Prelude...to Vengeance

As with all good crossovers, Acts of Vengeance had a brief lead-in to get the comic-buying public excited for the upcoming event.  Before I get rolling, I'd like to take a brief look at these teasers.  I've already posted the teaser image, which I just adore.  It's a simple design with the broken icons of the Avengers on the floor and the faceless villains standing above them.  Dr. Doom and Magneto are immediately recognizable from that angle, even if others (like the Mandarin, the Kingpin and the Red Skull) are not.  

The first indication that something was afoot appeared in Thor #410, which is actually quite a ripping yarn.  Just look at that cover.  Dr. Doom fighting Dr. Doom, while Hercules, Thor and She-Hulk cower before the awesome energy crackling around them.  The story inside lives up to that cover, even if that exact scene never happens.  Dr. Doom steals Thor's hammer to power a device that allows him to stop time and attack the pretender to the throne of Latveria.  Hercules, She-Hulk and Thor's mortal form fight a bunch of Doombots to rescue the hammer while Dr. Doom fights his evil clone.  If that doesn't appeal to you, then you must have some sort of allergy that prevents you from getting to close to things that are awesome.  If that's the case, I feel sorry for you.  

But the real action happens on the last page, after the threat is over and Dr. Doom is back in New York City.  

Yeah!  Without giving any details, these few panels provide the essence of Acts of Vengeance.  A frustrated super-villian.  A mysterious stranger.  A simple proposal.  A promise of vengeance.  That last panel especially captures the essence of this storyline: Our stranger is REALLY into his plan...just look at the size of that word balloon.  Doom is intrigued, yet suspicious, behind his metal mask.  This is everything I've ever loved about Marvel Comics.

The next installment takes place in Cloak and Dagger#8, which is slightly more problematic.  As you can see, the cover promises a "prelude to Vengeance."  Much like the previous issue of  Thor, we really have a regular issue of the comic with a surprise reveal on the last page.  The execution of this one, however, is not quite as good.  

First, let's cover the main story.  Now, the only Cloak and Dagger story I've ever read before this one is their Atlantis Attacks guest spot.  I had no idea that they had the worst rogues gallery in comics.  For example, the main villain in this issue is Ecstacy, an evil, female version of Cloak in bondage gear.  Here she is, pictured with the other two lame villains from this issue, the Crimson Daffodil and the Disciplinarian. (See!?!  Didn't I say they had horrible villains)

Here's a tasteful ass shot for you as well.

I really need to try and work "The demon of darkness has risen from the dead--and in a more alluring form" into casual conversation more often.  

Anyway, Cloak and Dagger manage to save the day and they head back to their church basement headquarters for a round of Extreme Battleship.  Suddenly, a cry breaks out and, well... 

I'll be honest.  I haven't read the next issue.  I don't know what's going to happen next.  But this page needs some serious breaking down.  From what I can tell, the jumping, clown dude is The Jester, Hydro-Man is holding on to a passed out Dagger, and the Von Strucker twins are in the back in front of a guy who I think is just called Rock.  Oh, and the Hulk is there for some reason.  

Please allow me to be a continuity stickler for just a moment.  The cover implies that this issue will provide a "prelude" to Acts of Vengeance.  The cover is dated Mid-November, before any of the official crossover issues have come out.  Yet, this all seems to be part of some larger plot, which we haven't seen created yet.  In fact, since the first "official" issue of the crossover involves a breakout from The Vault, Marvel's superjail for supervillians, this is probably supposed to take place after that point.  Which makes this a pretty crappy prelude.  

In Cloak and Dagger's defense, I do really want to find out what happens next after the pure insanity that is this panel.