I know I’m a bit late with this one, but I’ve had a bit of a busy week. Having something go viral is a bit of a time sucker.

Anyway – Captain Marvel 13, part three of The Enemy Within. How is it?

I really liked the story, the way Kelly Sue managed to jam a bunch of characters into the one issue was really well done, and I commend her for it. Even so, I did get the feeling it had a bit of ‘middle child syndrome’ about it – it is the middle issue, after all – and as such, it’s not perfect.

For starters, the art is becoming a serious problem for me. Most of the issue is pencilled by Scott Hepburn, but there are two pages that were drawn by Gerardo Sandoval, which wouldn’t normally be that much of a big deal, if the art was pleasing.

Hepburn’s art still has me in two minds. Sometimes I really really like it – and I particularly enjoy the way he draws Jessica’s actions – but then there are points that I dislike it so much I want to scrub it off the page. Faces are a hard to look at at times, with everyone looking a strange mixture of pinched and pouty, which is head-scratchingly irritating. Having said that, his work with poses and movement is impressive, and I found myself flip-flopping between oh my god that’s gorgeous and ugh get it out of my eyeline now please.

Sandoval’s work on page fourteen is really rather unpleasant, mostly because his drawing of Cap is overly muscled (I’m talking Liefeld levels of ridiculousness here – one of his hands looks like it belongs on Hellboy), with ugly facial expressions, and an extreme macho feel that really doesn’t fit with the tone of the book. The supporting characters in these panels are nothing special, and over all, it makes the dialogue on the pages reasonably forgettable.

Story-wise, it’s solid. Some may be confused by the jumping about, but I quite liked it. The story could have otherwise been rather flat without the dynamic aspect of quick story shifts between panels. I particularly liked Spider-Woman and Hulk in the Everglades, even though it’s only over two pages.

There’s a lull in the over all Enemy Within storyline movement, and while there’s plenty of interesting dialogue and action, the actual plot doesn’t move forward much other than to finally bring the dramatic irony aspect to a conclusion.

As usual, the strength of Kelly Sue’s character driven story is what carries this issue. Her secondary characters are dynamic, funny, and a joy to read, and while the art was at times distracting, overall I did enjoy this book. There’s a great little hint at Wendy having a crush on Bruce, Tracey is brilliantly cranky as usual, and Carol is her normal endearingly altruistic self.

Seeing as The Enemy Within only has two parts to go, I’m excited for the next issue of Avengers Assemble, and am hoping that the mini-event doesn’t end with a whimper like Age of Ultron!

Avengers Assemble #16 is the second in the ‘Enemy Within’ crossover with Captain Marvel, a five issue arc over the two titles, and written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, queen of the clever dialogue and character driven storyline. While this event focuses on Carol, Assemble #16 certainly isn’t wanting for other characters, with an opening scene based on a SWORD craft in orbit, and plenty of heroes featuring prominently during the battle scene that takes up a majority of the issue.

If you’re not reading Captain Marvel, then this issue probably won’t make a heck of a lot of sense. While the battle is against the Brood, the driving force behind their attempted invasion is Yon Rogg, and his personal crusade against Carol. Out of context, this could be confusing for new readers, or those who have never really followed her character’s story. It doesn’t make the issue any less fun, though.

Kelly Sue does a great job here of incorporating four different settings – a SWORD spacecraft, Carol’s apartment, a battle on the streets, and Yon Rogg’s home – while still keeping the story flowing well. While I’ve seen some criticism of the jumps between scenes or panels, I thought this was a great way to create a feeling of chaos, a parallel between the storytelling, and what’s going on in Carol’s head at the moment.

Matteo Buffagni’s art is pretty darn awesome here. Right from the first page, you can tell it’s going to be a great issue visually. The man has real talent with facial expressions, be them close up, or at a distance. I also really appreciated the design of the book. The panels interconnect really nicely, and there’s a particularly excellent and movement filled page featuring Hawkeye, that I went back to a couple of times just to look at. I really cannot fault the art at all – it’s gorgeous.

As always, DeConnick’s dialogue is witty and feels very natural. Despite this being a very Carol-centric issue, all the characters featured get some good page time, and the team dynamic that has been present in previous issues of Assemble is still very much a core focus. The scenes with the graveyard shift pair of SWORD agents, are just as engaging as those featuring the heroes we know, and there’s some great transitions between locations, particularly where Wolverine starts a sentence while slicing through one of the Brood, and then it’s finished by Abigail Brand talking to the SWORD agents currently orbiting the Earth.

All in all, there isn’t a lot of progression to Carol’s storyline here, but the action more than makes up for it. Unlike some stalwarts on the Marvel roster, Deconnick is able to craft a script that on the surface, appears to have a lot going on and keeps you interested, but it’s not until you finish the issue that you realise not much has really happened. Instead of relying on art to fill pages and panels, she uses character interaction and internal monologue, which is far more engaging and entertaining than some of the more high concept titles out there at the moment.

Assemble #16 was a great look into how Carol’s battle with both her brain lesion, and Yon Rogg’s treachery, is affecting her friends, and the world at large. It further demonstrates her inherent stubbornness, and the chaotic turn her life has taken, while enforcing the theme of friendship and teamwork.

Overall, another enjoyable, action packed issue. I can’t wait for the next in this crossover!