Review: Avengers- Time Runs Out Vol. 3

Quick Summary

Pros: The actions that take place here work well with the comic’s larger narrative. The twists introduced are surprising and help raise the stakes for the comic as a whole. The collection’s conclusion is a major cliffhanger that leaves the heroes facing off against a number of viable threats. The artwork looks great in each individual chapter.

Cons: There are minor problems with the cohesive unity of the artwork.

Overall: The third entry in the Time Runs Out saga is an awesome comic on its own and an excellent transition into this saga’s endgame. Actions from both heroes and villains give this comic plenty of suspense and satisfaction, which help create an entertaining adventure. These actions also help push the comic into the future, which is looking more interesting than ever by the conclusion of this book. Anyone who has enjoyed this series thus far should read this book and anyone who hasn’t read it should consider picking up the first two volumes in order to get here.

Story

Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 3, by Jonathan Hickman, has the series back on track and as entertaining as ever. It deals with previously introduced plotlines while simultaneously introducing new ones, with the execution of both working out incredibly well. However, the best aspect about this book is the way in which it develops storylines just enough to end the comic on an incredibly tantalizing cliffhanger. The possibilities present at this book’s conclusion are fantastic and only raise additional excitement for the conclusion of this series. Overall, this is another worthwhile addition to the Time Runs Out saga.

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Time Runs Out Vol. 3 starts out by continuing to develop various elements leftover from the conclusion of Time Runs Out Vol. 2 (Review). This includes Namor turning on the Cabal and agreeing to face justice for his actions, Hank Pym informing the Avengers that a group of ultrapowerful beings is working toward the destruction of the Multiverse, and a few developments from the space races of the Marvel Universe. Each one of these story elements helps add to the overall narrative of this series and moves it closer to its endgame.

Then, as the comic progresses, various twists are introduced into these different story elements. Black Panther and Black Bolt attempt to kill Namor, the information from Hank Pym seems to have convinced Reed Richards that the end of everything is unstoppable, and the space races decide to destroy the Earth. The most satisfying twist, however, comes from the reintroduction of Mister Fantastic’s evil alter ego, the Maker, and his role in saving the lives of the Cabal. It is a surprising, but well executed, development that gives the entire series more depth and danger.

By the conclusion of Time Runs Out Vol. 3, three separate threats are left to face the heroes. The first comes from the Maker and the Cabal, who are potentially one of the most dangerous forces in the Multiverse. The second comes from the united spacefaring civilizations of the universe, whose betrayal of Earth makes for some interesting interactions. The final threat comes from what appears to be the unavoidable destruction of reality at the hands of the Beyonders and the question of who can be spared the universe’s end. Any one of these threats would make for an incredible comic all on its own but all of them, yet the conclusion of this volume places them all on the horizon. After putting this comic down, I was incredibly excited to start the next volume, more excited than I typically get after reading a mainstream release.

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Art

The artwork in Time Runs Out Vol. 3 ends up being very similar to the artwork in the previous two volumes, in that each chapter looks good individually but the entire collection lacks a sense of cohesive unity. Mike Deodato’s work is gorgeously detailed and has the dark mood this comic requires, Dalibor Talajic’s work succeeds in filling the cosmic world with wonder, and Kev Walker’s work gives the comic some trippy visuals when characters enter unknown aspects of reality. These are just a few standout examples of the positive visuals here, as nearly every chapter stands well on its own. However, watching Mister Fantastic’s beard and Captain Marvel’s hair shift style and length breaks some suspense of disbelief and sows discord in the comic. The positives here still handily outweigh the negative and help enhance the overall appeal of this comic.

Continuity

Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 3 continues the story from Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 2 (Review).

The story here continues in Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 4 (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• The role Earth and the Avengers played in saving the universe is mentioned. This happened in Infinity (Review).
• A few elements of Ultimate Reed Richard’s life are referenced here. These include:
  • The scar on his face. He received this in Ultimate Comics Doom #4, collected in Ultimate Comics: Doomsday.
  • His fall from grace. This happened in the Fantastic Four’s tie-in to Ultimatum, seen in Ultimatum: X-Men/Fantastic Four.
  • The creation of a self-aware city that nearly wiped out Europe. This happened in Ultimate Comics Ultimates By Jonathan Hickman Vol. 1 and Ultimate Comics Ultimates By Jonathan Hickman Vol. 2.
  • His return to heroism. This is told through the Cataclysm: The Ultimates’ Last Stand series, now collected in Cataclysm: The Ultimates’ Last Stand.
• The role of a Beyonder in a Secret Wars event is mentioned. This is a reference to the 1984 Secret Wars.