Over the holidays I managed to complete my run of every Acts of Vengeance cross over. At twenty years old the story is showing its age, but it does make for an entertaining read. The main problem with the cross-over (and with every comic book cross-over ever made) is the varying quality of product from title to title.
The Amazing Spider-man and Uncanny X-men issues are great, but the Avengers Spotlight and Alpha Flight issues are almost un-readable. The best issue by far is Captain America #367 in which Magneto faces off against the Red Skull to make him accountable for his war crimes. Fantastic. Also great is the Loki vs. Apocalypse street fight in X-Factor #50.
The worst issue is the Power Pack one, with Dr. Doom (who is apparently a psychiatrist) giving mental health advice about sons and fathers to Typhoid Mary.
AOV actually probably would have worked better as a mini-series (the main storyline is sort of hard to follow) that would have allowed for a consistent artist and writer. I mean, the final battle with Loki is actually in West Coast Avengers!? West Coast Avengers? My disdain cannot be accurately conveyed in this forum.
All in all it was a fun read though, and it does not break the bank by any means. So if you are up for the challenge try to find the issues yourself. It is definitely better than DC's Final Crisis. Worst cross-over ever.
