mad-scientist vibe to it, this is just the book you've been looking for. It's like watching a double feature at the drive-in of '2000 Maniacs' and 'The Brain That Wouldn't Die'. It's just packed full of pulp and amazing, 60's styled science-fiction. Hell, it's like reading a James P Blaylock book, just pure American fabulism.
Writing: A
Art: A
April 22, 2019
Im a massive Remender fan but this just didnt do it for me. I felt like the characters were a little off plus some of the dialogue was poor. I really did enjoy the artwork.
November 20, 2014
You know what I've found that I really like? Espionage in my superheroes. I've always liked mysteries, people operating in secret, and shady underground organizations. So a team of Avengers operating in secret while investigating the mysteries of shady underground organizations makes a great fit.
The first issue, where Captain America sets up a mission to test Hawkeye, is a good one. I like that the book goes out of it's way to have a real reason for a changing of the guard. For most books a new creative team means a new line. There's usually not a real reason for it though other then the writer wants to have Moon Knight on the team. Here we see that Captain America has too many responsibilities, and being the good leader he is, knows he can't do his team justice so he'll have to step back.
That brings up something else I really liked about this book. The team line-up excise for practical reasons. Hawkeye is the team leader because Captain America trusts him, and he has extensive experience as an Avenger, plus a very tactical mind. Beast and Hank Pym are two of the smartest guys on the planet, so why would you not have them as tech support and the team's scientific advisers? Black Widow is the ultimate spy so she is a no-brainer. And so on and so forth. The team makes sense, and I really dig that.
The storyline isn't that great, but it's got a cool and interesting concept behind it. Basically it deals with a secret society made up of all the various robots, androids, cyborgs, and what have you's, of the Marvel Universe. I tend to geek out about these kinds of things. Like I love that the Marvel Universe has all these different places like the Savage Land, or Subterrana. It was cool for me to see them all together.
The art in this book is top notch. Except for the first issue, the art is done by Gabgriel Hardman. I really like there style. To me that scratchy brush style is the one best suited to a book like Secret Avengers. Arthur Adams does the issue covers, and his work is seen on the cover collection, which was cool. I like Art's style. His work is a bit too labor intensive to do interiors, but if I recall he does do some interior work later, so I've got that to look forward to.
The first issue, where Captain America sets up a mission to test Hawkeye, is a good one. I like that the book goes out of it's way to have a real reason for a changing of the guard. For most books a new creative team means a new line. There's usually not a real reason for it though other then the writer wants to have Moon Knight on the team. Here we see that Captain America has too many responsibilities, and being the good leader he is, knows he can't do his team justice so he'll have to step back.
That brings up something else I really liked about this book. The team line-up excise for practical reasons. Hawkeye is the team leader because Captain America trusts him, and he has extensive experience as an Avenger, plus a very tactical mind. Beast and Hank Pym are two of the smartest guys on the planet, so why would you not have them as tech support and the team's scientific advisers? Black Widow is the ultimate spy so she is a no-brainer. And so on and so forth. The team makes sense, and I really dig that.
The storyline isn't that great, but it's got a cool and interesting concept behind it. Basically it deals with a secret society made up of all the various robots, androids, cyborgs, and what have you's, of the Marvel Universe. I tend to geek out about these kinds of things. Like I love that the Marvel Universe has all these different places like the Savage Land, or Subterrana. It was cool for me to see them all together.
The art in this book is top notch. Except for the first issue, the art is done by Gabgriel Hardman. I really like there style. To me that scratchy brush style is the one best suited to a book like Secret Avengers. Arthur Adams does the issue covers, and his work is seen on the cover collection, which was cool. I like Art's style. His work is a bit too labor intensive to do interiors, but if I recall he does do some interior work later, so I've got that to look forward to.
August 5, 2015
And just like that, I love this series. After a false start by Ed Brubaker, followed by a fun if ultimately hollow run by Warren Ellis, Secret Avengers finally feels like its found its writer with Rick Remender. Rekindling a little of the magic that made his Uncanny X-Force run so good, Remender finally nails the whole "Secret" part of Secret Avengers in a way that makes it actually feel like a series that needs to exist.
I always love watching a writer who's had success on other books put together their new super team. Bendis always relies on Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage to drive his stories, following his great runs on their series. Brubaker, while kind of failing in the long run, put together a cool team of heroes he'd written great stuff for, including Captain America and Beast. Now we've got Remender, folding in Captain Britain and Venom, two characters he's done solid work with on Uncanny X-Force and the Venom solo series. It's just cool to watch a writer get attached to these characters and want to keep using them.
The same goes for villains, in this case. The Secret Avengers are up against Father, a super scientist with a robot specialty, who last appeared in Uncanny X-Force. The problem: he's been creating an army of androids and robots, hiding them amongst the human population to activate some time in the future. Now he's teamed up with the Shadow Council (an entity that has been the main adversary in Secret Avengers thus far), and all hell is about to break loose. The tension Remender builds while still employing big, fun ideas is fantastic, and kicks his run on this title off to a great start.
Uncanny X-Force proved that Remender knows how to do team dynamics, and this is no exception. It's not necessarily groundbreaking work here, but it's just GOOD. I'd much rather read solid, practiced writing than waste my time with someone trying to do something outside of their skill set, and what Remender offers here is just a huge, superheroic blast of energy. I'm really looking forward to the rest of this series, because for the first time it actually feels like there are stakes.
I always love watching a writer who's had success on other books put together their new super team. Bendis always relies on Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage to drive his stories, following his great runs on their series. Brubaker, while kind of failing in the long run, put together a cool team of heroes he'd written great stuff for, including Captain America and Beast. Now we've got Remender, folding in Captain Britain and Venom, two characters he's done solid work with on Uncanny X-Force and the Venom solo series. It's just cool to watch a writer get attached to these characters and want to keep using them.
The same goes for villains, in this case. The Secret Avengers are up against Father, a super scientist with a robot specialty, who last appeared in Uncanny X-Force. The problem: he's been creating an army of androids and robots, hiding them amongst the human population to activate some time in the future. Now he's teamed up with the Shadow Council (an entity that has been the main adversary in Secret Avengers thus far), and all hell is about to break loose. The tension Remender builds while still employing big, fun ideas is fantastic, and kicks his run on this title off to a great start.
Uncanny X-Force proved that Remender knows how to do team dynamics, and this is no exception. It's not necessarily groundbreaking work here, but it's just GOOD. I'd much rather read solid, practiced writing than waste my time with someone trying to do something outside of their skill set, and what Remender offers here is just a huge, superheroic blast of energy. I'm really looking forward to the rest of this series, because for the first time it actually feels like there are stakes.
December 16, 2022
Secret Avengers feels very gritty and edgy, which fits Remender well, but man is Hawkeye annoying and a dumbass here.
I do like this team that shouldn't work well, somehow does in ways. The fact we get one of the cast murdered (I think anyway) is pretty brutal start but help lift this story up in ways. I'm not liking how Hawkeye is written, just kind of stupid and shouting all the time. But we do have Flash here as Venom so that's super fun.
I do like this team that shouldn't work well, somehow does in ways. The fact we get one of the cast murdered (I think anyway) is pretty brutal start but help lift this story up in ways. I'm not liking how Hawkeye is written, just kind of stupid and shouting all the time. But we do have Flash here as Venom so that's super fun.
December 20, 2012
Excellent .1 issue - amazing art and a great one-and-done story (which happens to offhandedly pick up on a plot thread in the Marvel U that had gone a bit stale - and gives it a bit of juice, just for fun).
Then we get into the real saga-building, and it kicks off with an amazing confrontation. Amazing not because it plays false, but because it's so rare these days to see Marvel heroes get up in each others' business so quickly. (Not to mention how awkward that moment starts off - well done, Remender - I should never doubt your skills.)
Remender does a great job with these characters - they're generally in keeping with their usual personalities, and somehow they feel a little more *real* - perhaps because Remender imbues them with a little believable insecurity or anger - something that makes them a little more accessible than I was expecting. Maybe it's the sparse, clipped dialogue that makes it so believable - rather than the intensely long monologuing of the writers I dislike.
Nice intriguing little opponents Remender cooks up - not clearly bad or good, very grey (and suitable to the "in-the-shadows" Avengers). This makes for a more satisfying story and makes me feel like I'm not being talked down to. It even ends on a grey note - not entirely cleared up, which leaves an unfamiliar sinister taste in my mouth, which I frankly relish after so many "clear & unequivocal wins by the good guys". Must be related to the fact that Remender makes such a good case for our heroes not exactly being the lily-white types.
This is the "spy Avengers" book that no one else seems to have been able to muster. As much as I like the previous writers' attempts, this is the first time it's felt like a sustainable style. Maybe Remender is just more comfortable dreaming up sinister subterfuge and cloak-and-dagger scenarios.
Then we get into the real saga-building, and it kicks off with an amazing confrontation. Amazing not because it plays false, but because it's so rare these days to see Marvel heroes get up in each others' business so quickly. (Not to mention how awkward that moment starts off - well done, Remender - I should never doubt your skills.)
Remender does a great job with these characters - they're generally in keeping with their usual personalities, and somehow they feel a little more *real* - perhaps because Remender imbues them with a little believable insecurity or anger - something that makes them a little more accessible than I was expecting. Maybe it's the sparse, clipped dialogue that makes it so believable - rather than the intensely long monologuing of the writers I dislike.
Nice intriguing little opponents Remender cooks up - not clearly bad or good, very grey (and suitable to the "in-the-shadows" Avengers). This makes for a more satisfying story and makes me feel like I'm not being talked down to. It even ends on a grey note - not entirely cleared up, which leaves an unfamiliar sinister taste in my mouth, which I frankly relish after so many "clear & unequivocal wins by the good guys". Must be related to the fact that Remender makes such a good case for our heroes not exactly being the lily-white types.
This is the "spy Avengers" book that no one else seems to have been able to muster. As much as I like the previous writers' attempts, this is the first time it's felt like a sustainable style. Maybe Remender is just more comfortable dreaming up sinister subterfuge and cloak-and-dagger scenarios.
September 1, 2016
Venom. Original Human Torch. Captain Britain. Ant-Man. Man, this is action-packed like an 80's action flick!
May 15, 2019
No one should have to willingly read this. It focused on all the wrong aspects. The ensemble cast feels like they gathered up names that would sell. Hawkeye is straight up told hes not a leader, they make him one, and dont even focus on it. The absurd amount of mid dialogue scene changes was distracting - I counted 5 in less than 8 pages during the second to last issue. There were two page spreads that I didnt realize were spreads until I got lost.
All in all, there was potential that got squandered due to layout and a focus on the "action" (fight scenes that would last less than a page). Love yourself and pick up something better
All in all, there was potential that got squandered due to layout and a focus on the "action" (fight scenes that would last less than a page). Love yourself and pick up something better
March 1, 2019
Collects Secret Avengers issues #21.1 and #22-25
Considering how good the Brubaker run was of this series, and seeing as how Remender continues some of the story threads, I ended up feeling pretty disappointed with where Remender is taking the series. I'll read on, but only because I like the seeds planted in the first 12 issues of this series.
If you're curious, this is where Agent Venom joins the team. This is also where Steve Rogers exits as team leader, and (inexplicably) puts Hawkeye in the role instead.
Considering how good the Brubaker run was of this series, and seeing as how Remender continues some of the story threads, I ended up feeling pretty disappointed with where Remender is taking the series. I'll read on, but only because I like the seeds planted in the first 12 issues of this series.
If you're curious, this is where Agent Venom joins the team. This is also where Steve Rogers exits as team leader, and (inexplicably) puts Hawkeye in the role instead.
October 12, 2018
Its like the universe wants me to pay for saying that I wanted non Bendis Avengers book, and so it gave me Rick Remender. I've never been a fan of his writing, but his Avengers shows a fundamental lack of understanding in the characters, although he's not that interested in personalities anyway. He's got the mean spirited nature of a Mark Millar but he's not even that good with dialogue and he has no style.
September 3, 2019
I’m not sure that Rick Remender knows anything about Captain Britain. His personality is so different, arrogant, and kind of mean. Certainly not the Captain that was presented in the Heroic Age. Hopefully it gets better. The rest of the story is ok, but is told in a rushed manner. Lots of stuff is skimmed over. I guess it’s because I tend to be a bigger fan of X titles, but this just isn’t what it should be.
July 31, 2017
I read this comic out of the blue because I got it from John's dad. I don't usually read marvel at all and I had no idea what was going on tbh. I was familiar with a lot of the characters however, the story was pretty good and the fight scenes were pretty good. I am going to read the second one in this set, would recommend.
April 29, 2018
It's not easy to review every comic I read, especially Avengers books, because I tend to be as invested. Moon Knight's gone, and he was one of the big reason's I picked up this series (I mean it!) but Venom is here? All is fine but nothing is standing out to me.
October 24, 2018
hawkeye is cool! i like him. prior to this, i only knew the film version, and after reading this, i'm kinda sad his character hasn't been explored more in the films.
no more cap stealth suit! which i'm sad about. it's the old one with the pirate boots (which i've always felt look weird)
no more cap stealth suit! which i'm sad about. it's the old one with the pirate boots (which i've always felt look weird)
March 30, 2020
The story was not bad, but it just didn't grab me. I am unfamiliar with the characters and don't really care about them. It felt rushed and was sometimes confused what was going on. I am not liking these Secret Avengers at all, Brubaker should have never left :(
July 26, 2020
This comic was just ok. Captain America leaves Hawkeye in charge of the Avengers, but he doesn’t seem to think he can do the job. The dynamic between the secret avengers was interesting. They didn’t seem to really know how to work well together. I’m not sure that I will read the next one.
March 30, 2021
This series has hovered between mediocre and barely ok from issue #1.
I can’t keep wasting my time lol, doesn’t matter who writes Secret Avengers folks, it sucks! The one exception is the Kot/Moore run a few years after this one.
I can’t keep wasting my time lol, doesn’t matter who writes Secret Avengers folks, it sucks! The one exception is the Kot/Moore run a few years after this one.
February 18, 2017
The story was a little hard to follow, but I really just love the avengers' banter with one another. As a crew they all just have really good chemistry.
December 2, 2017
I don't know about Hawkeye as the star of this book, too. Hawkeye has been the crusty team leader of a bunch of teams, I feel. And I'm not sure he's really up for it either.
December 30, 2017
I picked this book up for the artist. Hardman is one of my favourites. He did not disappoint. He raises the quality of everything he draws. Unfortunately, the story, an in-continuity superhero comic from one of the Big Two, is predictably about lots of people in tights hitting each other, and ends with a cliffhanger that calls everything before it into question. But it isn't unentertaining. And I always enjoy Flash Thompson's Venom.
December 9, 2018
This comic is very fantastic.
February 17, 2021
The evil robot stuff is fun, but the continued focus on Hawkeye, a seasoned superhero veteran who led the Avengers West Coast for years, trying to prove himself as a leader gets a bit tiresome.
March 26, 2021
Great dialogue, creepy little clones, a new (to me) villain that's pretty interesting, some cool "guest appearances". I like it!
January 19, 2020
Not my preferred style of Avengers. The narrative is frantic and moves rather inexplicably from chaotic sequence to chaotic sequence.
June 22, 2020
I mean, they didn't seem very secret is all.
I thought the dialogue was a step up and I liked the look of the book. I just never really got invested in the story.
I liked the OG Human Torch.
We discussed this a little more on an episode of Comic Book Coffee Break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWxE3...
I thought the dialogue was a step up and I liked the look of the book. I just never really got invested in the story.
I liked the OG Human Torch.
We discussed this a little more on an episode of Comic Book Coffee Break: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWxE3...
July 22, 2017
Hawkeye leading the team? Interesting twist, and I do like the line up too. Be interesting seeing how this develops.....
November 11, 2012
This title's been something like the X-force for the Avengers, turning heroes into killers, etc. Whatever. To my taste it's been a dismal failure. I'll never forgive Warren Ellis turning Hank McCoy, the gentlest Avenger into a MASS KILLER; I doubt I'll ever read Ellis again.
Here we have a fresh start from my current favorite comix writer, Rick Remender. He's had some trouble finding his voice at Marvel, with some books good and some bad. This volume is a good one. Remender's back on top of his game, taking a failure of a title and Ellis' poor characterizations and picking up the pieces, making them work and giving us a really fun and exciting read. I'm not a fan of Hardman's artwork, but it's serviceable enough to keep the story well composed.
I suspect Remender will be the Geoff Johns of Marvel before you know it. I can't wait for him to delve deeper into the Marvel U as the years stretch ahead.
Here we have a fresh start from my current favorite comix writer, Rick Remender. He's had some trouble finding his voice at Marvel, with some books good and some bad. This volume is a good one. Remender's back on top of his game, taking a failure of a title and Ellis' poor characterizations and picking up the pieces, making them work and giving us a really fun and exciting read. I'm not a fan of Hardman's artwork, but it's serviceable enough to keep the story well composed.
I suspect Remender will be the Geoff Johns of Marvel before you know it. I can't wait for him to delve deeper into the Marvel U as the years stretch ahead.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews