As much as I liked Siege #4, this was my favorite of the Siege-related books this week.  While the entire issue is very well written, the best part for me was the last two pages.  While anyone who's been reading this series and the Siege mini will likely figure out who Norman is talking to, it's still perfectly creepy when Deodato draws the reveal.  His imagining of the Green Goblin is horrifying, which is exactly what it should be.  While I liked Norman's "monologue," it sounded a little too much like what Tony and Reed were saying at the beginning of Civil War.  Norman is, of course, right in what he says, but it's nothing we haven't heard before.  But the final panel sells the book.  I won't ruin it, because you have to experience it for yourself.  No, no shocking reveal, no major spoiler, but the emotional intensity of Deodato's art needs to be taken in free of pre-conception or pre-knowledge.

As for the rest of the book, it is a satisfying conclusion to the series.  We see some patented Avengers teamwork, and in doing so we see why the real Avengers work and the Dark Avengers don't.  It's amazing that anyone, much less a whack job like Norman Osborne, could have kept this crew together this long.  The only part I didn't like was Dakken.  Really, in a lock down, martial-law scenario, soldiers are going to take orders from Random Soldier, especially one none of them seem to know?  Did Dakken acquire the mutant ability to make people stupid?  I know there's a suspension of disbelief, but still...really?  However, I'm not going to let that derail my enjoyment of this book.

The one thing I really liked was Victoria Hand's fate.  Do we get a fully fleshed out rationale behind her actions and motivations?  No.  However, Steve Rogers' taking her into his new operation really shows how smart he is.  A lot of people might find this as egregious as the Dakken issue, but when you've got an obviously smart, capable and loyal person who isn't afraid to speak truth to power - Dark Avengers could easily serve as a resume for Hand as much as a showcase of Marvel's Most Vile - why relegate her to uselessness?  If anything, history shows us that such short-sightedness usually creates more problems than prevents them.  Steve will need someone who knows how to work the phones, as it were, and she will do just fine, while at the same time providing some interesting plot potential.

As a Spider-Man fan, seeing this (current) final fate of Norman Osborne was very satisfying.  Obviously it will be undone when a story calls for it, but for that one panel Deodato generates both satisfaction and true pity.  As an Avengers fan, seeing this rather short but effective walloping of the Dark Avengers really excited me.  It put an end to their time, while simultaneously reminding us of why their time had to end.