Vengeance #5 (of 6)

writer: Joe Casey
artist: Nick Dragotta

Despite its ranking in the 2011 QB50, I had only read one issue of this unique Marvel mini-series last year, though I instantly identified it as one of the more interesting things I've discovered in the House of Ideas. As I know understand it, Vengeance is a kind of culmination of Casey's work for the company (which case, I may need to track more of it down. Basically, this book is like a fresh take on the Marvel landscape, removing almost every recognizable element (except for the bad guys, and anyone who saw Captain America last summer will know all they need to about the Red Skull, who appears this issue) and allowing a true "next generation" to accept the reigns. In my wildest dreams, something like this would actually happen, or at least, Casey could write this book on an ongoing basis. Except the fanboy mainstream would absolutely never allow it. This is basically a Marvel version of the early Vertigo line.