Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow is enjoying a rare chilled day off in San Francisco having coffee with Stuntmaster and his agent, reminiscing about the old days - and then Ultron invades and things go badly, quickly. This comic should really be called Black Widow as shes the only Avengers member who appears (notice the giant BW letters on the cover? Subtle!) and also reveals how the right side of her face became deformed. The main Age of Ultron comics have shown the world AFTER Ultron attacked and the survivors recovering from the devastation - this tie-in shows us the attack happening (at least in San Francisco) and how fast it was, so quick that nobody could begin to counter-attack. In other words, this does what a tie-in ought to do, by adding depth to certain characters and the blanks of the overall plot that the main story cant, due to its focus on the larger story. Whether or not you need to read this issue depends on how interested you are in the entire Event story - seeing the initial Ultron attack and Black Widows scarring isnt essential reading as you wont miss anything vital but it adds detail that youd otherwise miss from the Bendis/Hitch main arc. Al Ewings writing is pretty decent and he does a good job of showing Black Widows varied history through her conversation with Stuntmaster, from how she used to be a villain to her current position as spymaster extraordinaire. Ewing also adds another dimension to Black Widows character during her interaction with Moon Knight, showing her anxiety for maintaining her reputation as this person whos always on and ready, rather than have her teammates view her as a real person who needs a day off every now and then. Butch Guices artwork is the real star of the issue. His opening montage of showing why Black Widow loves San Francisco is stunning and the conversation between Black Widow, Stuntmaster and his agent before the chaos is really gorgeous too. Theres also this great shot of a giant Ultron head hovering above San Francisco thats really memorable. Once the action ramps up though, things get a bit sketchy - I was pretty sure Stuntmaster had caught it during the initial attack only to find out later he hadnt.
Avenger Assemble #14AU is another strong tie-in to the Age of Ultron Event thats well worth a look for readers like me whove been having fun with this Event. Its an enjoyable comic that has some great art and good action and enriches the main story for its inclusion.
Avengers Assemble #14AU by Al Ewing and Butch Guice is out now at your local comics shop and online at Comixology and Marvel Unlimited