This came sooo close as my pick this week. You have no idea. While the second issue continued to deliver the goods that this is the best ‘Avengers’ book on the stands; it wasn’t POTW worthy as the first. This issue though; oh man does it totally make me state, without hyperbole, that this is the best Avenger book on the stands…..Period!

Ed Brubaker just continues to give us an exciting and action packed thriller. More questions are being answered on who this mysterious group is. Now it looks like Nick Fury isn’t even the leader of this thing. It helps that Brubaker gives us a bit of a western to introduce us to the ‘supposite’ villain. Then we have this guardian of the serpent crowns and that just adds even more intrigue to the whole plot. Why would the Watchers be so concern about these crowns? Plus I did like it how there was an ‘Abnett and Lanning’ type twist to the confrontation from last issue. Just so much fun reading this issue and I don’t even mind more questions are being shown then answers!

With the art, Mike Deodato brings his best work so far on the series. I seriously got a Neal Adams vibe through out most of this issue. The unique layouts, the flow of action, and even some of the character models just scream ‘Adam’s. Sure the coloring might make this look a bit ‘darker’ then it should. But overall this is just a very gorgeous comic book. I was so sure that the downfall of this series was going to be Deodato. As far as I can tell though, he is just another shining star with this book.

So I will say it again just to remind everyone: This is the best Avengers book on the stand! Maybe people will claim ‘Thunderbolts’ is; but as it goes right now it’s the best book with ‘Avengers’ in the title. Burbaker continues to add in the fun and intrigue with story and Deodato gives us some of his best work to date. If there was any issue to prove to me that I need to stick with this title, it was this one.