Avengers #1 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Steve Rogers ushers in the Heroic Age by putting a new team of Avengers together.  Just in time, too, because before their first meeting is even over, our heroes will be confronted not only with Kang the Conqueror, but the possible end of existence itself!

Alex’s Take

Transitions can be painful and certainly, the transition between Dark Reign and the Heroic Age is a big one.   Unfortunately, Avengers #1 finds itself on this very awkward front-line.

At surface level, Avengers #1 is a fun read.  It has a happy Saturday morning feel which is buoyed by Romita’s distinctive artwork.  The return to a time-traveling/cosmic story aids in this respect.  We’re back to the escapist hijinks that old school comics provided and it’s a refreshingly far cry from government agencies and shadowy Obama cameos.  Instead we’re dealing with Kang, Ultron, and the Next Avengers.

But the problem is that this title isn’t set in an alternative universe.  It’s forced to deal with backstory and prior Marvel events.  Given that it’s completely different in style, appearance, tone, and storytelling from the sort of stuff we’ve been getting, this makes for an uncomfortable conflict.

The result is a truly bizarre narrative structure.  The book is cut into two clear halves: one dealing with the formation of this new team and the other introducing the new story with Kang.  The shift is massive.

The first half of the issue feels strange.  The joyous team formation sequence was weirdly surreal and a bit cheesy, Steve’s conversation with Wonder Woman felt misplaced (and poorly argued on Wonder Man’s part), and Steve’s and Tony’s reunion was cursory.  Things seem scattered amidst all the happiness.

Then Kang shows up so abruptly and randomly that it’s downright comical.  How the Avengers, Thor in particular, respond to his appearance only furthers the unintentional comedy.  Then, having only half an issue to start up his new story, we get a whole ton of talking heads to close out.

Despite all my griping though, there is fun to be had.  Spider-Man and Spider-Woman in particular have a great month, providing several laughs.  I love this new direction overall and think it bodes well for the future.  It feels new.

The Long and Short for Alex

I think that once this book gets in its groove, it’ll be great.  As a first issue though, and a standard-sized one at that, it’s so different from what came before that this awkwardness was impossible to avoid.

Grade: C

Joe’s Take

What’s Good: Bendis’ script is filled with moments that will make most fans happy in this inaugural issue, and leave some hungry for more.  One of the writer’s smarter moves is bringing Kang the Conqueror in as he immediately gives the story a sense of weight for old-school fans and a sense of continuity and legacy to newer fans of the franchise.  Another great beat was showing that Steve and Tony Stark still have some friction between them.  Hell, I get the feeling that Tony’s not comfortable at all as a member of this new team, and I love that fact.  After everything that has passed between these characters since Civil War, it’d be a complete copout not to acknowledge some remaining issues, and Bendis is aware of that fact.  He even throws a new reason for them to be wary around the Armored Avenger towards the ending, and it just makes me more eager to see the interaction between our heroes.
P.S. Kudos to Bendis for his Avengers Oral History.  Not only does it take the sting off of the $3.99 price tag (not by much, but still) but it’s a genius idea.  I can’t wait for it to be collected into one complete volume.  A nice little bonus written by the one writer who could pull it off.

What’s Not Good: Let’s not confuse things.  I liked this comic.  That, though, was not my entire experience reading this title.  There were a few misfires, which I will now mention in no particular order, and in the form of questions (mostly).  Let’s begin:  Am I the only one that just feels wrong saying “Captain Steve Rogers”?  And why does reading every scene with Steve and the new Cap feel like I’m reading a scene with old Cap and Bucky.  If it weren’t for the artwork, I wouldn’t be able to tell the new status quo, and that seems like a failing of the characterization to me.  And what does Steve have in that backpack of his?!  Twenty textbooks?  It’s almost sagging below his butt!   Does Spidey have to wait a whole hour for his webbing to dissolve before he can get down from the ceiling?  And why even go to the trouble?  We get it, you’re Spider-Man.  Move on, dude.  Why is there only one female on the team?  It just seems a little oddly lopsided.  Why is Henry Peter Gyrich wearing lipstick?  Oh wait, that’s Maria Hill…  Why does Steve Rogers go from being a buff guy in a turtleneck on some pages to being a very scrawny guy in a turtleneck on others?  Why does Kang feel the need to announce himself to a room full of people he’s met on many occasions (well, mostly)?  And why is “The Conqueror” an afterthought?  (Scream “I am KANG!” and then calmly say, “The Conqueror.”  See?  It’s weird.)  Why do the Avengers have cute little sky-cycles?  I mean, they’re practical, sure, but they’re… cute.  Why does Bendis think that I won’t notice he’s disguised a talking heads comic as an action comic?  One whack by Thor does not an action scene make.  Am I alone in wanting to see a bonus scene where Spidey asks Kang if he (Spidey) ever finds true love, and Kang replies, “You already did.  Nice job with that by the way,” and Spidey frowns, muttering under his breath, “Prick.”  (Yup, a One More Day in-joke right there, folks.  That’s right.  I’ll be here all night!)

The Long and Short for Joe

Despite all the fun I obviously had picking this issue apart, I had a great time reading it.  The heroes are back on the bright side, where they belong, and battling an old school villain that’s actually worth the Avengers’ time.  Throw in some nice interpersonal moments and a little mystery, and you’ve got a solid first issue.

Grade: B