The big reveal on the last page -- which as this point isn't much of a secret if you've seen any advance solicits for January or February comics (or even the March ones) -- is nicely played out, with the revelations hitting more than one character at a time. The two characters that reach the dramatic conclusion are from different sides though, so using the comic book device of having one character half a world away finish another's thoughts or sentences is played out marvelously here. Gage has a handle on the characters, if only the book itself had a stronger sense of purpose. Read Full Review

But based on the strength of Gage's work with Taskmaster, Avengers: The Initiative is worth a read. It's a good companion piece to Siege: The Cabal and gives a little more weight to the villain than "the guy who shows up right before Dr. Doom goes nuts." Read Full Review

Other than that major snafu this was a solid albeit average issue. The story and art were decent enough outside of what I have already mentioned above. My main concern is that whether or not the market will be able to sustain this title after Siege ends. I can definitely see both sides to the argument but sincerely hope that whatever the outcome may be we will get to see more of these characters like Constrictor, Tigra, Taskmaster, etc. Read Full Review

Two words: Action. Read Full Review