NEW AVENGERS ILLUMINATI #4: SHE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU

[A stream of consciousness live-blog]

Part 4...

Oooo...broody Doctor Strange.

Love this exchange between Stephen and Reed. Says a lot about each of them.

"Clea left me.
Clea?
My protege.
Oh, have I met her?
32 times."

It just gets funnier. You're going to have read this one.

"She decided it would be a better use of her time to battle demons, goblins, firelords and the antichrist... than actually be married to me."

I didn't know she was running for Congress. Rimshot!

Maybe if Stephen wasn't thinking about menage a trois (we never forget!) with crazyass Wanda, Clea would still be around. Men. That's right! Men.

So love this scene. Fun pseudo conversation and my uterus feels vindicated.

Oooo, that glare at Tony's remark makes me puddley. Phrrroowww. Sexy bastard. I'm still mad at him. I think. I'm not really. Maybe. It depends. Ask me next issue.

Doc is a hockey fan? Wow. Just when I thought I couldn't love him more.

Tony is a dog. I know...newsflash. But, damn.

Oooo, I think we all know where Sue goes when she gets cranky with Reed. A little sushi, if ya know what I know what I mean...

Oh, Namor. Tellin' it like it is.

It's fun, but very odd to see them all talk about such personal issues to so openly and to see Doc brood publicly (sort of). He does a fair amount of this in private and goes to pieces briefly when Clea leaves him in his own title, but this, while fun, feels a bit forced. Ah well, ya takes the good ya takes the bad, the facts of life...the facts of life.

Is Tony still drinking here, cause he looks like he's had a little too much Glenlivet. You're the baloney, Mandarin!

And, what's with the armor? The partial faceplate and ear doohickies, like high school wrestlers wear. It don't make no sense. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're our only hope.

Marvel Boy - The Dumb Donald of the Cosmos.

Seriously, what is that on his head?

He's declared war on mankind. Well, get in line, bub!

Tony's request is really sort of morally adjacent isn't it? No wonder he ends up taking over SHIELD. He's a natural.

Oh, Charles taking umbrage. I never change people's minds without their knowledge, except all the time.

Wow, a little presage for House of M which already happened but hasn't happened here.

Anthony Newley, Stop the World, I want to get off!

Does Charles gamble, cause he'd be hell in a poker game.

Ok, Reed and Tony need to step away from the computers. They're scaring me. They really do think of peeps like computers. Heck, Tony is one. Sorta. Man, they need some granola and a weekend with Euell Gibbons.

Love that Doc wants to talk the dude out of war. You go, Doc. It's worked in Panmunjam. Shout out to the M*A*S*H*I*E*S!

And then there's Namor's more direct approach. Eat vibranium, Kree boy!

But, he does have a point. Namor could wear pants once in a while when he's on land. I think he should get some True Religion jeans, the fit is fabulous!

Was the inker on strike for two pages? Pukish sepia tone?

Do I care about this punk kid? Sure, he's a threat, or they've told me he's a threat, but he looks more like a threat to local Abercrombie and Fitch than the fate of the world.

Oh, Charles getting stern.

What's the deal with back to back stories about young, powerful aliens wanting to dominate the earth. They're so similar. It's weird. I'm assuming there's a grand plan here, but it feels deja-vu-y and not in a cool, oooo way, but in a hey, i saw this episode of Law and Order yesterday - twice - way.

Hee...thank heaven for Namor. Kickin' ass.

Thank god aliens are so patient and gullible with that "but the Earthlings have so much promise, they must be allowed to grow, they have great potential"... line... what if that's a sham? What if this pathetic mess we are is as good as we get? Well, the joke's on you, alien species who rolled the dice on us! Don't you have egg on your face.

Well, at least Reed's making an effort. Today.

Tony. Oy, Empty glass and a bucket full of issues.

Poor Doc. I know Clea had to go, but I wish she'd come back. *sniff* Allergies.

And... Scene.

Set-up, complete.

Well, that's it for the prelims. On to Civil War or the Road to it anyway. I'm filled with nervous anticipation. I know it's going to be painful, but I have to do it!