AvX reaches its most intense chapter yet under the guidance of Jason Aaron. While the Avengers see their numbers dwindle and Iron Man tries to put together the pieces of an unsolvable puzzle, Hope Summers continues training in preparation for the final battle against Cyclops and The Phoenix. This is an issue full of fantastic moments for the characters: from Spider Man's pep talk to Hope, to Emma Frost's cry for help falling on deaf ears, to Storm and T'Challa's huge development, book 9 definitely is the one to read.

The best element of the story is without a doubt the unexpected role Spider Man plays in it. Despite being a relatively recent recruit to the Avengers, the sacrifice he makes to save his teammates and his attitude as a whole have instantly made him the soul of the mighty ensemble. Adam Kubert rises to the occassion by putting into images the splendid script. What a great issue!