AXIS #5 Review: The Mutants Take Manhattan

You know you’ve got a different kind of event comic when you can go a whole issue without the Big Bad showing up.

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In other series, that might just be sloppy pacing, but in AXIS #5, it’s because some of the good guys are now the bad guys thanks to the effects of the Inversion spell from two issues ago. Now that it’s really had a chance to sink in, we get to see exactly how much damage the 15 Avengers and X-Men who were affected by the reversal can do. Hint: it’s a lot.

Rick Remender manages to answer the most obvious question right away, which is why the heroes who aren’t under the sway of the Inversion just don’t stop the ones who are. It’s a fairly plausible scenario, all things considered. It also makes sense that everyone’s favorite old man, Steve Rogers, would rally whoever is left.

Unfortunately, he’s going to have his hands full with the full-fledged battle that appears to be on the horizon between the inverted Avengers and inverted X-Men, who show up with Apocalypse to claim Manhattan for themselves. Why Manhattan? There’s a reason given, and I suppose it’s as good as any.

Things do happen in AXIS #5, but it felt like it was treading water overall, just maneuvering pieces into position. That’s to be expected at some point during a nine-part event, so having it happen right in the middle isn’t so bad. We’re also onto our third art team in this issue, with Terry and Rachel Dodson doing the honors, and while every penciller on this book has been a big name talent, you do wonder how disjointed it’s going to be when collected. Not my problem since I’ve been reading it as it comes out!

Let’s talk details after this …

SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!

Spider-Man fills in Nova on the finer points of super hero hazing as they head for Avengers Tower and a meeting called by Captain America. But in the timeless words of Admiral Ackbar, it’s a trap, and Sam merely wanted everyone in one place so he could shrink them all down with Pym particles taken from Wasp and trap them. Spidey’s Spider-Sense allows him and Nova to attempt to escape, and while some of the inverted Avengers pursue them, they get an unexpected hand from Magneto.

At Avengers Mansion, Steve, Nomad, Magneto, Spider-Man and Nova compare notes, enough for us to learn that they’ve deduced what’s going on and why only the heroes present on Genosha were inverted. They don’t have time to make plans, though, as Nova flies off to face Kluh (a brave move, if not particularly bright) and the others gasp as Apocalypse’s ship lands by Avengers Tower. They’re looking for Red Skull, but Havok flips out when he sees Wasp hooked up to the machine used to drain the Pym particles from her, and a fight breaks out.

A rather one-sided fight at that, as it’s just Captain America versus the X-Men and Apocalypse. After beating the crap out of Sam, Apocalypse tells him to inform all humans that they have three hours to leave Manhattan or they will be killed on sight. The mutants want to take everything the humans care about away, and Manhattan is as good a place to start as any.

Oh, and Apocalypse appears to knock Cap out with his last punch. Isn’t that going to make it difficult for him to deliver his message?

Favorite moment: Spidey tells Nova his title for all newbies is “Mr. Spiderton Esquire the Third.” Hey, are we going to see that Spider-Man in Spider-Verse?

Final thought: So many questions here. Who let the Red Skull out? That didn’t get addressed at all as the heroes were too busy squabbling among themselves. And why is Apocalypse so sure Red Skull will side with the mutants whenever he’s found? I mean, going from hating mutants to loving them could be the effect of the Inversion on the Skull, but if it really just put Xavier in control of Red Onslaught, he’s clearly not going to help the evil X-Men. Could we see a “good” Red Skull before this is all said and done? Is there even such a thing?

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