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Avengers (2012) (Collected Editions)
Avengers: Time Runs Out, Vol. 4
The final act of Jonathan Hickman's legendary run! The two-year saga finally comes to a close with the day of the Final Incursion! The guilt-ridden Illuminati destroyed a world while trying to save their own. Namor and his new Cabal have destroyed countless others. Earths barely imagined are now gone. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the shattered Avengers are desperately scrambling to save everything - but we already know that everything dies. Will the sacrifi ces finally pay off ? Will the Avengers, Illuminati and Cabal band together to save what they can - or will they destroy one another? After all the battles, all the loss, the inevitable is here: time will run out. The Secret Wars will begin. Is Earth ready? COLLECTING: AVENGERS 43-44, NEW AVENGERS 31-33
152 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 2015
29 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Hickman
1,228 books2,052 followersJonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
May 7, 2018
If Secret Wars sucks, I'm gonna be pissed.
I mean, I read alllllll of these volumes to get to this FINAL story, and for what?! It's not goddamn over, and I'm not sure it's ever going to be over, at this point.
I'm tired.
I'm tired of this story, I'm tired of the way all the characters are acting like douchebags, and I just want it to fucking end.
Is that so wrong?
I mean, Wolverine is dead, Thor isn't worthy enough to lift his hammer (or is he?), Tony Stark is evil (I think? I can't fucking tell anymore, and I don't care enough to go back and check it out), Cyclops is militantly pro-mutant, Black Panther killed another Avenger, Reed Richards & Beast are both responsible for doing some pretty questionably bad stuff, Doctor Strange is selling off chunks of his soul to the devil (or something), and, worst of all, Storm has a MOHAWK again!
So.
If Secret Wars doesn't re-boot the shit out of the Marvel line-up, I'm not going to be happy.
Ok, maybe I'm being a bit harsh because there were some shining moments in this 'final' volume. Really.
And as long as they fix all the shit they've broken, I'll happily eat my words.
Possibly, my vitriol comes from the bitter taste those last few pages left in my mouth. And it was a very bitter taste, my friend.
Some of you may have noticed that I left out one important character in my above ranty-rant. No, I did not forget what Marvel has done to Steve Rogers. In fact, Captain America is probably the reason that I'm spitting and foaming at the mouth right now.
*rubs face, takes deep breath*
I HATE JURASSIC CAP!
This? This is the absolute worst hunk of bullshit ever. One of my favorite superheroes is now relegated to being a crotchety old fart. He's unreasonable, overbearing, dogmatic, and just plain annoying! I never thought I'd say this, but I was truly hoping Iron Man would punch him in the face, and knock those dentures right out of his mouth.
Every time he came up in a panel, I wanted to claw my eyes out.
Fuck you, old man! Sit down and shut up!
I mean, it's the (literal) end of the world, and that grizzled old bastard keeps harping on horseshit stuff. What are you going to do, you ancient idiot?! Put Stark and Richards in fucking jail?!
Ugh. Kill him already!
Anyway.
If someone would be kind enough to point me toward whatever fresh hell I need to read next, I'd certainly appreciate it.
I mean, I read alllllll of these volumes to get to this FINAL story, and for what?! It's not goddamn over, and I'm not sure it's ever going to be over, at this point.
I'm tired.
I'm tired of this story, I'm tired of the way all the characters are acting like douchebags, and I just want it to fucking end.
Is that so wrong?
I mean, Wolverine is dead, Thor isn't worthy enough to lift his hammer (or is he?), Tony Stark is evil (I think? I can't fucking tell anymore, and I don't care enough to go back and check it out), Cyclops is militantly pro-mutant, Black Panther killed another Avenger, Reed Richards & Beast are both responsible for doing some pretty questionably bad stuff, Doctor Strange is selling off chunks of his soul to the devil (or something), and, worst of all, Storm has a MOHAWK again!
So.
If Secret Wars doesn't re-boot the shit out of the Marvel line-up, I'm not going to be happy.
Ok, maybe I'm being a bit harsh because there were some shining moments in this 'final' volume. Really.
And as long as they fix all the shit they've broken, I'll happily eat my words.
Possibly, my vitriol comes from the bitter taste those last few pages left in my mouth. And it was a very bitter taste, my friend.
Some of you may have noticed that I left out one important character in my above ranty-rant. No, I did not forget what Marvel has done to Steve Rogers. In fact, Captain America is probably the reason that I'm spitting and foaming at the mouth right now.
*rubs face, takes deep breath*
I HATE JURASSIC CAP!
This? This is the absolute worst hunk of bullshit ever. One of my favorite superheroes is now relegated to being a crotchety old fart. He's unreasonable, overbearing, dogmatic, and just plain annoying! I never thought I'd say this, but I was truly hoping Iron Man would punch him in the face, and knock those dentures right out of his mouth.
Every time he came up in a panel, I wanted to claw my eyes out.
Fuck you, old man! Sit down and shut up!
I mean, it's the (literal) end of the world, and that grizzled old bastard keeps harping on horseshit stuff. What are you going to do, you ancient idiot?! Put Stark and Richards in fucking jail?!
Ugh. Kill him already!
Anyway.
If someone would be kind enough to point me toward whatever fresh hell I need to read next, I'd certainly appreciate it.
March 3, 2016
This is it!?!
Two years of building up the multiverse colliding storyline, with worlds getting destroyed, heroes dying, lots and lots of punches thrown, a cookout, and this final volume is the figurative money shot?
Granted I never tire of Captain America (Viagra-candidate version) and Iron Man (Superior Ass Guy, I Guess) beating the crap out of each other (here, as the universe collision sh*t gets real), but this volume will just leave a dull ache in your nether region. Hickman throws every last plotline against the wall hoping something will stick. And for what?
It’s a set up for Marvel’s Secret Wars.
Whoopee, I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster.
No. It’s not.
Warning!! Spoilerish gifs and stuff coming up fast on your left.
So, who gets the last laugh, because he’s the man with the confusing plan, that's a sex machine to all the chicks. He’s the cat that won’t cop out, when there’s danger all about. I’m talking about Dr. Doom! Right on!!
Who ordered the pink smoke?
Dr. Doom, Marvel’s favorite meglomaniacal jerk-face villain, is finally the guy standing at the top of the heap and this, of course, for better or worse, sets up the Secret Wars crossover event.
Dr. Victor Von Doom. Call him Vic at your peril.
Dr. Doom. Shut your mouth!
Bottom Line: This journey takes you through peaks (a few) and valleys (more than there should be), but it’s mostly plateaus – long, mind-numbing plateaus.
Two years!!!
If he was still charging a nickel, it’d be worth every penny…
Two years of building up the multiverse colliding storyline, with worlds getting destroyed, heroes dying, lots and lots of punches thrown, a cookout, and this final volume is the figurative money shot?
Granted I never tire of Captain America (Viagra-candidate version) and Iron Man (Superior Ass Guy, I Guess) beating the crap out of each other (here, as the universe collision sh*t gets real), but this volume will just leave a dull ache in your nether region. Hickman throws every last plotline against the wall hoping something will stick. And for what?
It’s a set up for Marvel’s Secret Wars.
Whoopee, I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster.
No. It’s not.
Warning!! Spoilerish gifs and stuff coming up fast on your left.
So, who gets the last laugh, because he’s the man with the confusing plan, that's a sex machine to all the chicks. He’s the cat that won’t cop out, when there’s danger all about. I’m talking about Dr. Doom! Right on!!
Who ordered the pink smoke?
Dr. Doom, Marvel’s favorite meglomaniacal jerk-face villain, is finally the guy standing at the top of the heap and this, of course, for better or worse, sets up the Secret Wars crossover event.
Dr. Victor Von Doom. Call him Vic at your peril.
Dr. Doom. Shut your mouth!
Bottom Line: This journey takes you through peaks (a few) and valleys (more than there should be), but it’s mostly plateaus – long, mind-numbing plateaus.
Two years!!!
If he was still charging a nickel, it’d be worth every penny…
May 21, 2019
Alriiiight, Time Runs Out has finally run out of books! Well, I don’t think it was worth it unfortunately – Jonathan Hickman just isn’t my kind of writer and the series has been a mess throughout. One of the best Avengers titles ever written? Pfft – one of the stinkiest!
So what’s going on in the fourth and final volume? The same old rubbish that’s been chuntering along in the background this whole time: pointless battles between dullards while Doom and Molecule Man gear up for Secret Wars.
Why was Doom calling himself Rabum Alal – what was gained from the deception? Because that’s the kind of silly thing bad guys do? Why are the Shi’Ar intent on blowing up Earth when the entire universe is about to implode?? Because the Avengers need something to punch. Which is the same reason why Thor and Hyperion are fighting the Beyonders. Sigh… None of it’s interesting regardless of how dumb it all seems anyway.
Molecule Man’s explanation of what he is and his place in this disasterpiece was one of the few spots where I wasn’t yawning though Hickman’s such an unimaginative writer that he can only express important plot points through artless info dumps.
Oh but that stoopid ending – Tony and Cap having a punch up! Hickman’s written both iconic characters awfully and choosing to end a storyline where entire universes are being obliterated by focusing on two morons feudin’ just underscored how crummy and useless this lead-in to Secret Wars was.
Anticlimactic and uninteresting, Time Runs Out, hell, the whole of Hickman’s Avengers series, is overrated, badly written, poorly plotted, and barely coherent trash.
So what’s going on in the fourth and final volume? The same old rubbish that’s been chuntering along in the background this whole time: pointless battles between dullards while Doom and Molecule Man gear up for Secret Wars.
Why was Doom calling himself Rabum Alal – what was gained from the deception? Because that’s the kind of silly thing bad guys do? Why are the Shi’Ar intent on blowing up Earth when the entire universe is about to implode?? Because the Avengers need something to punch. Which is the same reason why Thor and Hyperion are fighting the Beyonders. Sigh… None of it’s interesting regardless of how dumb it all seems anyway.
Molecule Man’s explanation of what he is and his place in this disasterpiece was one of the few spots where I wasn’t yawning though Hickman’s such an unimaginative writer that he can only express important plot points through artless info dumps.
Oh but that stoopid ending – Tony and Cap having a punch up! Hickman’s written both iconic characters awfully and choosing to end a storyline where entire universes are being obliterated by focusing on two morons feudin’ just underscored how crummy and useless this lead-in to Secret Wars was.
Anticlimactic and uninteresting, Time Runs Out, hell, the whole of Hickman’s Avengers series, is overrated, badly written, poorly plotted, and barely coherent trash.
September 18, 2017
I thought I'd do a larger review of Hickman's whole run of Avengers here at the end, but since this isn't really the end at all I'm gonna hold off on that until I read Secret Wars which will hopefully be the true finale of this story.
Things regressed a bit from the high of Vol. 3 with this feeling more scattered. There's about two to many major plots, and I really would have been happy with one planet ending threat at a time going on. That's part of what Hickman's going for here with battles spanning multiverses to try and save all of existence going on, but there's just too much going on here. Some stories work better than others, and sadly probably the least interesting one is Iron Man vs. Captain America.
The rift between the two was interesting in Civil War because you could relate to both sides and it seemed like an unavoidable conflict. Cap's earnest sincerity to put principle above all vs. Tony's absolute confidence in his ability to predict the future justifying his whole you-can't-make-an-omelette-without-breaking-a-few-eggs attitude was a real dilemma that left both of them sympathetic even as they were fighting.
But angry old Cap caring less about the end of everything and more about his determination to punish the Illuminati for going against his personal ideals seems stupidly pointless while Tony being right but also being more of a dick than usual is exasperating. The difference between here and Civil War is that they the conflict made both of them feel awful about fighting a friend. Here, they're just two jerks who hate each other so much it blinds them to what's really important, and if you're rooting for them to kill each other there's not much left to care about in that subplot.
Things regressed a bit from the high of Vol. 3 with this feeling more scattered. There's about two to many major plots, and I really would have been happy with one planet ending threat at a time going on. That's part of what Hickman's going for here with battles spanning multiverses to try and save all of existence going on, but there's just too much going on here. Some stories work better than others, and sadly probably the least interesting one is Iron Man vs. Captain America.
The rift between the two was interesting in Civil War because you could relate to both sides and it seemed like an unavoidable conflict. Cap's earnest sincerity to put principle above all vs. Tony's absolute confidence in his ability to predict the future justifying his whole you-can't-make-an-omelette-without-breaking-a-few-eggs attitude was a real dilemma that left both of them sympathetic even as they were fighting.
But angry old Cap caring less about the end of everything and more about his determination to punish the Illuminati for going against his personal ideals seems stupidly pointless while Tony being right but also being more of a dick than usual is exasperating. The difference between here and Civil War is that they the conflict made both of them feel awful about fighting a friend. Here, they're just two jerks who hate each other so much it blinds them to what's really important, and if you're rooting for them to kill each other there's not much left to care about in that subplot.
April 20, 2019
It's finally done! Well, except for the Secret Wars nonsense. I think it's pretty telling when there's a story recap as the first page of each issue. There's some neat revelations in this book, but I still don't feel like this story completely gels overall. Hopefully they'll collect the whole thing into one ginormous omnibus when it's all over. Right now, I feel like I need to go read wikipedia to even begin to remember everything that's happened since Hickman basically took over the Marvel Universe.
November 25, 2015
Some people spend their entire lives chasing butterflies. They don't even taste good.
- An Owen Reece
Marvel Comics and their chosen prophet Jonathan Hickman have reached into my chest and torn out my living heart. Now they are laughing as they know I am helpless but to watch it continue to beat. The blood it still pumps drips from their hand in such beautiful coruscating patterns that I cannot help but laugh as I weep.
You insane, wonderful bastards... I'll fucking get you back for this, you know...
- An Owen Reece
Marvel Comics and their chosen prophet Jonathan Hickman have reached into my chest and torn out my living heart. Now they are laughing as they know I am helpless but to watch it continue to beat. The blood it still pumps drips from their hand in such beautiful coruscating patterns that I cannot help but laugh as I weep.
You insane, wonderful bastards... I'll fucking get you back for this, you know...
July 26, 2016
The thing is I love Hickman, but to begin with I wasn't so sure on this run.
This series is so convoluted, Avengers, New Avengers, Avengers: Time runs out, other Avenger titles, Original Sin, secret wars, it's a bit of a piss take. Why not just say - Avengers. Done.
What I do like is the science part. I know most of it is made up, but it seems Hickman has a grasp of basic theoretical science and i love how he incorporates this into the Avengers and even his Manhattan Projects series.
Anyway, by the end of it Hickman absolutely nails it. This is the best Avengers run there is, but there aren't very many good ones to compare it to, but it's still great. He manages to focus different storylines on different avengers throughout the title and incoporates a lot of his Fantastic 4 run which is great.
All in all a fantastic run, where it all makes sense in the end.
Now I must read secret wars!
This series is so convoluted, Avengers, New Avengers, Avengers: Time runs out, other Avenger titles, Original Sin, secret wars, it's a bit of a piss take. Why not just say - Avengers. Done.
What I do like is the science part. I know most of it is made up, but it seems Hickman has a grasp of basic theoretical science and i love how he incorporates this into the Avengers and even his Manhattan Projects series.
Anyway, by the end of it Hickman absolutely nails it. This is the best Avengers run there is, but there aren't very many good ones to compare it to, but it's still great. He manages to focus different storylines on different avengers throughout the title and incoporates a lot of his Fantastic 4 run which is great.
All in all a fantastic run, where it all makes sense in the end.
Now I must read secret wars!
October 21, 2015
This is the end, except not really. Because this leads directly to Secret Wars, don't expect an actual close at the end of this volume. You won't get one, and you aren't meant to. What you will get, or at least what I got, is that this is all finally coming to the point it was meant to. What I also got is the nearly overwhelming sense, especially towards the last few issues, that I was so far behind, hopelessly so, and would likely miss more of the story than I even knew. This wasn't even frustrating to me, oddly enough. Instead, it made me more determined than ever to go back and read Hickman's entire Avengers run all at once. In a year or two, so I can be sure that it will all actually be published and available.
I have to admit, though, to be being slightly disappointed with the last two issues. The Shi'ar invasion felt unnecessary and anticlimactic. And didn't we just see that in Infinity? I was also less than enthused that the entire thing all came down to Tony and Steve fighting because... They just were, ok? I'm not sure why it had to be the absolute last thing either man did in the existence of the entire universe, but apparently it was. Not where I would have liked to spend the last issue. But there's some really good and interesting stuff in here, and that does outweigh the mediocre.
I have to admit, though, to be being slightly disappointed with the last two issues. The Shi'ar invasion felt unnecessary and anticlimactic. And didn't we just see that in Infinity? I was also less than enthused that the entire thing all came down to Tony and Steve fighting because... They just were, ok? I'm not sure why it had to be the absolute last thing either man did in the existence of the entire universe, but apparently it was. Not where I would have liked to spend the last issue. But there's some really good and interesting stuff in here, and that does outweigh the mediocre.
December 19, 2015
A great ending "Dark Knight returns"-style to Hickman's long Avengers run.
It was literally a blast!!!
Everything dies... We all know after Secret Wars things are coming back the same, but this ending pre-reboot was really awesome. Excelsior!!!
It was literally a blast!!!
Everything dies... We all know after Secret Wars things are coming back the same, but this ending pre-reboot was really awesome. Excelsior!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2015
A rather anti-climactic ending to the "world as we knew it." Hickman obviously has grand ideas, great ones, that are cinematic in scope. But, just as in so many of the preceding volumes, I'm left underwhelmed. Our heroes are still horrible people, the world is ending, the big bad who is revealed to be Rabum Alal is really not that ingenious (and rather obvious), and quite frankly I just don't give much of a damn here.
Next up is Secret Wars and the beginning of the new Marvel Universe. In so many ways, this has been an updated, Marvelized Crisis on Infinite Earths, and that was never all that successful, in my opinion, either, in meshing worlds together. I don't see how things will improve here, but I guess we will all just have to wait and see.
The worst part of the book was the final fight between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. It was just sad to watch, honestly. Sad and pathetic and a real kick in the guts of Lee/Kirby.
Oh, well.
Three stars because of nice art, and a really interesting subplot with the alien races trying to destroy the Earth.
Next up is Secret Wars and the beginning of the new Marvel Universe. In so many ways, this has been an updated, Marvelized Crisis on Infinite Earths, and that was never all that successful, in my opinion, either, in meshing worlds together. I don't see how things will improve here, but I guess we will all just have to wait and see.
The worst part of the book was the final fight between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. It was just sad to watch, honestly. Sad and pathetic and a real kick in the guts of Lee/Kirby.
Oh, well.
Three stars because of nice art, and a really interesting subplot with the alien races trying to destroy the Earth.
June 11, 2021
THIS IS THE END!
Wow its been an epic adventure reading this far and its amazing how Hickman does so many things in this volume. We find out who Rabum Alal is and his connection to whats going on and the whole backstory is most fascinating and finally we get the answer thas been vexing all along: what will the heroes do now? The Intergalactic forces attack but the way they take them out it all comes together just to show how brilliant Tony is and has one of the best moments between Hyperion and Thor when they go out, that moment will give you chills and finally the clash of 616 and 1610 and the fight between Iron Man and Captain America. Its so poetic.
This just connects everything together and gives everyone their last few moments and showcases all that happened leading up to this and when all reality is destroyed and all that is left is Secret wars. The scenes and the bylines throughout the volumes gives you chill. Hickman is a master at writing this. Probably one of the best Avengers runs ever.
Wow its been an epic adventure reading this far and its amazing how Hickman does so many things in this volume. We find out who Rabum Alal is and his connection to whats going on and the whole backstory is most fascinating and finally we get the answer thas been vexing all along: what will the heroes do now? The Intergalactic forces attack but the way they take them out it all comes together just to show how brilliant Tony is and has one of the best moments between Hyperion and Thor when they go out, that moment will give you chills and finally the clash of 616 and 1610 and the fight between Iron Man and Captain America. Its so poetic.
This just connects everything together and gives everyone their last few moments and showcases all that happened leading up to this and when all reality is destroyed and all that is left is Secret wars. The scenes and the bylines throughout the volumes gives you chill. Hickman is a master at writing this. Probably one of the best Avengers runs ever.
February 9, 2019
Man I'm glad that ended. It started off really well as a series but then just became a little too long winded for me. Going to cap it off with Secret Wars..here goes.
March 24, 2016
The truly epic and Amazing Time Runs Out story ends. The multiverses are collapsing and now there are only two left. Many of the major players from the Cabal to the Illuminati are out of the game. It seems the Beyonders are coming to destroy everything in their "Great Experiment". Dr. Doom (the story jumps around in time) has become the Destroyer and the god the cult of the Black Swans worship. The Ivory Kings are the Beyonders. The Black Priests, led by Dr. Strange, are the multiverses answer. These various sides (along with the Shiaar Empire, Avengers and pretty much the kitchen sink) all vying for the right to exist make up this enormous and truly multiversal tale. I am amazed Hickman pulled this off. Now, it ends on a strange not but thats because I assume the true outcome will be shown during the Secret Wars. I look forward to finding the resolution to all of this. A wonderfully illustrated and enormous story. I am glad I took the time to read all four volumes of this magnum opus. A must read for anyone who loves a grand tale.
May 22, 2016
Not really the end. Secret Wars better be good.
March 27, 2017
Time Runs Out, Vol. 4 wasn't quite the huge, slam-bang, grandiose finish I had expected. And yeah, I knew going in this was all build-up for Hickman's BIG FINALE in Secret Wars. But still...such is the curse of massive cross-over events, I suppose.
Most of the pressing issues from the totality of his Avengers run get addressed in this final volume - the identity of Rabum Alal is revealed, along with the grand machinations behind the incursion events, and Tony Stark finally makes for a serious presence on the battle-field after his very brief appearance in volume two.
This particular volume is pretty much all action. Earth is under attack by alien forces (honestly, though, when is it not?), and another incursion event is right around the corner -- this time from the main Marvel Universe's sister line-up of titles from the Ultimate Universe brand of books. The number of alternate realities have been dwindling through Hickman's run as one Earth after another gets snuffed out, until only these two Earths remain.
The relationship between Iron Man and Captain America take center stage here, and it's some pretty good stuff overall. As I said in a previous review, the hero versus hero stuff is a natural outgrowth from the plot and character dynamics. The story itself is rife with conflict, and the splintering of various Avengers factions and Marvel heroes has recreated a sort of Civil War scenario, only much, much richer thanks to Hickman's love of huge, deeply layered storytelling. You really get a sense of how much these characters are hurting as friendships are torn asunder, and the knowledge that their earlier decisions have serious consequences, decisions that have made some of them villains in the eyes of their former comrades. It's pretty powerful stuff, and Hickman handles the nature of sacrifice quite effectively.
Although this book marks the end-run of Hickman's work on Avengers (and New Avengers) proper, there's still plenty more story to be told and lots of dangling plot threads in dire need of resolution, particularly since war is now imminent. Given the last page of the book, though, I have to wonder just how secret they really expect this war to be. The final splash art suggest things are not going to be very secret at all...
Most of the pressing issues from the totality of his Avengers run get addressed in this final volume - the identity of Rabum Alal is revealed, along with the grand machinations behind the incursion events, and Tony Stark finally makes for a serious presence on the battle-field after his very brief appearance in volume two.
This particular volume is pretty much all action. Earth is under attack by alien forces (honestly, though, when is it not?), and another incursion event is right around the corner -- this time from the main Marvel Universe's sister line-up of titles from the Ultimate Universe brand of books. The number of alternate realities have been dwindling through Hickman's run as one Earth after another gets snuffed out, until only these two Earths remain.
The relationship between Iron Man and Captain America take center stage here, and it's some pretty good stuff overall. As I said in a previous review, the hero versus hero stuff is a natural outgrowth from the plot and character dynamics. The story itself is rife with conflict, and the splintering of various Avengers factions and Marvel heroes has recreated a sort of Civil War scenario, only much, much richer thanks to Hickman's love of huge, deeply layered storytelling. You really get a sense of how much these characters are hurting as friendships are torn asunder, and the knowledge that their earlier decisions have serious consequences, decisions that have made some of them villains in the eyes of their former comrades. It's pretty powerful stuff, and Hickman handles the nature of sacrifice quite effectively.
Although this book marks the end-run of Hickman's work on Avengers (and New Avengers) proper, there's still plenty more story to be told and lots of dangling plot threads in dire need of resolution, particularly since war is now imminent. Given the last page of the book, though, I have to wonder just how secret they really expect this war to be. The final splash art suggest things are not going to be very secret at all...
July 5, 2016
What a fucking ride. As always, trust in...Hickman? He wraps up a maddening story with some truly INSANE revelations here - ones that will take me too many brain cells to really process, but which makes me feel small and religious under his tutelage.
Some kick-ass Doctor Strange action - he really amps up his desperate leadership over magic and the Black Priests to secure Earth-616's existence against Rabum Alal.
And what a mind-fuck reveal that is,
Fan-fucking-tastic. Time for a big-ass battle to be called by trumpets.
And in battling Beyonders, some grave consequences are felt, not least of which Odinson loses his metal arm:
[Yeah, aren't you the guys orchestrating all the arm-ripping in the New 52 DC universe? What are you doing over here in New York?]
And then as the Kree alliance comes to kill the Earth to save the 616, they...pull out a cliche from every modern doomsday movie?
[Is there a particular reason everyone hates the Golden Gate Bridge so much? Is it secretly some desire every writer/director has to cut off SF from the rest of the world?]
And of course, they lean on cliche #2 from every dumbass villain ever:
[When will the villain just kill rather than monologue their master plan first?]
[And here's a prototypical Canadian question: why do all world-killing villains visit the White House to negotiate or communicate their intent? Why wouldn't aliens choose the most populous city as the most likely seat of power for the world? I'd love to see Shanghai show up in these one of these apocalyptic plots.]
Total spoiler here: caused the number of universes to shrink from thousands to less than two dozen? I actually let that factoid go thinking it was just some random thing to up the dramatic tension. What a rube I am, ever doubting Hickman's marionette antics.
However, the resolution of the relationship between Steve and Tony is...disappointing. They do *not* have to be at war; they do not have to be upset; Steve does not have to carry a grudge. I don't get that dynamic at all. Maybe I missed some subtle detail that Hickman laced throughout these books, but I missed why Steve has SUCH a hate on for Tony. Sure he had Steve mind-wiped, but then Steve decked Tony back and it could've easily been even. Instead we have to go into Secret Wars with the long-ago mad still somehow being carried in, and Steve and Tony being this broken by it.
Some kick-ass Doctor Strange action - he really amps up his desperate leadership over magic and the Black Priests to secure Earth-616's existence against Rabum Alal.
And what a mind-fuck reveal that is,
Fan-fucking-tastic. Time for a big-ass battle to be called by trumpets.
And in battling Beyonders, some grave consequences are felt, not least of which Odinson loses his metal arm:
[Yeah, aren't you the guys orchestrating all the arm-ripping in the New 52 DC universe? What are you doing over here in New York?]
And then as the Kree alliance comes to kill the Earth to save the 616, they...pull out a cliche from every modern doomsday movie?
[Is there a particular reason everyone hates the Golden Gate Bridge so much? Is it secretly some desire every writer/director has to cut off SF from the rest of the world?]
And of course, they lean on cliche #2 from every dumbass villain ever:
[When will the villain just kill rather than monologue their master plan first?]
[And here's a prototypical Canadian question: why do all world-killing villains visit the White House to negotiate or communicate their intent? Why wouldn't aliens choose the most populous city as the most likely seat of power for the world? I'd love to see Shanghai show up in these one of these apocalyptic plots.]
Total spoiler here: caused the number of universes to shrink from thousands to less than two dozen? I actually let that factoid go thinking it was just some random thing to up the dramatic tension. What a rube I am, ever doubting Hickman's marionette antics.
However, the resolution of the relationship between Steve and Tony is...disappointing. They do *not* have to be at war; they do not have to be upset; Steve does not have to carry a grudge. I don't get that dynamic at all. Maybe I missed some subtle detail that Hickman laced throughout these books, but I missed why Steve has SUCH a hate on for Tony. Sure he had Steve mind-wiped, but then Steve decked Tony back and it could've easily been even. Instead we have to go into Secret Wars with the long-ago mad still somehow being carried in, and Steve and Tony being this broken by it.
July 8, 2015
And that's the ending? Urgh. What a drudge of an ordeal! Too many issues. Too few twists and turns! I had such high hopes for Hickman's run and kept the faith running far past my good sense, when it told me to drop reading this series a couple of volumes ago... should have listened. Feel burned. Years from now this will be viewed as an Avengers low point. And a monumental waste of time. And my money. And time. And ugly chapter in Avengers history, best forgotten as soon as possible. Better yet, don't bother picking it up in the first place.
July 11, 2015
This is the end of Hickman amazing run on Avengers.
I am of two minds about this book.
This is not really an end as it leads straight into Secret Wars.
On a positive side there are still a lot of surprises coming up in this book which is credit to Hickman's genius.
On a negative side this book is a little more uneven than the previous ones but it still is the best Avengers run ever in my view even if I would have wished the ending was a little better.
I have all the Hardcovers for the whole run but if Marvel releases one day the whole serie in 2 Omnibus I think I would double dip...
I am of two minds about this book.
This is not really an end as it leads straight into Secret Wars.
On a positive side there are still a lot of surprises coming up in this book which is credit to Hickman's genius.
On a negative side this book is a little more uneven than the previous ones but it still is the best Avengers run ever in my view even if I would have wished the ending was a little better.
I have all the Hardcovers for the whole run but if Marvel releases one day the whole serie in 2 Omnibus I think I would double dip...
June 16, 2015
Yes, I'm one of those people who enjoyed Hickman's Avengers. This volume probably wasn't all 5-star material, but man, the ending in two last issues, I swear it made me shiver a little bit. Looking forward to Secret Wars, it is going to be epic.
July 3, 2015
Can't really call this a conclusion to the series, since it really just leads into Secret Wars, but what a finale. Nothing can possibly go back to being the same after this.
December 23, 2022
خب این اولین ایونتی بود که از مارول خوندم و دوستش داشتم در کل تجربه جالب لذت بخشی بود ولی خوب یه سری مشکلاتی هم داشت که واقعا اذیت کننده بود. اولین مشکلی با این سری من داشتم ترتیب خوانشش بود. واقعا نمیدونم ایده کدوم نابغه ای بود که انقدر درهم و برهم داستان پیش بره و هی از این سری به سری دیگه بپره. دومین مشکلمم میشه گفت ارت و دیزاین شخصیت ها بود. من واقعا درک نمیکنم چرا برای مثال استیو تا قبل از تایم رانز اوت جوان کشیده میشده بعد الان تو این سری شده یه پیرمرد یا اینکه چرا انقدر ارتاش تغییر میکرد. درسته که نمیشه توقع داشت یه نفر کلا همه این کمیک ها بکشه ولی حداقل میشه که مدل ارت هاشون عوض نشه و والیوم سوم نیو اونجرز ارتش واقعا بد بود.در کل به جز این دوتا مشکل، مشکل دیگه ای نداشتم. توی این ایونت از همه شخصیت های خفنی که توی مارول موجود بود استفاده شده بود ولی خوب خود داستان نوسان نسبتا زیاد داشت و بعضی جاها خیلی خفن میشد بعضی جاها هم متوسط بود داستان بعضی جاها هم غیر منطقی و رو اعصاببود.در کل تجربه جالبی بود
اسپویل جدی❌❌
پ.ن:استیو تو تایم رانز اوت خیلی احمق شده بود واقعا فکرش بکنید دنیا داره به اخر میرسه بعد این رفته با تونی تو سر کله هم بزنند.😐🤦♀️
اسپویل جدی❌❌
پ.ن:استیو تو تایم رانز اوت خیلی احمق شده بود واقعا فکرش بکنید دنیا داره به اخر میرسه بعد این رفته با تونی تو سر کله هم بزنند.😐🤦♀️
March 31, 2019
Puntaje: 4.5
Ahora que me he propuesto adelantarme con los comics, por fin he terminado Time Runs Out, un arco que llevaba leyendo por un par de años!
Admito que me confundi mucho, en especial porque no me acordaba de todo lo que habia pasado previamente pero siento que Marvel hizo un buen trabajo en general.
La escena final de Thor y Hyperion me dejo sin palabras.
Quiero leer Secret Wars pero siento que me pegare la perdida del siglo, por ahora adelantare antiguas sagas y series en vez de continuar con la cronologia.
Ahora que me he propuesto adelantarme con los comics, por fin he terminado Time Runs Out, un arco que llevaba leyendo por un par de años!
Admito que me confundi mucho, en especial porque no me acordaba de todo lo que habia pasado previamente pero siento que Marvel hizo un buen trabajo en general.
La escena final de Thor y Hyperion me dejo sin palabras.
Quiero leer Secret Wars pero siento que me pegare la perdida del siglo, por ahora adelantare antiguas sagas y series en vez de continuar con la cronologia.
March 9, 2025
The grand finale to Hickman’s Avengers/New Avengers run, and lead up to his Secret Wars event, was kinda mid. I think it kept my interest well enough just because of the high stakes. But the writing, art, and action didn’t actually hold up to the stakes at hand. Once you find out why they have been building to this point and what the final plot point is, it just makes you question why they had to make the plot of the whole run SO dense and over the top.
Overall, this was not a great ending for the series but this book in particular was more so a set up for Secret Wars.
Overall, this was not a great ending for the series but this book in particular was more so a set up for Secret Wars.
December 1, 2020
Rabum Alal revealed: now THAT is how you pull off a grand reveal and origin story!
For all of Hickman's 70+ issues of setup I feel like there were still a few unanswered questions, which I suppose is okay since I still got the gist of it all. A little too Ultimate-heavy at the end (I feel like there could have been five more pages of the 616-universe to wrap things up better).
Old Cap completed his full-on dick circle (I think that came out wrong), and I really wished he had just let things go by the end there. Gotta say, one of my least favorite Captain America iterations here.
Also, for his 2 brief appearances in these books what exactly was the point of Cyclops?
All in all, I can only say that if Marvel wants to do big events from here on out (and who are we kidding? of course they will), THIS is how I want to see them handled: with years of build-up to the big event in order to make it all seem worthwhile. Congrats Jonathan Hickman for your brilliance. It's meaty, but I think I'll be re-reading your Avengers run many times.
For all of Hickman's 70+ issues of setup I feel like there were still a few unanswered questions, which I suppose is okay since I still got the gist of it all. A little too Ultimate-heavy at the end (I feel like there could have been five more pages of the 616-universe to wrap things up better).
Old Cap completed his full-on dick circle (I think that came out wrong), and I really wished he had just let things go by the end there. Gotta say, one of my least favorite Captain America iterations here.
Also, for his 2 brief appearances in these books what exactly was the point of Cyclops?
All in all, I can only say that if Marvel wants to do big events from here on out (and who are we kidding? of course they will), THIS is how I want to see them handled: with years of build-up to the big event in order to make it all seem worthwhile. Congrats Jonathan Hickman for your brilliance. It's meaty, but I think I'll be re-reading your Avengers run many times.
May 19, 2021
Pues último arco de los Vengadores de Hickman, el preludio directo a Secret Wars, está ya aquí. Después de los acontecimientos de Pecado Original, tenemos un parón de ocho meses en la historia de narración, así que el primer número de El Tiempo se Acaba es una auténtica sorpresa, en la que vemos como todo el mundo que conocíamos ha cambiado. A raíz del enfrentamiento entre Stark y Rogers, que es un auténtico motor de todo lo que se cuece en el trasfondo de Marvel desde Civil War, o aún más desde la Guerra de las Armaduras, de muuuuchos años antes, el status quo de los Vengadores ha cambiado muchísimo: el equipo oficial de Vengadores, formado por Steve Rogers, el nuevo Capitán América (el Halcón, después de que Rogers perdiera el efecto del Suero de Supersoldado y envejeciera de golpe), Ojo de Halcón, la Capitana Marvel y Máquina de Guerra trabajan para SHIELD y su nueva directora, Sue Richards, y persiguen a los Illuminati por todo el mundo; mientras que el espíritu "clásico" de los Vengadores lo mantienen los miembros más jóvenes, especialmente Mancha Solar, que ha comprado IMA (tal cual) y se convierte en el auténtico portador de la antorcha de los Vengadores, y junto a Hiperión, Thor, Distribuidor, Bala de Cañón, Pegadora, Shang-Chi, Spiderwoman y la Viuda Negra, así como los chicos cebra de la Tierra Salvaje y los científicos de IMA intentan detener la destrucción del propio universo. Y mientras tanto, Namor se ha unido a Thanos, Maximus y otros villanos reformando el Cónclave para acabar con las Incursiones, la Guardia Imperial descubre la importancia de las Incursiones y de la Tierra en el colapso entrópico del espacio y el tiempo... y los personajes del Universo Ultimate, con el Reed Richards villano de ese universo, el Creador, al frente.
Y la verdad es que es una puñetera locura. La cantidad de temas que se tocan, el papel de Mancha Solar (que me encanta), el trabajo con los lápices de Mike Deodato y Stefano Caselli... Es todo taaan chulo... Es una gran historia, de verdad como Hickman recoloca todas las piezas del tablero de cara a Secret Wars, con incluyendo a personajes que van a ser muy importantes en la siguiente trama, como el propio Cíclope o Guardianes de la Galaxia.
Un prólogo de lujo para la mayor saga que Marvel se había planteado a décadas.
Y parte dos de la reseña, unos veinte días después, que es cuando he terminado de leer los episodios incluidos en estos números de la colección Nuevos Vengadores y en los que esta colección se entremezcla por completo con lo que va ocurriendo en la otra colección de Hickman, en Vengadores. El Tiempo se Acaba en este lado, al igual que en la anterior reseña, comienza con un salto de ocho meses respecto a las últimas historias que pudimos leer en los arcos anteriores. Los Illuminati se han dispersado, la Cábala ha sembrado su reino de terror a través de las Incursiones (y al mismo tiempo se han convertido en los únicos que protegen la Tierra en estos eventos), el Doctor Extraño está desaparecido... Y si bien en Vengadores asistimos a la parte más "luminosa" de la trama, aquí en Nuevos Vengadores, con los lápices de Deodato y de Kev Walker (mucho mejores los del primero que los del segundo, pero mucho mejores, de verdad), vamos a asistir al trasfondo, a la parte más... oscura, por así decirlo. Y va a entrar en juego un actor que hasta este momento se había mantenido al margen y que le da un tono completamente nuevo a la historia, y que es el propio Doctor Muerte, que desarrolla su propia investigación sobre las Incursiones apoyado por Valeria Richards, el Pensador Loco y el Hombre Molécula, uno de los personajes más interesantes de Marvel cuando los guionistas han sabido manejarlo. Y así, aunque vamos a ver las consecuencias de Axis en los Illuminati, y vamos a saber el destino del Doctor Extraño, y los giros y contragiros del enfrentamiento a tres bandas entre los Vengadores de Mancha Solar, los Vengadores de SHIELD y los Illuminati, e incluso tendremos números protagonizados por el equipo cósmico formado por Thor, Hiperión, Marca Estelar, Máscara Nocturna, Abismo y Ex Nihilo; vamos a saber mucho más sobre el trasfondo de las Incursiones, los Sidera Maris, las Cisnes Negros y el conflicto entre los Emperadores Blancos y Rabum Alal... e incluso vamos a descubrir la identidad de Rabum Alal en uno de los giros más descacharrantes de las historias de Hickman. Y ojito también con la verdad sobre los Emperadores Blancos y lo bien traídas que tenía Hickman las Secret Wars que estaba preparando...
En fin... Muy grande todo lo que se prepara, de verdad, y cómo se queda preparado todo para Secret Wars.
Y la verdad es que es una puñetera locura. La cantidad de temas que se tocan, el papel de Mancha Solar (que me encanta), el trabajo con los lápices de Mike Deodato y Stefano Caselli... Es todo taaan chulo... Es una gran historia, de verdad como Hickman recoloca todas las piezas del tablero de cara a Secret Wars, con incluyendo a personajes que van a ser muy importantes en la siguiente trama, como el propio Cíclope o Guardianes de la Galaxia.
Un prólogo de lujo para la mayor saga que Marvel se había planteado a décadas.
Y parte dos de la reseña, unos veinte días después, que es cuando he terminado de leer los episodios incluidos en estos números de la colección Nuevos Vengadores y en los que esta colección se entremezcla por completo con lo que va ocurriendo en la otra colección de Hickman, en Vengadores. El Tiempo se Acaba en este lado, al igual que en la anterior reseña, comienza con un salto de ocho meses respecto a las últimas historias que pudimos leer en los arcos anteriores. Los Illuminati se han dispersado, la Cábala ha sembrado su reino de terror a través de las Incursiones (y al mismo tiempo se han convertido en los únicos que protegen la Tierra en estos eventos), el Doctor Extraño está desaparecido... Y si bien en Vengadores asistimos a la parte más "luminosa" de la trama, aquí en Nuevos Vengadores, con los lápices de Deodato y de Kev Walker (mucho mejores los del primero que los del segundo, pero mucho mejores, de verdad), vamos a asistir al trasfondo, a la parte más... oscura, por así decirlo. Y va a entrar en juego un actor que hasta este momento se había mantenido al margen y que le da un tono completamente nuevo a la historia, y que es el propio Doctor Muerte, que desarrolla su propia investigación sobre las Incursiones apoyado por Valeria Richards, el Pensador Loco y el Hombre Molécula, uno de los personajes más interesantes de Marvel cuando los guionistas han sabido manejarlo. Y así, aunque vamos a ver las consecuencias de Axis en los Illuminati, y vamos a saber el destino del Doctor Extraño, y los giros y contragiros del enfrentamiento a tres bandas entre los Vengadores de Mancha Solar, los Vengadores de SHIELD y los Illuminati, e incluso tendremos números protagonizados por el equipo cósmico formado por Thor, Hiperión, Marca Estelar, Máscara Nocturna, Abismo y Ex Nihilo; vamos a saber mucho más sobre el trasfondo de las Incursiones, los Sidera Maris, las Cisnes Negros y el conflicto entre los Emperadores Blancos y Rabum Alal... e incluso vamos a descubrir la identidad de Rabum Alal en uno de los giros más descacharrantes de las historias de Hickman. Y ojito también con la verdad sobre los Emperadores Blancos y lo bien traídas que tenía Hickman las Secret Wars que estaba preparando...
En fin... Muy grande todo lo que se prepara, de verdad, y cómo se queda preparado todo para Secret Wars.
August 7, 2024
There was just too much happening in the Time Runs Out storyline and the ending felt kind of flat. I know it leads into Secret Wars but a lot of the buildup was kind of confusing and disjointed. But the art throughout was really good. So, while it doesn’t feel like it sets up Secret Wars in a coherent way, it was still fun to read.
February 20, 2018
Yay, I'm through this run. Bye-bye Marvel Universe!
September 22, 2015
Jonathan Hickman - writer
Kev Walker, Mike Deodato, Stefano Caselli - illustrators
Jonathan Hickman's magnificent, towering magnum opus finally draws to a conclusion. The leader of the Black Priests stands revealed as he charges headlong into a disastrous confrontation with Rabum Alal and the Black Swans. Thor, Hyperion and the remainder of the Multiversal Avengers finally arrive at the end of space and time to confront the architects of the the reality-ending multiversal incursions - the Beyonders, who stand outside of reality as we know it. Dr. Doom and the Molecule Man bring Dr. Strange with them to witness their final strike against the Beyonders - a blow so devastating hundreds of thousands of realities are destroyed in it's wake. The remaining "heroes" of Earth are forced into an alliance as a unified galactic space-fleet bears down on our planet in a last ditch attempt to stave off the inevitable. All the pieces Hickman spent so long painstakingly setting in place are brought into play, as a confrontation years in the making finally plays out with Captain American and Iron Man slugging it out in the street amidst a full-scale alien invasion.
In the end, none of it will matter. Everything dies.
Now there is only Secret Wars.
5/5 - An incredibly satisfying conclusion to one of the most epic, far-reaching runs in comic book history. Highly recommended for fans of space operas, super heroes, and excellent writing that explores cool ideas.
Kev Walker, Mike Deodato, Stefano Caselli - illustrators
Jonathan Hickman's magnificent, towering magnum opus finally draws to a conclusion. The leader of the Black Priests stands revealed as he charges headlong into a disastrous confrontation with Rabum Alal and the Black Swans. Thor, Hyperion and the remainder of the Multiversal Avengers finally arrive at the end of space and time to confront the architects of the the reality-ending multiversal incursions - the Beyonders, who stand outside of reality as we know it. Dr. Doom and the Molecule Man bring Dr. Strange with them to witness their final strike against the Beyonders - a blow so devastating hundreds of thousands of realities are destroyed in it's wake. The remaining "heroes" of Earth are forced into an alliance as a unified galactic space-fleet bears down on our planet in a last ditch attempt to stave off the inevitable. All the pieces Hickman spent so long painstakingly setting in place are brought into play, as a confrontation years in the making finally plays out with Captain American and Iron Man slugging it out in the street amidst a full-scale alien invasion.
In the end, none of it will matter. Everything dies.
Now there is only Secret Wars.
5/5 - An incredibly satisfying conclusion to one of the most epic, far-reaching runs in comic book history. Highly recommended for fans of space operas, super heroes, and excellent writing that explores cool ideas.
June 12, 2016
And it all ends with Captain America punching Iron Man because... reasons.
What an ugly terrible awful chapter of Avengers history this whole Hickman run has been. By a large margin the worst Marvel comics I've ever read.
THE WHITE EVENT!
CUPCAKE DIORAMAS!
MY CAT IS SLEEPING!
THE OWL SPEAKS QUIETLY IN THE WOODS AT NIGHT!
Also, on a final note. Given this run had a cast of hundreds, every superhero in creation was here, along with dozens who were created specially. But what was the point? I think there was maybe ONE scene of characterisation in the entire god knows how many fucking volumes. Just END OF THE WORLD and precisely zero fucking reasons why we should give a crap because none of these automatons actually seemed like real people with thoughts and feelings.
Awful. Just awful.
What an ugly terrible awful chapter of Avengers history this whole Hickman run has been. By a large margin the worst Marvel comics I've ever read.
THE WHITE EVENT!
CUPCAKE DIORAMAS!
MY CAT IS SLEEPING!
THE OWL SPEAKS QUIETLY IN THE WOODS AT NIGHT!
Also, on a final note. Given this run had a cast of hundreds, every superhero in creation was here, along with dozens who were created specially. But what was the point? I think there was maybe ONE scene of characterisation in the entire god knows how many fucking volumes. Just END OF THE WORLD and precisely zero fucking reasons why we should give a crap because none of these automatons actually seemed like real people with thoughts and feelings.
Awful. Just awful.
September 23, 2015
Finally, the story we have been waiting for. This run began with a promising intro. "And it started with two men. One was life. And one was death." What we got afterwards, were crappy to half-decent stories. This volume, while not redeeming all that, does at least give a fitting end.
The end of the world - no, the end of the multiverse - is here. Time has finally run out. The Avengers find themselves cornered. There is no path remaining. Nothing left, but the fall of the entire multiverse.
The end of the world - no, the end of the multiverse - is here. Time has finally run out. The Avengers find themselves cornered. There is no path remaining. Nothing left, but the fall of the entire multiverse.
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