With all the upheavals in the Marvel Universe (and more to come), the initial lineup of the Unity team lost Captain America (Steve Rogers) to old age, Thor to shame and Wolverine to death AKA a vacation until Disney can use him in their movies. Thus a new team is forged using characters from both the Avengers and X-Men franchises. Luckily three of them will be featured in the Avengers: Age of Ultron film.
The book starts with QUICKSILVER and THE SCARLET WITCH on COUNTER-EARTH, of all places, searching for Doctor Moreau THE HIGH EVOLUTIONARY while battling the next generation (litter?) of his NEW MEN. They reiterate the shocking reveal that MAGNETO may not be their biolocal father and want answers from the High E as he was present during their birth on Wundagore Mountain. Quicksilver has a sleek new outfit and it's one of his better ones while Wanda gets a retro-Kirby ensemble complete with funky head piece. She seems gruffer here while Pietro is still arrogant and haughty. They battle a trio of "super" New Men only to be attacked by a MYSTERY PLAYER.
Meanwhile, ROGUE has assemble a new Unity team to search for the unaccounted-for twins, especially the very dangerous Scarlet Witch (thank you, Brian M. Bendis!). Rogue is genuinely worried about Wanda but the rest seem to want to contain her again. The team consists of:
THE VISION: who is angry that he and Wanda are not together which masks the loneliness he feels without her. He is given a new outfit as well which makes him look stoic and stern.
The New CAPTAIN AMERICA (Sam Wilson) trying to balance Wanda's interests with the safety of the world.
BROTHER DOCTOR VOODOO, the Houngan Supreme, apparently back from the dead and with greater power but the same stylist!
SABRETOOTH who was "inverted" during Axis and affected by Wolverine's sojourn from existence. He acts as their tracker and is kept on a mystic leash.
Searching for the Missing May-Not-Be Mutants on Wundagore, they find an advanced computer that leads them to Counter-Earth but are attacked by a KREE SENTRY in mid-teleportation spell and are separated in various places on Counter-Earth.
Some observations:
- Rick Remender writes a believable story and the situation is intriguing. But the characters lack a civility with each other. Everyone acts like they would rather be anywhere else with anyone else!
- Daniel Acuna's art is a highlight, reminiscent of Steve Rude and Jerry Ordway with the design style of Jack Kirby and Jim Starlin.
- Wanda and Pietro are searching for their real father which is not good because Wanda will believe that anyone is her father!
- Could the High Evolutionary be their father?
- Or are they keeping Magneto a possibility...just in case.
- Instead of building the Vision in support of his humanity, they keep bringing up his artificialness. Over and over again.
- "Doctor" Voodoo is still in the shadow of Doctor Strange. That doesn't look to be changing any time soon.
- Then there's Sabretooth. I don't care if he's Wolverine's father, brother or college room-mate. That he's reformed, repented or inverted. A murderer does not belong on the Avengers roster. His crimes cannot be ignored nor his cruelty.
Despite all that, I would recommend this book, at least in the short run. But will it be enough to keep this team together or will there another revamp in the future?
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