In this review of New Avengers #8, Black Widow and The Winter Soldier sort out their trust issues (in the only way former Russian spies can) as Natasha reveals her secret connection to The Jackal. A cranky Carnage moves in for the kill, while Iron Apex lays down the law with the other Killuminati.
NEW AVENGERS #8
Writer: SAM HUMPHRIES
Artist: TON LIMA
Main Cover: STEPHEN SEGOVIA
VARIANT COVER: Karen S. Darboe
PAGE COUNT: 32 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 21, 2026
This review contains spoilers
New Avengers #8 begins one day before the events in Osaka, Japan, with a shackled Bucky Barnes at the mercy of Natasha Romanoff (and the poor things don’t seem to have a stich to wear outside of their unmentionables). Nat, pistol in hand, asks Bucky if he trusts her, to which he answers “yes”. Nat presses him over what he suspects about her allegiance to the Spider-Man villain (and clone fetishist) Jackal. Bucky fumbles his answer and Nat breaks down. She frees Bucky, telling him to use truth serum on her.
At the same time over in Namibia, Iron Apex (evil Tony Stark clone) takes new Killuminati clone Lord Britain to task. The team gets an update from their mysterious boss (in hologram form) as Jackal (Miles Warren) brings back Mr. Ouroboros (evil Reed Richards clone), to the delight of Apex, but Mr. O is not quite himself.
Nat tells Bucky that the video with her helping Jackal is real, but it’s complicated. It turns out that Nat was recruited by the real Tony Stark to investigate thefts from high profile superheroes. Nat’s journey took her around the world only for Nat to discover that the culprit is her (or rather an alter), not a clone. Someone took control of Nat’s mind and used her spy skills to infiltrate information for The Jackal.
Three days after the events in Osaka, the New Avengers arrive at the now abandoned Killuminati base in Namibia. Carnage infiltrates first, and the symbiote forces Eddie Brock into targeting his teammates as its bloodlust increases.
New Avengers #8 ends as the Avengers join Carnage inside, (green gas from Jackal’s clone procedure filling the air) as questions arise about whether this is all a trap. Nat is suddenly slashed by something as the team is surrounded by several feral-looking clones of Beast (Hank McCoy). Of course it’s a trap.
Analysis
New Avengers #8 is an enjoyable if unusual continuation of the Killuminati storyline as Bucky and Nat come clean with each other and a plot twist behind the forming of The New Avengers is finally explained. Writer Sam Humphries does a masterful job in exploring Nat’s vulnerabilities and Bucky’s…cluelessness? Both in their underwear interrogating each other adds to the sense of vulnerability as the couple bare their souls.
Nat’s confession adds an interesting twist in a story that could have easily made the taped collusion with Jackal as just another Killuminati clone. More testament to Nat’s character as she figures out the clues lead to her (sort of), and had pressed Bucky to form (and lead) the New Avengers team to help stop the impending threat. Nat was recently a symbiote host and now someone has infiltrated her super spy psyche.
Bucky comes off as well-meaning and awkward, proving that his original Winter Soldier reprogramming has diminished over time. Elsewhere, Iron Apex goes full alpha on the new Killuminati recruits and gets his best bud back, although maybe not as before. Meanwhile, Jackal gets a single panel and one line of dialogue but his presence is felt throughout New Avengers #8 as his clones and machinations continue to wreak havoc across the world.
Humphries’ New Avengers series rocks, and the Killuminati storyline adds to the intrigue, setting this series as a more clandestine operation than government-sanctioned project., The varying outsider personalities of this Avengers lineup is rife with inner conflict and humor. The series might be rocketing towards a finale with issue #10 as the corresponding MCU film along with this title have been critical darlings, but failed to make an true impact, but the series will make at least a solid footnote when collected.
The rest of the Killuminati and New Avengers are relegated to background, with a few funny quips, but not much else. This is squarely Nat and Bucky’s story, with a little Iron Apex and hungry, hungry Carnage tossed in for good measure. Artist Ton Lima continues to nail the assignment, even when New Avengers #8 mostly involves people standing around talking (even if some are in their underwear).
Nat’s flashback scenes, both with the Marvel heroes and later as a brainwashed operative illustrate her unique gifts and continued value, despite her lack of super powers. The use of the lingering green smoke (vapor?) from Jackal’s cloning process adds to the atmospheric feel of this darker Avengers tale and probably indicates that the Beast (s) have been recently hatched.
Lima’s use of figures in a black background with little to no details during the interrogation scenes (including the panel with the bellhop) adds tension and keeps the focus squarely on the characters in the foreground. Rain Beredo’s color palette allows for the stark contrast of Nat’s red hair in the black background, while the Killuminati scenes appear more bright and vibrant. The sickly green gas is also a nice touch.
Final Thoughts
New Avengers #8 is another impressive effort in this underdog series, dialing back the action while ramping up the dramatic tension and character development as Marvel’s preeminent super spy reveals her own vulnerabilities, while not being able to trust herself to do the right thing. The art and color are solid too.
