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MC2
Last Hero Standing
The great heroes of the Marvel Universe are vanishing without a trace What has happened to Spider-Man, the Thing, the Scarlet Witch, Captain America, and the rest of the MU's heavy hitters? Spider-Girl, the Fantastic Five, and A-Next must join forces with today's superstars to uncover the answer - and the trail leads to a major Avengers villain Does the presence of the Watcher signify the end of this age of heroes? Reprints Last Hero Standing #1-5.
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2005
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31 people want to read
About the author
Tom DeFalco
2,477 books106 followersTom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well-known for his association with Marvel Comics and Spider-Man.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 18, 2019
It is weird to be commenting on the font of a book, but man, the lettering in this one annoyed me. Specifically, the word "of" is rendered terribly in here, at almost every instance -- the "o" and "f" blend together, giving a dark line between the two that is massively noticeable and distracting, and the lettering in a comic should only be noticeable when it is cool. (Like, also in this book, when Darkdevil has a slightly devilish font. Turns out letterer Dave Sharpe isn't all bad.)
But onto the story. This 5-issue limited run is set in a future where original heroes like Captain America and Iron Man and Spider-Man are either retired or getting too old for this shit, and a new order has taken their place, many of them legacies, like Wolverine's daughter Wild Thing and Spider-Man's daughter, er, Spider-Girl. Cap still leads the Avengers, but he is slowing down, and when heroes start disappearing, teams like the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men (who actually sit most of this one out) set out to track them down. It's a great way to have newcomers like American Dream and Thunderstrike get some screen time (and it could even be a good Phase 3 idea for the MCU; the original Avengers are out after Endgame, after all) and the ultimate villain of this piece is pretty fun.
It's also pretty cool when Hulk takes on pretty much every hero ever, and wins.
But much of the book feels like it's very hard work, which is mainly down to the stiff writing and jokes that just don't land. It's a shame, because having such a cavalcade of talent, both new and old, and your disposal should make the story sing, but instead the only time the dialogue really pops is when it is giving us the Shakespearean stylings of assorted Asgardians.
It's a shame, because crossover events like this can be super-fun, and the idea behind it -- especially the passing of the torch from the old guard to the new breed -- should have been a gimme. But when even the dramatic death of a major character, in the series' closing moments, can't bring the emotions, then clearly there is something very much missing.
So, it was... okay, I guess. But it really says something when the strongest feeling I have about a title is the poor lettering job. Cap and co. deserved better.
But onto the story. This 5-issue limited run is set in a future where original heroes like Captain America and Iron Man and Spider-Man are either retired or getting too old for this shit, and a new order has taken their place, many of them legacies, like Wolverine's daughter Wild Thing and Spider-Man's daughter, er, Spider-Girl. Cap still leads the Avengers, but he is slowing down, and when heroes start disappearing, teams like the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men (who actually sit most of this one out) set out to track them down. It's a great way to have newcomers like American Dream and Thunderstrike get some screen time (and it could even be a good Phase 3 idea for the MCU; the original Avengers are out after Endgame, after all) and the ultimate villain of this piece is pretty fun.
It's also pretty cool when Hulk takes on pretty much every hero ever, and wins.
But much of the book feels like it's very hard work, which is mainly down to the stiff writing and jokes that just don't land. It's a shame, because having such a cavalcade of talent, both new and old, and your disposal should make the story sing, but instead the only time the dialogue really pops is when it is giving us the Shakespearean stylings of assorted Asgardians.
It's a shame, because crossover events like this can be super-fun, and the idea behind it -- especially the passing of the torch from the old guard to the new breed -- should have been a gimme. But when even the dramatic death of a major character, in the series' closing moments, can't bring the emotions, then clearly there is something very much missing.
So, it was... okay, I guess. But it really says something when the strongest feeling I have about a title is the poor lettering job. Cap and co. deserved better.
February 26, 2021
I've read almost nothing of the MC2 universe, so most of this book felt like a weird dream. Our heroes have grown old and had children of their own who have become heroes in turn. The Avengers are now composed of the children of Avengers, former New Warriors who are now adults, and a host of strange characters with weird powers and origins that are never fully explained. But it's cool. Some of the ideas, like "Mainframe" being the new "Iron Man", instead of being a legacy hero taking on the mantle he is an artificial intelligence created by Tony Stark when Stark realized he was too old to be a hero. It's a bit limited in scope, I wish there were more "new" heroes that weren't just children and grandchildren of other heroes, but it's still a neat roster.
But that's not what the story is about. The story is about Loki, the evil man whose villainy lead to the creation of the original Avengers team in Avengers #1, now wanting revenge on the "Age of Heroes" he helped create. His dastardly plot is to abduct or otherwise control all of Earth's heroes, forcing them to destroy each other and thin their ranks until only one hero is left standing. No more heroes, no more teams, just some lonely soul who watched everyone they love and care about kill each other. It's evil and dastardly and... kind of generic honestly.
That's sort of the whole mini-series "event". We get introduced to our heroes, they're going missing, then they fight Loki and his armies. It's a bit busy with how many characters are involved but smartly decides to focus on Spider-Girl and Captain America. Spider-Girl, Mayday Parker and the daughter of original Spider-Man Peter Parker and Mary Jane, is probably the character from MC2 most people know and care about. So she gets to be the main character here, and she's fun! Same banter and actions as the original Spider-Man but she's not just riding on his coattails. Captain America is still Steve Rogers, and he's growing old. He's learning that even a super soldier can't be a soldier forever, and as his reflexes wax with age the time is coming where he might have to hang up the shield for good.
In the midst of the giant roster of characters and big evil schemes there's a genuine nice story about legacy. Steve Rogers is THE Avenger, and his time is coming to an end. What use does he have now, when all these new and powerful heroes and villains are popping up? When ancient gods like Loki are as strong and immortal as ever while he is scarred and wrinkly? He never gives up, but what happens when he's a liability to the battle? I wish this whole story was told from Captain America's perspective, and that we got more personal conflict and narration from him instead of seeing it through the eyes of other characters. But it's still a good story, and it's still a fun time.
But that's not what the story is about. The story is about Loki, the evil man whose villainy lead to the creation of the original Avengers team in Avengers #1, now wanting revenge on the "Age of Heroes" he helped create. His dastardly plot is to abduct or otherwise control all of Earth's heroes, forcing them to destroy each other and thin their ranks until only one hero is left standing. No more heroes, no more teams, just some lonely soul who watched everyone they love and care about kill each other. It's evil and dastardly and... kind of generic honestly.
That's sort of the whole mini-series "event". We get introduced to our heroes, they're going missing, then they fight Loki and his armies. It's a bit busy with how many characters are involved but smartly decides to focus on Spider-Girl and Captain America. Spider-Girl, Mayday Parker and the daughter of original Spider-Man Peter Parker and Mary Jane, is probably the character from MC2 most people know and care about. So she gets to be the main character here, and she's fun! Same banter and actions as the original Spider-Man but she's not just riding on his coattails. Captain America is still Steve Rogers, and he's growing old. He's learning that even a super soldier can't be a soldier forever, and as his reflexes wax with age the time is coming where he might have to hang up the shield for good.
In the midst of the giant roster of characters and big evil schemes there's a genuine nice story about legacy. Steve Rogers is THE Avenger, and his time is coming to an end. What use does he have now, when all these new and powerful heroes and villains are popping up? When ancient gods like Loki are as strong and immortal as ever while he is scarred and wrinkly? He never gives up, but what happens when he's a liability to the battle? I wish this whole story was told from Captain America's perspective, and that we got more personal conflict and narration from him instead of seeing it through the eyes of other characters. But it's still a good story, and it's still a fun time.
February 10, 2021
La mini qui raccolta appartiene a quell'universo alternativo futuro Marvel dove la figlia di Peter Parker e Mary Jane è sopravvissuta per diventare Spider-Girl.
Fondamentalmente è un piano di Loki per abbattere i Vendicatori, di cui continua ad essere il responsabile della creazione (e se lo ricorda bene). Rapendo a uno a uno gli eroi della Terra e ricondizionandoli in modo che siano più cinici e egoisti, pur restando eroi, spera di discreditarli.
Alla fine riuscirà a mettere Hulk contro tutti a Manhattan.
Mentre Hulk massacra gli eroi, a parte re Thor che gli resiste, unico tra tutti, Cap riesce a infrangere il piano di Loki e viene da questi ucciso.
Il finale, con Hulk che riguadagnata la sua autonomia si scaglia contro Loki portandolo in un esilio dimensionale, e Thor che divinizza Steve Rogers approfittando dell'ultima scintilla vitale di questi, è da leggenda.
4 stelle.
Fondamentalmente è un piano di Loki per abbattere i Vendicatori, di cui continua ad essere il responsabile della creazione (e se lo ricorda bene). Rapendo a uno a uno gli eroi della Terra e ricondizionandoli in modo che siano più cinici e egoisti, pur restando eroi, spera di discreditarli.
Alla fine riuscirà a mettere Hulk contro tutti a Manhattan.
Mentre Hulk massacra gli eroi, a parte re Thor che gli resiste, unico tra tutti, Cap riesce a infrangere il piano di Loki e viene da questi ucciso.
Il finale, con Hulk che riguadagnata la sua autonomia si scaglia contro Loki portandolo in un esilio dimensionale, e Thor che divinizza Steve Rogers approfittando dell'ultima scintilla vitale di questi, è da leggenda.
4 stelle.
October 6, 2013
Marvel's tradition of big universe-wide team up stories dates back to Secret Wars and finally this tradition comes to the MC2 Universe when heroes start disappearing. (Note this began in Spider-girl #86 and #87 which have yet to be collected with the disappearance of Wolverine and a Lady Hawk.) The situation escalates as Peter Parker is taken along with the Thing. Whose behind it.
Spider-girl's Avenger status is activated as an aging Captain America leads the team. The Captain is aging and at last, starting to lose a step, and he's also unsure of the new heroes having been absent from the MC2 reality fighting alongside the sun of Thunderstrike in another dimension. Doubts are cast aside as he leads one last mission and this is a big one as they face an old malevolent foe.
I'm not a usual fan of the giant battles as they're usually just an excuse for copious amounts of gratuitous violence. This one is too, but it's different. The plot of the story goes to the heart of what it means to be a hero. It's about inter-generational relations and how heroes of the MC2 Universe relate to those who blazed the trail before them. Plus, the results do matter and the book doesn't just represent a continuation of the status quo.
Without giving it away, the end is moving and well-done. More than One well-known Marvel character takes an apparent permanent exit. In addition, at five issues in length, the story is far tighter than your average big Marvel epic, which means it avoid the bloating that makes so many of them not even worth reading.
It was a little weird when they group ended up in Asgard and Thor welcomed the explorters to his "humble kingdom." (Really?) But these are minor points. It's a worthwhile story otherwise.
Spider-girl's Avenger status is activated as an aging Captain America leads the team. The Captain is aging and at last, starting to lose a step, and he's also unsure of the new heroes having been absent from the MC2 reality fighting alongside the sun of Thunderstrike in another dimension. Doubts are cast aside as he leads one last mission and this is a big one as they face an old malevolent foe.
I'm not a usual fan of the giant battles as they're usually just an excuse for copious amounts of gratuitous violence. This one is too, but it's different. The plot of the story goes to the heart of what it means to be a hero. It's about inter-generational relations and how heroes of the MC2 Universe relate to those who blazed the trail before them. Plus, the results do matter and the book doesn't just represent a continuation of the status quo.
Without giving it away, the end is moving and well-done. More than One well-known Marvel character takes an apparent permanent exit. In addition, at five issues in length, the story is far tighter than your average big Marvel epic, which means it avoid the bloating that makes so many of them not even worth reading.
It was a little weird when they group ended up in Asgard and Thor welcomed the explorters to his "humble kingdom." (Really?) But these are minor points. It's a worthwhile story otherwise.
December 30, 2021
I wasn't expecting too much from this comic as it is a DeFalco creation from the early 2000s featuring a very weird offshoot of the Marvel Universe. But I was curious and wanted to see where this would go.
The book shares part of the DNA of things like Secret Wars (disappearing heroes) and a whole bit about the older generation of heroes sort of passing the baton on to younger heroes. Thus we get the weird younger avengers that aren't the likes of Wiccan and Hulkling and more characters like Stinger and Jr and tangentially Spider-Girl (Mayday Parker).
It's ultimately an Avengers book based on how it's structured and the final reveal of the mystery villain behind it all and has its share of fun moments. It's nothing super brilliant, but it was nice to explore this alternate reality - truly an artifact of its time.
The book shares part of the DNA of things like Secret Wars (disappearing heroes) and a whole bit about the older generation of heroes sort of passing the baton on to younger heroes. Thus we get the weird younger avengers that aren't the likes of Wiccan and Hulkling and more characters like Stinger and Jr and tangentially Spider-Girl (Mayday Parker).
It's ultimately an Avengers book based on how it's structured and the final reveal of the mystery villain behind it all and has its share of fun moments. It's nothing super brilliant, but it was nice to explore this alternate reality - truly an artifact of its time.
March 10, 2013
The MArvel 2 universe still captivates me, even though when I'm reading them it feels very dated to the 90's and some how lacking. But something is there, something that keeps me coming back. Perhaps it's that there is this second generation of hero's, that time seems to actually be moving forward. And that is something that rarely happens in super hero comics.
March 11, 2015
It's an alternative future world and what do we have? Random Avengers fighting Loki. Whatever. Art and writing isn't all that bad, just find it hard to care. Spider-girl is pretty good but otherwise most everyone else is kind of lame.
February 1, 2011
Avengers in the future. Lots of fights and new characters. It's worth reading just for the shocking and moving ending.
June 14, 2015
The title alone suggests an epic battle to end all battles. But sadly it's a lame story featuring Loki and his shenanigans. Disappointed. The ending was especially lame.
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August 4, 2011I hate alternate realities and the promise of a title that doesn't come true.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews