Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2016) #4 Review

“A Standoff Tie-in! The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. take on the New Avengers! Plus, the world’s craziest Wolverine cameo continues!”

Agents of Shield (2016) #4

Written by Marc Guggenheim

Art by German Peralta

Colored by Rachelle Rosenberg

Published by Marvel Comics

The latest iteration of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books series has been just as exciting as the television show. Writer Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, Justice Society of America, Civil War: Wolverine) managed to excellently move the narrative of the Standoff at Pleasant Hill event forward while still transitioning the core of the book further without being redundant. Many of the authors on the other Standoff at Pleasant Hill issues have failed to capture the same feeling. In addition, artist German Peralta (Axis: Carnage, Moon Knight, All-New All-Different Marvel: Point One) accompanied this terrific story with beautiful and detailed artwork.

The issue starts off with a few of the New Avengers including Songbird, White Tiger, Power Man, and Pod invading the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier that is holding the Whisperer. Guarding the Whisperer are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Daisy “Quake” Johnson, Deathlok, and Gemma Simmons. The two sides commence in battle, with Johnson easily taking out the robotic Pod. However, Songbird launches herself at Johnson and soon makes a shocking revelation.

On the other side of the Helicarrier, Deathlok and Simmons face off against Power Man and White Tiger. Power Man makes quick work of Simmons because she technically isn’t even a field agent. Deathlok is on the verge of defeating White Tiger until the New Avengers’ ace-up-their-sleeve, Hawkeye, shoots an electric arrow directly at Deathlok’s head, rendering him incompetent. The New Avengers get away with the Whisperer, leaving the three agents licking their wounds.

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Even though the New Avengers have powers, it seems that the agents do not put up that much of a fight. With two of their biggest guns in Deathlok and Quake present, the agents should have been more formidable. Quake is an Inhuman while Deathlok is more machine than a person. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a secret espionage organization. They are the most highly skilled individuals in the world. There was absolutely no reason for them to fold that easily to a New Avengers team — especially one that did not even have a full roster of their members.

Meanwhile, Mockingbird and Agent May were deep undercover in Barbuda Island. The duo was sent there to receive a hard drive that stored every possible way to defeat all the super-powered beings on the planet. May and Mockingbird infiltrated a secure site where Boomerang, Shocker, Ox, and Batroc were guarding the hard drive. But when Mockingbird and May took the guards out, they discovered that the device was not there.

Since the device was not recovered, the bidding for the hard drive took place later that night. The shocking winner was the U.S. government — the one that originally created the hard drive. On a government official’s way back to the States, he is apprehended by Wolverine, who takes the device and throws it into the sea. But surprise, Wolverine is not truly Wolverine. He is attacked by the Iron Thief, and Wolverine’s face slowly changes from Logan’s to that of Agent Phil Coulson’s.

Longtime Marvel comic book readers should feel very relieved that that Wolverine was not the original Wolverine. In a universe where individuals being resurrected are as common as catching a cold, it’s a relief that Marvel is sticking to their guns and continuing the story that Wolverine is really dead. Also, the dynamic duo of Mockingbird and Agent May is incredible. There is already a Mockingbird comic, but a buddy cop one-shot issue between these two veteran spies would be amazing.

The Bottom Line: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is everything that any fan of espionage could want in a comic book. In four issues, Guggenheim has managed to weave in betrayal, deceit, action, and teamwork. The story of Coulson trying to stop something he created blends well with the Coulson character fans are accustomed to on the television show.

The interesting question to ask as we move forward is “What is Songbird’s mission and how does it correlate to the Agents of S.H.E.L.D.?” Also, if her cover is blown, how will it affect the future of the Marvel universe. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a series that every fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe should be reading. Not only does it give fans a better context of the characters on the hit TV show, but it also delves into the comic book history of some of the characters.

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