Dark Avengers Annual 1… of 1. Even if this title wasn’t almost over, we’re entering the period where every annual is #1, which is just so silly. Might as well go back to naming them by the year instead, at least that made sense. This time out, we’re gonna catch up with Noh-Varr. Technically, Moonstone told him the Dark Avengers were bad guys and he bounced a long time ago, in Dark Avengers 5, 7 months ago, but due to the difficulties of comics being tied together, he’s appeared on the team several times in other titles since he left without telling anyone. Now, Bendis, penciler Chris Bachalo, inkers Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza & Al Vey and colorists Antonio Fabela & Chris Bachalo are gonna tell us where he’s been. Every time Bachalo tries to color his own work, there’s a ton of people involved because he’s late.
I probably talked about Noh-Varr’s deal once, right? He starred in a miniseries called Marvel Boy that definitely didn’t take place in the prime Marvel Universe, which Joe Quesada later implied was secretly the first Ultimate title, but ended up not being part of that, and then languished on a shelf until Bendis decided to do what he does and try to keep more recent creations in circulation to mixed results. I mean, bless him for trying, but Sentry, the Hood and Noh-Varr haven’t been the best parts of these comics, ya know? At any rate, we learn Noh has spent “every waking moment” since he bailed on Obsorn trying to build something like a communications device he could use to reach the Supreme Intelligence, which has obviously been very difficult. And his every attempt has drawn attention from people like the FF, Iron Man and Hydra, because long range interdimensional communication isn’t subtle. Noh-Varr is in a park now, ruminating on how he doesn’t want to go home, and saying humans and Kree have been getting along since long before he was born (wut???), and that he doesn’t understand humans, when a woman loudly breaks up with her boyfriend nearby.
The pair continue meeting cute for another page before the Sentry shows up and asks Noh-Varr what he’s doing. Noh pulls one of his ray guns and it’s Fightin’ Time. Annie is not thrilled to be nearby as various zaps and explosions are exchanged. Sentry says he was instructed to bring Noh in dead or alive as the fighting continues, and Noh-Varr tries to bolt again.
Their battle and argument are interrupted by Annie picking up one of Noh-Varr’s dropped guns and shooting the Sentry with some kinda Sentry-seeking zap. Another couple actually chase him off for a second, and he leaves Noh-Varr to plummet to his doom in the process. She then drops the gun and runs. People are sifting through Noh-Varr’s stuff when he gets back and takes it. The Sentry is on his way back, too, but he’s too late, his prey has escaped. Sentry being chased off by a ray gun seems wildly implausible, but nothing about the Sentry really makes any sense.
So, like, is that “our” Supreme Intelligence? He shouldn’t even know who Noh-Varr is. This whole thing is unnecessarily confusing. It’s Roy Thomas bringing the Eternals into the Marvel U all over again. Except it didn’t take like 20 issues of Thor…
Only Chris Bachalo would choose to introduce a brand-new superhero in a splash page where he’s just kinda there. The guy’s instincts are really beyond me sometimes. Well, this comic is called Dark Avengers, so the team arrives at the scene of the fight to look for clues, but Noh-Varr’s good and gone. Sentry says he had an aura he could sense before, but it’s gone now.
Hey, look, it’s Steve Rogers! Not in the suit this time. Well, Bendis has just backdoor piloted a Noh-Varr series, but as I recall, there were no takers. And Noh-Varr joins the dozens of heroes who want to personally be the one to take down Osborn, but that doesn’t seem feasible, does it? Like most things Avengers-related here lately, this one ends crashing right into the Siege event. We’re almost there!