Mighty Avengers #16 Review

MIGHTY AVENGERS #16
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Khoi Pham

I'll start off by saying, for what it was, I really enjoyed this issue. It consists, entirely, of Elektra (the real one) kicking the crap out of Super Skrulls, one after the other, as they attempt to subdue and replace her. However, that's all this issue was about and that is also this issue's biggest flaw.

If you were buying this issue to find out how and why Elektra was replaced by the Skrulls, you'll get the how part answered, but the why is still left quite vague. The only reason I can come up with after reading this issue is that they must have drawn names out of the hat and chose Elektra as the candidate to become a Skrull. She wasn't in control of the Hand at the time nor any other major crime organization and she had absolutely no value as an operative at the time other than she's died before.

If you were buying this issue to find out how and why Elektra was replaced by the Skrulls, you'll get the how part answered, but the why is still left quite vague.  

It was also revealed that the Skrulls planned from the start for Skrull Elektra to die and be revealed as the first Skrull infiltrator to sow the seeds of distrust in the ranks of the New Avengers. It doesn't seem to make much sense, in my eyes, but it's Bendis' story, so let's go with it for now. Maybe they'll add some real reasoning behind it later on.

With all the "why's" out of the way, the actual "how" part of Elektra's replacement was just a series of "turn your brain off and enjoy" action sequences as Elektra makes fools out of the Skrull's new Super Skrull program by killing not one, not two, but three Super Skrulls on her own, all of which were ambushes and two whom attacked her at the same time. While this completely undersells how powerful these Skrulls are supposed to be (they can shapeshift their vital organs out of the way and all three were sporting multiple high end mutant powers), it was still incredibly entertaining to watch Elektra just unload on these bungling Skrull infiltrators.

Verdict - Check It. It doesn't really add anything to the Secret Invasion story and just barely adds any new information on the Elektra replacement while undermining the entire Super Skrull threat, but it's still an entertaining read if you can turn off the brain for a little bit and just enjoy the action.

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