The end of an era is rapidly approaching. Brian Michael Bendis, the man who’s helmed the Avengers’ boat for the better part of a decade, is jumping ship once Marvel NOW really kicks into gear. However, Bendis won’t leave us high and dry without one last bash. He’s going out with a bang with this final arc called ‘End Times’.

In this issue, a mysteriously shrouded warrior is fighting her way through inner space to notify the Avengers of what appears to be an emergency of some sort. Once the signal gets to Tony Stark, he informs the rest of the team that one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, someone who’s among their ranks, is in need of assistance.

Meanwhile, Wonder Man pays a visit to his former teammates, who he terrorized for a little while before AvX went down, and he wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms.

Bendis really made me ask some big questions with this book, but the biggest was which Avenger is stuck in inner space. The girl depicted in the book didn’t exactly look like anyone I’d recognize, but I thought that maybe it would someone we haven’t seen in a while. Maybe Bendis is bringing someone big back to the Marvel Universe to end his run with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Could we be seeing The Wasp again? Maybe the Black Widow has gotten herself into some trouble? Or what if Squirrel Girl had a costume change and is suddenly more badass? I absolutely MUST know, so of course I’ll keep reading. I’m intrigued. Just imagine the possibilities!

Besides setting up an introduction that’s going to bring me back for more, I also liked Simon Williams’ use of WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter’s Cobra Clutch to take down Red Hulk. Something tells me that Agent M (Marvel’s Executive Editorial Director for Marvel Digital Media Group Ryan Penagos), who is almost as huge of a wrestling fan as I am, got into artists Brandon Peterson and Mike Mayhew’s ears. I mean, the move was super effective, so whoever decided to throw it in there made a good choice.

Overall, it was a good way to begin the end.

Final Score:

 

THE AVENGERS #31
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art by BRANDON PETERSON, MIKE MAYHEW, and JASON KeiTH
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON