Page one of this issue is almost a textbook of what I don’t like about the current Marvel  era of comics: a disgustingly bad coloring job that’s meant to set the mood as Dark, in case the reader didn’t understand that Dark Reign is supposed to be Dark.  Ugly glosses of light on Norman Osborn’s face that no lighting condition would ever cause.  And the green, dear God, someone take the green out of the Marvel Pantheon for a while.  I get it.  The Green Goblin is in charge of Dark Reign.  You don’t need to slather every issue with Dark Green.

And the writing?  Ugh.  I hate it when Bendis gets all meta.  See, Osborn is making a list of everything that doesn’t make sense in the current Marvel Universe.  And the first page just screams I AM BRIAN GODDAMNED MICHAEL FUCKEN BENDIS, AND I HAVE MADE TERRIBLE MISTAKES IN RECENT CROSSOVER EVENTS THAT I INTEND TO FIX NOW.  I’M REALLY SORRY ABOUT SECRET INVASION AND HOUSE OF M, AND WORLD WAR HULK, EVEN THOUGH THAT LAST ONE WASN’T REALLY MY FAULT.  Sigh.  Yea.  The trick to writing a good story is to show, not tell, BMB.  And, whle I realize you wrote that page with a wink and a smirk, it’s still annoying.

But then I turned that affront to storytelling over and got to the next page.  And, you know what, it got remarkably better.

This is the Bendis I enjoy.  Tight, snappy dialogue that pushes the story forward.  When he’s at the top of his game, Bendis’s ear toward character intention is near flawless.  And it’s damned good in this issue.  This is the plot I expected way back at the beginning of Dark Reign, which, if memory serves, started back in 1972. 

Also, once we get past the opening splash page, the colors get under control.  Yes, there’s still some dark green permeating, but it’s only overbearing in the scenes at Dark Avenger Central (yea, yea,  yea, they’re green and dark).  And, apart from a weird swimminess to Captain America’s suit, the shadows and gloss feel much more confined as the book progresses.