I thought Civil War was a superb story, so I eagerly began reading the event tie-ins. In the commentary at the end of “Civil War”, Millar mentioned that Stark wasn't written as evil but he was coming off that way for some readers, perhaps because of the event tie-ins. After finishing Civil War: Avengers, I would tend to agree with that. Tony may not be “evil”, but he is undoubtedly betraying his friends. He knew this war was coming, and planned for it. Even developing “capekiller” armor for the SHIELD agents tasked with bringing in unregistered heroes.

CW: Avengers opens with the Illuminati one shot, wherein Tony tells the group about the proposed SHRA and that he thinks they should support it. The group is split over it, foreshadowing the split among all heroes. The collection then rotates among several of the Avengers. First up is Luke Cage. Tony Stark asks him if he will register when the law goes into effect at midnight. Cage is obviously opposed, saying that people being dragged from their homes during the night for being different hasn’t changed throughout history. Stark takes offense at the law being compared with more brutal historical events such as the Japanese internment of WWII, or slavery – which Cage points out, was “once a law.” Of all the heroes, Cage elicits the strongest sympathy for the rebels, even more so than Captain America. Cap is fighting for an ideal; Cage has lived the other side.

The collection then moves to Spider-Woman, whose loyalty has been questioned before. She’s arrested, but rescued by Hydra – who have a surprising offer for her. She spectacularly refuses. When she shows up at Cap’s underground hide-out, her request to join is heart-rending; she has nowhere else to go.

A large portion of the collection is told via Ms. Marvel, who has sided with Tony. The writers make it clear that she is not happy with the situation, but feels duty-bound to follow through. This section shows the injustice of the law from another perspective. Tony sends Ms. Marvel to bring in a rogue hero called Arana, who turns out to be only 16 years old. Though her father objects, she is still required to register and work for the government! Further, Ms. Marvel takes her on the next mission to bring in Arachne who is trying to escape the country with her 9 year old daughter. She’s arrested and her daughter taken from her. The law is more than a battle of wills between Tony and Cap.

At two points in the collection, Tony and Cap meet privately to try and come to terms. These encounters were enlightening because they shed light on Tony’s motivation – primarily guilt. He was once compromised and forced to harm innocent people, including a plane full of people. The Secretary of Defense covered it up, but now Tony feels that the Stamford tragedy could just as easily been caused by him. The SHRA is the only way. Cap bluntly tells Tony that he has always thought he knew best by virtue of his genius. But who is Tony to make this decision for everyone else?

Another important thread throughout this collection is the actions of the top tier villains. With the heroes fighting each other, they are taking advantage of the situation with deadly consequences. While the government and public are so concerned about registration, they have forgotten the reason these heroes exist. Toward the end of the book, readers are given Tony’s “Confession,” which finally paints him in a sympathetic light. But of course, it’s far too late.

Overall, this was an amazing supplement to the main event. I look forward to reading Civil War: Fantastic Four. Highly recommended! ( )