Relaunches of titles are a great way to boost sales for no reason. Most of the time it’s just a change of creative force or a “Bold New Era” that is strikingly similar to the first verse. “Avengers” is a prime example of how that is not true. Launched with the Marvel Now initiative, it brought in a new team of creators and a bold new era. Only this time it’s done right.
Jonathan Hickman is the genius behind books such as “Secret Warriors,” “Fantastic Four,” “The Nightly News,” and “the Manhattan Projects.” I use genius because that is exactly what he is. His stories are filled with original ideas in a world where original ideas are nearly impossible to find. It’s rare that there is a truly good jumping on point with a franchise that’s been around for fifty years but Hickman has crafted it.
In the wake of “Avengers vs. X-Men” Captain America and Iron Man want to form a more unified Avengers. A bigger team to deal with the biggest threats that are coming. All it takes is one villain, one sorcerer, one alien to change the face of reality and the Avengers need a team that can not only take a threat like that on, but comprehend such a massive task. Captain America sends out the call for this new team of Avengers to assemble when a new danger arrives on Mars to destroy Earth. These “pioneers” want to create their own life. To form a new Adam in a new world. But to do it, it would mean the end of all current life on our little blue planet. And with the incredible power they wield they are very close to doing it. Combining Avengers old and new, it all comes to a head on Mars to see if this new team can be what they need to be.
And that’s just the first story. Being released two times a month, the book has made fast track of its story. Beautifully, after the first arc we get a series of issues introducing us to the new characters and their origins. What their deal is and how if effects their reasons for joining the Avengers is carefully revealed . At the same time, they’re all connected to the first arc. A new life has been created. And it’s heralding in a series of characters that we, the reader, have seen before. A New Universe of characters.
Hickman wastes no time hooking in his reader with mysteries and stories. He always plays the long game and at no point do you not want to know how it’s going to end. Each piece of the puzzle reveals just enough to keep you needing another fix. It’s a perfect “Avengers” story. It’s exactly what the modern reader needs to be challenged with. A book like this thankfully has been given a series of rotating artists that define what art can be in a comic’s medium. With a series of amazing rotating artists like Adam Kubert, Jeremy Opena, and Dustin Weaver “Avengers” is the Marvel book on the top of the stacks right now.
Jo
