VERY FINE/NEAR MINT Written By Matt Fraction
Pencils & Cover By Barry Kitson
With last issue’s near-disastrous attempted assault on California averted and citizens once again safe, it's back to business as usual for the Order and not a minute too soon. Two team members stranded in the desert are hunted by gamma beasts under the thrall of a mysterious government agency, and another has been de-powered and kidnapped by the vicious girl gang the Black Dahlias -- everybody's favorite California super-group that isn't the Eagles seems to be getting torn apart piece by piece. Because they are. But by who? Why? And to what end? The answers start coming hard and fast for the newest heroes in the Marvel Universe! By Matt Fraction (THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST, PUNISHER WAR JOUNAL, Casanova) and Barry Kitson (Legion of Super-Heroes, Empire).
BONUS REVIEW by DAL BUSH
Sometimes, when life gives you a cancellation, you have to learn to make a golden parachute out of it. In artist Barry Kitson’s case, he’s using the upcoming cancellation of The Order to justify a contribution of only breakdowns to this issue while he gets started on an Amazing Spider-Man arc. In writer Matt Fraction’s case, he’s going ahead and setting up all the plot points he’ll need for his new series in May, ‘The Invincible Iron Man’. Of course, such one-foot-out-the-door-ness doesn’t usually do wonders for the book you’re leaving, as witnessed by this mess of an issue. I guess the fact that Tony Stark’s appearance is literally ‘phoned in’ should have been a clue. Better luck on your next books, fellas.. I give it 5 GRAHAMS out of 10.
