New Avengers: Civil War

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New Avengers: Civil War is a trade paperback that collects New Avengers issues #21 to #25. And what a good run that was.

The Civil War was an ongoing theme that year - 2007 - set up in various comics, particularly Mark Millar's Civil War. The US government demanded that all superheroes be registered, and their names be on public record; Tony Stark was their spokesman and champion. Many superheroes rebelled against the idea, and were ready to fight to protect their freedom - that set was led by Captain America. Both Iron Man and Captain America were, or had been, Avengers.

This is Brian Michael Bendis' segment of the story, and he handles it by following individual heroes and their reactions. The first story is drawn by Howard Chaykin, and is about Captain America. His anger. His resistance. His escape from the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives sent to get him, and his cry of outrage as he attacks Dum Dum Dugan: "You don't even know what you're fighting for!"

Part two (issue #22) is the story of Luke Cage, who has a wife and child to consider. Jessica argues with Iron Man and Ms Marvel.

Luke Cage: Is it Mississippi in the 1950s now?
Iron Man: Oh, come on! Stop it. Will you stop?
Luke Cage: Getting pulled out of your home inthe middle of the night for being different is the same now as it was then.
Jessica Jones: Does have a timeless quality to it.
Luke Cage: Don't it?

So Jessica leaves, and Luke fights S.H.I.E.L.D. single-handed. Just as he's losing the battle, Captain America, the Falcon, and Daredevil come to his rescue.

Luke Cage: Didn't expect to see Daredevil here. Aren't you in jail?
Daredevil: Well, I am an enigma wrapped in a riddle. You okay?
Luke Cage: Just restin'.

In issue #23, Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) is visited in the middle of the night by Nick Fury, who purports to give her a choice. But it isn't Fury; he's still missing. It's a Life Model Decoy sent by Maria Hill, currently Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Only Nick Fury can attest that Jessica is a triple-agent infiltrating Hydra; they take her into custody on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, and then get attacked by minions of Hydra, who have come to rescue Jessica. The Hellicarrier is falling on New York - what a scene.

And Jessica, in a tropical idyll, finds herself out of the frying pan and into the fire. Hydra wants her back.

Ever the escapee, Jessica finds Captain America and his friends.

Captain America: We're going to fight back.
Jessica Drew: Please take me. Please. I have nowhere else to go.

In #24, the Sentry goes to the Moon to think things through unbothered by eiher side. But the Inhumans aren't going to just let humans visit without invitation; Bob tells them the story of the Civil War going on back home, and rediscovers his long-lost lover, Crystal, just as Iron Man comes to get him. The Inhumans are irritated by the intrusion, but the Sentry leaves without argument.

In #25, a disafffected Stark employee named Kenny attacks Iron Man through his own technology, horrified by the stance Stark has taken in the Civil War. "We dedicated our lives to you, man. For you? No. For Iron Man. For the Avengers. For the ideal. It meant everything to me. It - it - and then you went and - and -and you just completely turned and did an about face on me... I would never have said yes to this. Never."

Maria Hill and her S.H.I.E.L.D. squad come to rescue Stark.

Maria Hill: Any word from Tony Stark?
S.H.I.E.L.D. Operative: He is completely off the grid.
Maria Hill: He doesn't go off the grid. He is the grid.

Hill uses S.H.I.E.L.D. high-tech toys to break into Stark Towers and rescue Tony. We see Tony's disaffection for Hill and this is where the interesting part comes in. Hill explains herself:

Maria Hill: You ever see "A Few Good Men"?
Tony Stark: ...I don't much find the need for movies.
Maria Hill: I saw it last night. It's about a young hustler of a layer who is a give a case waay out of his league. And finally, he asks himself: why was a laywer who plea-bargains every gave given a case this important? Could it be so it never sees the inside of a court? I thought about this. Then I asked myself: why was I, a low-raking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent working the Madripoor outpost, with no leadership experience, and no connections to any of you, fiven Nick Fury's job? ... Guess what? I don't want this job. I shouldn't have this job. And I don't want it. And, really, there's only one person, other that Fury, who whould have this job.
Tony Stark Who?
Maria Hill: You. And wouldn't that piss off all the right people.

Ahh, I love this stuff. The story I liked least, in fact, was the Captain America segment, not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it was drawn by Howard Chaykin. Now, you'd think that would be a good thing, remembering the fine days of American Flagg!, but it doesn't work that way: his Steve Rogers looks more like Battlin' Mike Murdock after a bad night than the beautiful soldier prototype Cap ought to be.

The best art in the volume is the last story's, done by the incomparable Jim Cheung, whose work is always superb.

Looking forward to the next volume. This is the kind of book that makes me excited about comics all over again.