Mockingbird #4

Mockingbird #4Mockingbird is one of the few (arguably the only) Marvel Comics character whose appearance in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has improved the character. Largely a second-stringer, Bobbi’s new popularity helped to get our gal her own solo series. Opening in Kazakhstan where the same pathogen dormant inside her wiped out an entire species of antelope, Mockingbird #4 takes us along on Bobbi’s search for answers into an A.I.M. rip-off’s secret underwater laboratory. And while she’s there, why not spend the time to save Hawkeye who somehow got himself captured by the science soldiers of T.I.M. (Total Idea Mechanics). Seriously, no Marvel hero should ever let him live this down.

This issue is a hell of a lot of fun. Although saddled with a more complex backstory than her TV counterpart, this version of Mockingbird should be approachable for both new and old readers alike. Writer Chelsea Cain’s dialogue is smart and crisp, and I love the art by Kate Niemczyk. Mockingbird isn’t normally a character I give a second thought about, but if the rest of the series is anywhere near as entertaining as this issue I may have to start paying attention. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]