Writers: Dan Slott, Christos N. Gage
Penciler: Khoi Pham
Publisher: Marvel

“The Unspoken” Part I

After an amusing battle of egos between Hank Pym and Reed Richards, Hank now has everything he needs to transport the Avengers to their new pocket dimension base. Jocasta has fully integrated into the new base’s computer systems, and the team is both eager and cautious at what their new home could possibly be. However, we must first go back to the history of the modern day Inhumans to uncover a dirty little secret no one has mentioned in years, and how it could shake the planet to its core.

Fair warning: My reviews often summarize entire issues, and are thus heavy on spoilers.

Our story begins many years ago, when many of our favorite Inhumans such as Black Bolt, Medusa, and Karnak were still teenagers. The king at the time was beloved and feared, but there was a problem. A device known only as the “Slave Engine” would have provided the city of Attilan with enough power to shine as a great example to the rest of the world, rather than hide in the snow. However, the king (whose name is redacted throughout this story) hid the Slave Engine because it gave Attilan too much power. This upset Prince Black Bolt, who (along with Karnak, Gorgon, and his girlfriend Medusa) confronted the king, dethroned him, and had one of Black Bolt’s signature sweet nothings whispered into his ear (which supposedly killed him, of course).

That brings us to the present day. USAgent and Quicksilver have been tracking an incredibly powerful Inhuman signature in China. Quicksilver sees who it is, and (having once been married into the Inhuman royal family and knowing their history) recognizes the Inhuman man as “The Unspoken,” a powerful dethroned king whose very name has been outlawed. The People’s Defense Force of China confront the Unspoken, as he’s trespassing in Chinese territory, but the Unspoken easily dispatches them. It’s very clear that USAgent and Quicksilver are going to need a lot of help.

Meanwhile, Hank Pym has unveiled the Avengers’ new base: The Infinite Avengers Mansion. Existing in a dimension all its own, the Infinite Mansion seems to go on forever. Its doors all lead to different locations on Earth, and Pym has the ability to create more doors in the future. As for Jocasta, she has multiple spare bodies scattered throughout the mansion. There’s a different body for every mile down the hallway, and each one has a different fashionable style. Jarvis nearly has an anxiety attack until Jocasta informs him the Infinite Mansion is self-cleaning.

There’s a better image, but I’m not editing a 2-page spread together.

The storylines in Mighty Avengers aren’t exactly evenly divided. Slott (and now also Gage) clearly aren’t writing for trade paperback convenience, and good for them for that. Plot threads carry across multiple issues, and although this is technically the beginning of a new storyline, it picks up from the cliffhanger at the end of the previous issue. Cassie’s issues with Scarlet Witch (who is still just Loki in disguise) resurface, as Cassie spies “Wanda” exploring the Infinite Mansion. It’s a great blend of stories and plot threads, and it’s making each issue feel unskippable.

Pham returns to art in this issue, after several issues of substitute artists. Though I’d love to see Rafa Sandoval return to this series, I still like Khoi Pham, who suits this series. I’m a big fan of classic style superhero stories with interesting characters that are unmarred by politics and inconceivable premises (I’m thinking of Civil War and Osborn’s Dark Avengers respectively), and I recommend this series for anyone who feels the same.