Review: Secret Avengers Vol. 3- God Level

Quick Summary

Pros: This collection builds upon and properly executes the setup that was done over the past two volumes. The entire narrative is fun and exciting. The book’s conclusion is satisfying and well-written. The artwork pairs well with the story.

Cons: Some of the explanation given to previous conflicts are disappointing.

Overall: This is a thrilling and satisfying end to a series that has been building up to a dramatic conclusion for a while. The narrative here is filled with fun action and tantalizing tension, making for a wonderful reading experience. The narrative then concludes in a way that feels earned and works well with the direction of the book. Anyone who enjoyed previous volumes can come into this one knowing that the series will end on a high note.

Story

The past two volumes of the Secret Avengers series have focused heavily on putting events into motion that would lead to this final volume. Cryptic hints at conspiracies and clues toward greater mysteries peppered the narrative, ensuring readers that something big was on the horizon. There were even places where the story in the present was less interesting but was still worthwhile because it was focused on setting up the future. The final question: would this all be worth it? The answer: yes.

Secret Avengers Vol. 3: God Level, by Ales Kot, is a fun comic and an excellent end to this series. It starts by taking the setup done in previous volumes and using it to directly launch the central conflict in this one. This conflict is fun, exciting, and full of tension. It keeps the readers on their toes the whole way through, leading to an awesome climax. This volume then concludes the collection and the series in a satisfying way. Overall, there is very little to complain about in the final volume from the Secret Avengers series.

(spoilers start here)

God Level starts out by using all of the setup from previous collections to make the threat in this collection immediately clear. Rogue A.I.M. scientists have developed a plan that, if launched successfully, will allow them to restructure reality to their desire. The plan appears to have a solid foundation that will make it hard to stop, giving the story some tension. It also is weird and wild enough to fit into this comic, which has fully embraced these concepts throughout its short life.

From here, readers witness the heroes’ opposition to this plan. They gather themselves, develop a plan of their own, and dive head first into conflict with their enemies. This conflict is exciting and is made even more exciting by the way Ales Kot approaches the narrative. The situation ebbs and flows in a way that makes it seem like a different side has the upper hand at every moment, making it unclear who is really about to win. This generates uncertainty that helps make the conflict tense and the ultimate victory of the heroes feel even more satisfying.

Even the book’s epilogue works well. It shows a touching flashback to Maria Hill’s past and explains that, in the present, her experience has made her more accepting of the world around her, which helps humanize her in a great way. Meanwhile, other characters have earned a moment of rest after a stretch of insane action. The book concludes with a surprisingly optimistic and upbeat tone, which I really enjoyed.

The only thing I didn’t really enjoy about God Level was how some of the conflict in prior volumes was explained. M.O.D.O.K. essentially states that some of the problems plaguing the Secret Avengers in the past came from rash decisions he made while drunk. Using this as an excuse for a single conflict would have played well into this comic’s humor but using it as an excuse for multiple sources of tension is a bit disappointing. It is not a huge point of contention but is a troubling aspect in an otherwise enjoyable series.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in God Level looks nice and complements the tone of this comic. Michael Walsh’s work is a bit gritty and grim, in a way that matches the intense nature of the story. The structure of the pages also looks fantastic. Pages are laid out to immediately draw the reader’s attention where it needs to be, emphasizing intense or important moments from the narrative. There are still places where a lack of detail makes characters look a bit strange but, overall, the visuals in this collection are more refined than they were in the previous two collections.

Continuity

Secret Avengers Vol. 3: God Level continues the story from Secret Avengers Vol. 2: The Labyrinth (Review).

The story here does not continue in any specific comic.