Avengers #37 Review: Trust Issues

It’d be pretty understandable if in the middle of a semi-dystopic future, it would be difficult to figure out who’s really on your side. When you’ve just experienced going from the peak of human physiology to an old man a few months prior, it would be even tougher, especially when your enemies are taunting you at the same time.

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Yes, it’s not easy being Steve Rogers in Avengers #37. He’s doing the best he can to catch up with the Illuminati, but the situation is obviously taking its toll. Jonathan Hickman and Mike Deodato show us a man who’s willing to risk the relationship between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the American government, to say nothing of his personal relationships with the Avengers loyal to him, in pursuit of his goal.

We actually get to see a few of the Illuminati, at least in holographic form, which is more or less a first since the “Time Runs Out” arc began. In case you were wondering if they were going to drag things out before the two sides actually throw down (if they do) … yeah, they are.

As readers, we’re also being filled in on the events of the skipped months little by little. This issue has more on exactly why the Cabal seems to be running around unchecked (they are), and whether or not there was a falling out between this group of Avengers and others like Sunspot and Hyperion (there was).

Ultimately, though, this issue really boils down to the whole question of whether or not the main players are trusting the right people around them. There are signs that neither Rogers nor certain members of the Illuminati are making that decision correctly, but to talk about the double twist that ends this book, we need to tell you there are …

SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!

In defiance of the U.S. government, Hawkeye is sent on a fact-finding mission under Rome. He finds a former hideout for the Illuminati, but all that’s left behind is a holographic message for Steve recorded by Beast and Hulk. One of Deodato’s strongest sequences in this issue is the one that shows Rogers taking out some of his frustration — and he’s got a lot of it.

After that, we learn during a debriefing session between Rogers and Sue Storm exactly what happened with the Cabal. The villains simply pleaded their case directly to the people of Earth, who were scared enough about the end of anything that they were willing to give up Wakanda to the bad guys as long as they kept destroying the worlds coming through during the Incursions.

Carol Danvers stops by to fill Rogers in on their efforts to find the Illuminati and what former Avengers are up to, specifically Sunspot’s purchase of A.I.M. There’s some obvious tension as Captain Marvel questions whether or not they tried hard enough to keep some of their former teammates around. There’s also a bit of a spoiler for the status quo after AXIS, as it’s heavily implied the X-Men and Avengers are not on speaking terms. Again.

The final scene is the big one: Invisible Woman meets with Mr. Fantastic and we learn that she was spying on the Avengers for the Illuminati all along. I mean, unless she’s playing double agent here. It’s just as tough for us to figure out where everyone’s loyalties lie as it is for the characters in the story.

Before she leaves, Sue gives Reed a note from their daughter, which contains a simple but pointed message: “Dad, you can’t win. Time to start figuring out how not to lose.”

Val is still with Doctor Doom, who has been investigating his own solution to the Incursions, so this could have something to do with that. I bet Doom would be pretty tickled if he was the one who figured out how to prevent the end of all that is while everyone else was squabbling with each other.

Favorite moment: It’s still taking me some time to adjust to a smarter Hulk, but I like Doc Green’s message for Steve here:

Ooh, that’s got to sting just a little.

Final thought: This is the kind of issue where if you like Hickman and the long game he always seems to be playing, you’re going to like it, and if you aren’t a huge fan of his style, you probably won’t. I like the way this arc is building up the anticipation for the inevitable showdown, but I include myself in the former group. Your mileage may definitely vary.