The Church of Ultron has been hacked. The end is near… Your Major Spoilers review of West Coast Avengers #8 from Marvel Comics awaits!

WEST COAST AVENGERS #8

Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artist: Danny Kim
Colorist: Arthur Hesli
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editor: Alanna Smith
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 19, 2025

Previously, in West Coast Avengers: the competition between the Ultrons kicked into high gear as the West Coast Avengers finally took on the Church of Ultron! And as they battle Ultron’s loyal followers, another threat looms…

What HAS Flag-Smasher been up to in prison?

IT’S A BAD DAY TO BE AN AVENGER

After sneaking into the Church of Ultron to check on her friend/woman-on-the-inside, Lindsey, Spider-Woman has been witness to a unification, of sorts. The Scorched Ultron (one of the iterations that is still ready to “KILL ALL HUMANS,” notable for his burned outer shell) has destroyed and/or partly consumed Ultron-1 and has corrupted the programming of the cyborg disciples of the Machine Messiah. She broadcasts an Avengers Red Alert, bringing Iron Man, War Machine, Wonder Man, and Avenger Ultron, but Firestar is unable to respond, as she’s still in rehab for her alcoholism. As for Blue Bolt/Killerwatt, he’s locked up in California’s penal system, where The Flag-Smasher has targeted him, insisting that he either upload a virus to the Avengers’ computer systems or watch his father die. Having three members running on advanced computer systems battling a villain who can hack said systems seems like a bad idea, but when Ultron overloads the ionic energies that power Wonder Man, it gets infinitely worse.

As in “Six-Foot-Four-Inch Walking Weapon Of Mass Destruction,” worse.

ONE THING BUGS THE HECK OUT OF ME

Since issue one, everyone has been telling Tony Stark that having Ultron anywhere near the Avengers is a terrible idea. The East Coast team came to blows with the WCA over the matter, and even Avenger Ultron himself has questioned the decision. This issue, those birds come home to roost in exactly the manner that The Vision predicted, and not once does Iron Man seem to accept that this entire situation is his doing. That irritating bit aside, this issue effectively builds the stakes, putting every member of the team in their own form of jeopardy before all hell (almost literally, given all the quasi-religious trappings) breaks loose. The art on the interior is a little wild for my tastes, with angular faces and wild poses, but for a change, I like it better than the cover art. One big plus is that, between the excellent coloring and Kim’s character designs, you can always tell which Ultron you’re dealing with, something that Al Milgrom couldn’t do on a previous Ultron-centric tale in West Coast Avengers volume 1.

BOTTOM LINE: THINGS ARE ABOUT TO BLOW UP

All is not entirely lost, as Blue Bolt is still at large, but West Coast Avengers #8 makes the defeat of some of the most seasoned and powerful of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes feel logical and meaningful, and even with what I perceive as some excess, art that gets the job done, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars. Despite my irritation at Iron Man for once again letting his arrogance write a check his heroism can’t cash, I’m engaged with Duggan’s story and excited for what comes next.

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