Truth be told, I enjoyed this issue better than last.  The problem I’ve had this series is pretty much my problem with Dark Reign as a whole.  That problem is the idea that anybody’s buying what Osborn’s selling or that whoever’s above Hammer right now, be it the US or UN, would condone a team that includes Bullseye running around with a bow and arrow or a cannibalistic alien symbiote frolicking about.  It’s a faulty foundation that makes for a book I can’t quite take seriously.  Nevertheless, I bough this issue if only because Doom was in it.  If nothing else, Bendis writes an interesting Doom.

Thankfully, this issue dealt with Norman Osborn being a media darling to a much lesser extent than what has ususally been the case in this saga.  This issue is the basic next step after the classic “we’re building the team” issue, the “we’re in our first mission and in over our heads” issue.  The Sentry gets a nice moment (which tends to happen when Bob shows up in Latveria… how ’bout just leaving him there, eh?)  There are darkly humorous moments in the book (Bullseye’s crack about his mom comes to mind) and it almost seems like Bendis is poking fun a little at the sheer ridiculousness of this team, especially the whole bit about Venom and eating.  Daken’s constant “What is wrong with you people?” dialogue is kind of funny.  There’s some weird continuity between this and Thor 600 on the state of Latveria, but whatever.

The art is still a little shaky for me. I don’t quite appreciate the idea of taking no less than three panels of the last issue and copying and pasting them right into this one.  And Deodato STILL draws every woman with her boobs sticking way out and it’s really annoying.  There’s also some weird scene construction where appearently, as a child, Victor Von Doom’s tent was a TARDIS and clearly Norman Osborn is the quickest dresser in the history of existence.  It still looks good in points and Deodato has some interesting ideas with panels but the little things add up to weaken my enjoyment of his art.  Still, the man has talent even if his choices for stuff can sometimes be odd.

Overall, it’s a decent issue.  It’s not great, but it is something of an improvement of the last issue in my opinion if only because it avoided Osborn hamming it up for the cameras.  The humor is good and the action is interesting even if the premise is kind of ridiculous.  I don’t know how long I’ll keep reading th– oh, Doom’s on the cover for 4?  Well, I guess, I’m staying until at least then.  Curse you, Bendis!  You have found my weakness!