Mighty Avengers #24

This is the only Avengers title not currently being butchered by the DREAD LORD BENDIS. Well, except for "Avengers: The Initiative", but unfortunately I tend to think that Marvel has all but cancelled that series.

-This issue opens with the Cabal(I guess that's what Norman Osborn is calling his group of baddies)meeting on the astral plane to discuss their various problems. They all vent for a while and eventually Pym and his band of Avengers come up. The Cabal members tell Osborn that allowing Pym's Avengers to run around makes him look incompetent and weak. Norman gets miffed and tells the Cabal that he has things in hand. After the meeting, Loki goes home and gloats that she is responsible for the formation of Pym's Avengers. It seems that Loki is deliberately undermining Osborn for some as of yet unrevealed reason.

-Loki meets with Pym and his Avengers in the guise of the Scarlet Witch and tells them about several trouble spots around the globe. Pym's Avengers go to the problem areas and quell whatever trouble was brewing there.

-Quicksilver catches up to Pym and demands a spot on the team, mainly because he wants to reconnect with his sister, the Scarlet Witch. Pym acts like the pompous ass he tends to be and rips Quicksilver, telling him he's not good enough to be an Avenger anymore. The Scarlet Witch then teleports Pym and the Avengers away, leaving a very distraught Quicksilver behind.

-After taking down some evildoer, Pym speaks with a member of the media and tells them that since his band of Avengers is the only one led by a founding member of the Avengers, his team is the true Avengers. Needless to say Osborn nearly flips out upon hearing Pym's words.

-Pym's Avengers begin to battle another evil menace and wind up winning thanks to the interference of Quicksilver, who has been following the team around hoping to impress Pym enough to earn a roster spot. Pym decides to allow Quicksilver onto the team, which leaves Quicksilver overjoyed.

-The media meets up with Quicksilver and he explains away his recent bad behavior by claiming he never did anything wrong, a Skrull posing as him did... HA!!! Jarvis isn't pleased that Quicksilver was making that claim, but Pym tells him that it was his idea. Pym also gets an offer to make his Avengers a global reaction team that has jurisdiction anywhere Osborn isn't allowed to operate. Pym gladly accepts the offer.

-This issue closes the same way it began, with the Cabal meeting up on the astral plane. The Cabal members begin to push Osborn to take care of Pym's Avengers and Osborn's face momentarily shifts into the image of the Green Goblin. Osborn quickly regains his composure and adjourns the meeting, leaving a smug Loki sitting behind.

Dan Slott seems like he has a definite plan in this comic book, and I have to say, so far so good! Now, don't get me wrong, this comic is far from perfect, for one I STILL hate Amadeus Cho, and can't fully enjoy this comic as long as he is present. If not for Cho, I have to say this team is nearly perfect, in a dysfunctional sort of way.

I'm glad Dan is keeping Pym somewhat unlikable and arrogant, because at his base Pym IS unlikable and arrogant! As a longtime Quicksilver fan, I'm glad to see him join the team as well. I also like the rest of the team(except for that pain in the ass Cho of course)and I especially like that Dan hasn't forgotten the fact that Cassie(Stature)blames the Scarlet Witch for the death of her father, Ant-Man. Dan really seems to have every ones back stories and personalities down, which is a far cry from the at times unbearably bad writing and characterizations of the DREAD LORD BENDIS. I have to say, this series is far and away the most reminiscent to the traditional Avengers comics grew up enjoying.

Before I end this post, I have to ask, what the hell is up with Loki??? It was bad enough when he began gallivanting around as a female, now he is also impersonating the Scarlet Witch, ANOTHER female... Very weird... For a score, I'll give this comic a 9 out of 10. If Cho hadn't appeared, I might have scored this issue even higher. All in all though this was a very good comic, MUCH better than New Avengers or Dark Avengers.