West Coast Avengers [2024] #5 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 5, May 2025

Whilst Issue Five of “West Coast Avengers” is very much a comic of two decidedly different halves, it still must have landed reasonably well with its readers. In fact, the twenty-page periodical’s opening is packed with plenty of promise as Ultron’s recruitment into Tony Stark’s super-team continues to make some of the Marvel Universe’s other mightiest heroes a tad concerned, and the "Whackos" finally show what they’re capable of when they join forces against “Steve Rogers’ dark double” so as to stop him attacking a Department of Defence nuclear convoy.

Admittedly, much of this adrenalin-fuelled momentum is then lost once the action stops and Firestar rather suddenly admits that she’s an alcoholic to her comrades-in-arms. But up until this point, Gerry Duggan pens an enthralling scrap in which Flag-Smasher shows just how formidable an opponent he can be – even if he does eventually take something of a beating whilst the rest of his Sovereign Sons are battered into submission by a barrage of War Machine’s rubber bullets; "Hey Rhodes -- That armour can double as a casket, soldier.”

Far more sedentary is this battle’s aftermath in which Angelica Jones is once again shown repeatedly smooching with Tommy Watt, before deciding she needs to enter rehabilitation for her unhealthy drinking habits. Such character development would debatably be rather impactive if Firestar’s arch had actually been allowed to gradually grow into such an admission of vulnerability (and possibly love). However, as all these revelations have only occurred within the past few editions, many a bibliophile may well feel its all rather forced and unconvincing; especially as the American author attempts to pepper such shocks with some in-jokes and childish witticisms.

Danny Kim’s art-style is also debatably best suited to illustrate this book’s more dynamic moments, rather than the aforementioned slap-stick comedy hour which ends the publication. The artist is very good at depicting Grant Rogers’ exceptional ability to hurl his baton, and the almost jaw-breaking strength behind his punches. Yet much of this attention to detail appears to be missing from his panels whenever he is called upon to pencil the more dialogue-driven sequences, and on the odd occasion his work even appears reminiscent of the tongue-in-cheek visuals employed by the animators of the original 1997 “Pokémon” cartoon series.

The regular cover art of "WEST COAST AVENGERS" #5 by Ben Harvey