Once I figured out I wasn’t supposed to understand Vengeance, the issue went down a lot smoother.

The comic starts off with weird happenings in the Marvel Universe. There’s a Red Skull flashback (in Nazi Germany), there’s a new teenage superhero finding some guy locked in a missile silo. Joe Casey’s able to embrace the Marvel Universe and its continuity and come up with an interesting side plot. Vengeance isn’t going to be big news or a crossover event, it’s just a limited series. I didn’t even realize Marvel still published this type of book.

Pretty soon Casey’s earning the mature audiences rating (Magneto breaks up a threesome). Even after Magneto’s long appearance, it’s unclear what’s going on. In the last few pages, things start coming together.

Then Casey reveals a bunch of other confusing threads.

The Nick Dragotta art gives it a traditional Marvel feel.

It’s a compelling read.