Tribute cover!

Issue #1 of Dark Avengers is a pretty standard “team formation” issue.

But of course the twist here is that Norman Osborn is assembling a bunch of villains to take on Avengers identities.

Like Scorpion as black-costume Spider-Man.

Paying tribute to the first appearance of Spider-Man in his black costume. 

Noh-Varr becomes Captain Marvel, Sentry plays himself, Moonstone becomes Ms. Marvel (and Carol Danvers flees arrest)…

…Ares takes the vacant God slot and does his best General Patton Impression…

…and Daken sits in for his father, Bullseye becomes the team’s Hawkeye, and Norman Osborn puts on armor to become Iron Patriot.

Norman also fires Maria Hill and reassigns accountant Victoria Hand to be his deputy.

Meanwhile, Morgan LaFay is watching Doctor Doom from the past and swearing to get revenge for slights of the past.  She attacks him in the final panel, but that’s really setting up the first major story for this title.  We can cover it next post.

Everyone seems to like to crap on Brian Michael Bendis, but this is an undeniably fun comic.