Secret Avengers #33 marks the debut of the newest and most quintessentially Remender-esque Avengers squad of them all - the Avengers of the Undead. This spooky team includes the likes of Brother Voodoo's ghost, Cap-Wolf, Frankencastle, Vampire Wolverine, and a version of Hawkeye with an actual hawk's head. If I still have to explain why you need to buy this issue, you need to reevaluate your tastes as a comics fan.

I wasn't sure how smoothly the series would transition from the Abyss conflict back into the ongoing battle with Father and the Descendants. But while it's difficult not to get the sense that Marvel NOW! and the looming relaunch is forcing a more rapid pace than is ideal, Remender has always thrived when dealing with breakneck speed. The Avengers of the Undead are easily the highlight of the issue, but there's plenty more for fans to enjoy on top of that. Remender delivers a great internal monologue as he explores the false Eric O'Grady in his new role as Black Ant for the first time. There are also some tense, gripping scenes as Valkyrie and Venom shift from bedroom antics to battling for their lives.

In general, Remender does a better job of highlighting the entire team rather than just a select few members. There's enough material in this issue to form the basis of at least two separate arcs, but he's able to weave it all together in a cohesive and tightly plotted whole. Captain Britain fans who may have been miffed at the way Brian has been treated of late will find the character in a more competent and mature state now. About the only character whose roles disappoints is Max Fury. After failing to achieve his goals in the previous arc, Fury is little more than a loose end to be quietly dealt with in this issue. It's not the most noble end for a character who was once positioned as the central antagonist of the series in its early months.

Unfortunately, the art quality takes a fairly significant hit compared to recent issues. Andy Kuhn's style isn't dissimilar to Matteo Scalera's, but it lacks the same sense of raw energy and expressiveness. Scalera was able to deliver pages that were loose but far from lacking in detail. Kuhn's work is burdened by a lack of fine detail and overly heavy line-work. Though Remender's scripting remains top-notch, it seems the visual presentation in this series will remain more sporadic.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

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