The initial battle against the Red Hulk and his forces has ended with the heroes standing victorious. Ross has been snatched by Russian forces while Colton holds the power of a god. What happens after the battle? When an unstable new power takes center stage…the Avengers – and the world – will need all the help they can get! Avengers: Armageddon #3 shifts to the next phase of this Avengers changing event.

Avengers: Armageddon #3 has been an interesting event so far. It began as almost a companion piece to the recent “One World Under Doom,” and now is focused on the bigger question which is “what’s the role of superheroes?” This isn’t a new debate, it’s one that has cropped up a few times in storylines and previous events, but it feels a little different than before.

Written by Chip Zdarsky, Avengers: Armageddon #3 has teases that it’s what has been building for some time. There’s discussions about Civil War and the registration act that launched that schism between heroes. Here, it’s more about how far superheroes should go to bring about peace.

Colton, with a power set that feels a bit familiar, has gone on the offensive and has decided to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Yes, it’s part of the plot of Superman IV, but unlike that film, the issue debates if this is the right action. Some feel it’s the role of heroes to step in only when things escalate. Let the people have their weapons but only act when they’re used. Others feel things should be much more proactive and the threat should be removed. It’s a surface level debate but an interesting one to see where individual characters come down in the debate.

Where things also get interesting is the shift in stance of the non-superheroes of the Marvel Universe. It’s clear that leaders around the world are getting tired of superheroes escalating things. There’s a major revelation about one organization and its focus going forward. One that’ll be intriguing to see how it shakes out in this series and beyond.

The art by Ario Anindito is solid. There’s a mix of action, destruction, and debate, and it all works together to really help tell the story as to where things are. Some of the more “calm” moments of Colton after his actions add a lot without words and gives the reader a better idea of the grand scope of things. Jesus Aburtov‘s colors pop and look great on the page and the lettering by Cory Petit nails down the emotions of the moments.

While Avengers: Armageddon #3 doesn’t go full in on the debate in the pro and con of superheroes, it does give a tease as to where things are going and where the characters will shake out when the dust settles. While it picks up concepts we’ve seen before, it feels like the natural progression of all of that as opposed to a retread. It’s an interesting event so far that will have major ramifications for not just the Avengers but the Marvel Universe as a whole.

Story: Chip Zdarsky Art: Ario Anindito
Color: Jesus Aburtov Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 7.75 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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