Graphic Novel Review: Uncanny Avengers Unity: The Man Who Fell To Earth

As Standoff unfolds, the Uncanny Avengers come to the aid of S.H.I.E.L.D. during a manhunt - and make a shocking discovery about an ally. But what does all that have to do with the mystery unfolding in Pleasant Hill? It was bound to happen with Deadpool in the ranks, but the team are about to lose their minds! Will one of them be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to get them out of their latest mess? And when original Avenger Hank Pym makes his return, will it be a happy reunion?

(Panini Books)

Skipping over the Standoff crossover issues included for completists and previously reviewed here, which make little sense without the rest of the storyline anyway, we launch straight into the main event, the return to Earth of founding Avenger Hank Pym.

Not only was he the original Ant-Man, but also adopted the costumed identities of Giant-Man, Goliath and Yellowjacket, was in charge of the now defunct Avengers Academy, and was the ex-husband of the Wasp, aka Janet Van Dyne.

Last seen by his teammates merged with the homicidal robot Ultron and launched into space, readers have been kept abreast of Pym’s interstellar activities over the course of recent issues. Not only did he appear to be in control of Ultron, but he was using the creature as a form of armour in order to help the crew of a beleaguered spaceship. But now he’s returned to Earth, and wants to rejoin his comrades in the Avengers…

With various Avengers teams currently in operation, Pym signs up with the Avengers Unity Squad under the command of Captain America, and initially proves to be a useful asset in their activities.

But it isn’t much of a spoiler to reveal that things aren’t quite what they seem, and when his ex-wife Janet is called in to verify his identity, her suspicions are aroused by glaring deviances in the character of the man she once knew.

This hybrid man/machine could just prove to be one of the most dangerous threats the Avengers Unity Squad has ever faced, and to defeat it may involve them taking extreme sanctions...

Offering strong, continuity-rich Avengers stories in a classic vein, the UAU series brings together a diverse mix of humans, mutants and Inhumans under one banner, which results in the likes of Quicksilver and Doctor Voodoo working alongside Deadpool and the Human Torch, which certainly keeps things interesting…

A standalone epic which will have major consequences for years to come, there’s plenty here to recommend.