Avengers: Armageddon #2 Review – The Battle For “Democracy” Begins And Ends

Avengers: Armageddon #2 (Marvel, 7/15/26): Writer Chip Zdarsky and Artists Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar send the Avengers behind enemy lines to battle Red Hulk and his army. Great art and great action result in an amusing, albeit forgettable, issue. Verdict: It’s better than issue #1.

• Writer: Chip Zdarsky
• Artist: Delio Diaz, Frank Alpizar
• Colorist: Sonia Oback
• Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
• Cover Artist: Dike Ruan, Moreno Dinisio (cover A)
• Publisher: Marvel Comics
• Release Date: July 15, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 26
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of Avengers: Armageddon #2:

First Impressions:

Better than issue #1 is right, but let’s temper expectations. Avengers: Armageddon #1 was almost entirely setup, so the bar isn’t super high. Chip Zdarsky at least gets the plot moving, even if the result is forgettable.

Recap:

In Avengers: Armageddon #1, we learned that General Ross, aka Red Hulk, and his Hulked-out underlings led an army to spread “democracy” through Europe by invading Symkaria. The Avengers were instructed to stay out of the fight by the U.N., but superheroes are gonna do what superheroes are gonna do. The issue ended with a broader Avengers team assembled, including the powered-up former Captain America, David Colton.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

The issue begins with U.N. Secretary General Rianai on the phone, trying to convince the Russians to join a coalition. The Russians decline and privately engage the Winter Guard for a secret mission.

Elsewhere, the Avengers strike back against Red Hulk’s invasion of Symkaria, resulting in mass destruction and casualties. The Avengers eventually win, but two key results temper their victory. First, the lieutenant-Hulks show no sign of healing from damage. Second, David Colton beats Red Hulk to a pulp, but before Colton can kill Ross, he’s stopped by Iron Man. Colton flies away, disheartened by the Avengers’ “weakness.”

The issue ends with Ross disappearing, teleported away by the Winter Guard on behalf of Russia, and Iron Man discovering Ross’ multiversal cube that hints at a nuclear future.

How is the story in Avengers: Armageddon #2?

There’s an edict in writing that says something to the effect of: “Avoid the ‘and then’ plot structure.” In simpler terms, that edict means a string of events without causation and consequence is boring. Unfortunately for Chip Zdarsky’s big swing at reshaping the future of Marvel, this issue has too much “and then” going on. Riani fails to get Russia on board, and then the Russian Prime Minister enlists the Winter Guard, and then the Avengers fight the Red Hulk, and then Red Hulk is kidnapped by the Winter Guard.

In and of itself, each plot development is fine, but it reads too much like a string of things happening because the script says to make them happen, and very little of the plot presents the developments as decisions driven by meaningful motivations and outcomes that bear the weight of consequence.

How is the art in Avengers: Armageddon #2?

Thankfully, the art is the absolute high point of the issue. Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar hit the bullseye with luscious scenery, dynamic action, brutal fights, and outstanding use of form to give the whole issue a strong presentation. One of the top artists at Marvel is Marco Checchetto, and this art team gives Marco a run for his money.

Furthermore, Sonia Oback delivers a masterful job on coloring with rich shading and textures to give the story a grounded, gritty, but still energetic appearance.

Characters

With so many players, it’s tough to nail down the focal character, but David Colton carries the most emotional weight. He’s determined to stop Red Hulk but is put off by the Avengers’ unwillingness to make the victory final. When he flies off, you get the strong feeling that Colton could easily flip to villain.

Originality & Concept Execution

The originality is the issue’s second weak point. Avengers: Armageddon has already been compared to Avengers: Disassembled and last year’s One World Under Doom, so Zdarsky’s script has a strong sense of “been there, done that.” Again, David Colton’s presence is the biggest unknown in whatever direction the series is headed, but he’s not enough to blow you away.

Pros and Cons

What We Loved

• Super strong art
• Good pacing and action
• David Colton’s moral greyness is a wildcard

Room for Improvement

• The dreaded “and then” plot flaw prevails
• The plot, so far, feels too similar to earlier events
• The ending cliffhanger is weak.

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 2/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 0.5/2

Final Thoughts:

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Avengers: Armageddon #2 brings the big battles as the Avengers confront Red Hulk. Chip Zdarsky’s script is well-paced, and the art team’s output is phenomenal. That said, the plot developments are so superficial, the issue leans toward forgettable.

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