Yes, this is a review of that issue of Avengers. You know, the one with all the "ess ee ex."
Some will no doubt argue that making sex an integral element of the story -- and believe me, it is -- is gratuitous, that it puts the book out of the reach of faithful younger readers (if there are any) and that it's just a tease to get teenage boys to buy it out of hormonal frustration. I'll admit, the sexual content here is a sudden shift in the storytelling, but it's certainly not gratuitous. Johns gets to the heart of one of the longest-running relationships in the Marvel Universe, and he treats the characters with intelligence and maturity.
Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne enjoy a well-deserved vacation in Las Vegas. They're revelling in their love rather than the gambling and hungry white tigers (sorry, couldn't resist). Hank's got more than raunchy rest and relaxation on his mind, though; he has a secret motive for the trip as well. Meanwhile, an old acquaintance of the couple has learned of their jaunt to Vegas, and he's decided to join them... and to make his ultimate, debaucherous dream come true.
This issue reunites writer Geoff Johns with Steve Sadowski, the first regular penciller on JSA. Sadowski's storytelling is strong and clear here, but this issue makes it clear that he needs to work with an inker with a tight style, like Michael Bair and Wade Von Grawbadger. Currie's inks here are a bit looser and grittier, and I don't think it brings out the best in Sadowski's work. I note that the main characters look a lot like their counterparts from Ultimates, and I think part of the reason is Currie's inks. He was, after all, the first regular inker on that book. I'm pleased we get a look at the villain out of costume first. He really looks intimidating, something that's lacking when he's in his suit.
So... do we need to see the heroes using their powers during sex? Does it really add all that much to the story? Well, yes. The passion reinforces the love that exists between them, and that's an important element in a later, clothed scene. Furthermore, sex in mainstream super-hero comics isn't completely unheard of. Kevin Smith included a cunnilingus scene in Green Arrow, and George Perez made it clear that Nightwing and Starfire slept together in the buff in New Teen Titans in the mid 1980s.
Sex plays a much more important role in this story when it comes to the antagonist. Well, rape isn't really about sex; it's about power and maybe petty little insecurities. Johns makes the villain's hatred of the heroes far more plausible with his sexual obsession, and the introduction of that new development makes for a chilling and powerful scene that sets the book apart from the harmless action stories of yesteryear.
