Random Happenstance

I was thinking the earlier series never did this, but I guess What If? did on occasion go to multi-part stories, like "Timequake." But I think each chapter of that one was still pretty readable as a single-issue. How is today's book? From 2013, What If? AVX #3, written by Jimmy Palmiotti, pencils by Gerardo Sandoval, inks by Gerardo Sandoval and Jordi Tarragona.

This was part three of four, so it's already a fair piece down the road from how AvX played out before; as Wolverine has "accidentally murdered" Storm and the Phoenix Force now has Hope. With her new ultimate power, she can see the Avengers want to help, but would destroy her if she got out of hand, and she casts the Avengers present from the moon back to earth. Magneto offers to train Hope in the use of her power, but Emma warns the X-Men that Magneto intends to use Hope to wipe out humanity and rebuild with the mutants that back him. Logan appears to be having a bit of a soak during that telepathic conversation, but he may be trying to kill himself. He is interrupted by Iron Man 'rescuing' him, and passes along Professor X's message, reaching out to the Avengers to work together and stop Magneto. Without a lot of consultation, Cap and Iron Man signal the Black Panther for "plan B," nuking Hope!

That of course just pisses her off, but even with his ship thrashed by Magneto, Black Panther opts to go out fighting. Hope is intent on giving humanity a not-so-friendly warning, but first turns on Emma for warning them, shattering her. While the Avengers and X-Men prepare for a last stand, Wolverine approaches Professor X with "a choice." Magneto and Hope, now fully the Phoenix, begin their assault, first destroying earth's communication satellites, then multiple strikes of massive fireballs, taking out multiple monuments, including the Baxter Building! (The FF could have survived, but it's not looking good.)

This was okay, but not as...economic, story-telling wise? As old What If? issues. Like with a bit of narration from the Watcher, this could've been a single 40-page issue. Also, you may or may not be onboard with Magneto's betrayal: does he ever move forward as a character, or does that leopard not change his spots?

I picked this issue up at EntertainMart, but there was a stamp on the backing board from Astro Zombies in Albuquerque! It may have travelled a bit to end up with me.