Tradd Moore has a style all of his own and is recognisable wherever he puts pencil to paper. Instantly you know what to expect from his artwork with themes of action and violence. However this page takes a different tact and is impressive because not only does it convey the secretive nature of S.H.I.E.L.D. with its personnel and shading, but it inadvertently showcases the elephant in the room. This is far from subtly done but it is quite clever in how it averts your gaze. The initial perspective is toward the central and largest character, Fury who is looking stern and straightforward in his uniform, as any good solider would. Then behind him we gaze in a downward slant to reveal an increasing level of inquisitiveness and then to the focus of their attention. I adore the gradualness of the page as Clint is turning his eyes to the corner whereas as Jessica and Natasha are just turning their heads. Suddenly we see Agent Coulson trying to covering the spherical beast that is Modok. If you have been reading the previous arc then you will know of his introduction to S.H.E.I.L.D. and the dangers it brings. Agent Coulson is just hilarious as he grabs Modok whilst trying to maintain some semblance of order. He is almost hiding him behind himself which is clearly an impossible task. Modok is brilliantly defiant as he tries to raise his fist in petulance. The page represents a line up shot of the team with a clear defector and a man trying to keep the balance. The sunset in the backdrop and the seriousness of Fury bring about the darkness associated with the Secret Avengers but the corner of the page brings some lightheartedness to the cover. Couple these themes with the unique slickness of Moore’s art and you have yourself a fantastic cover.
House Of Flying Scalpels 