Mighty Avengers #4 review


Mighty Avengers? Not if this logo is anything to go by. If you actually spot it on the comic store shelf - the bottom right placing virtually guarantees cover-up by the next title along - that tiny roadsign thing says the Apologetic Avengers. The Meek Avengers. The Namby-Pamby, Move Along, Nothing To See Here Avengers.

The useless branding does this comic a terrible disservice, because it's the best Avengers series around. The characters are a fascinating bunch, a mix of fan favourites and obscurities waiting to be given new life. The first three-parter was an Infinity tie-in which leapfrogged the dull event book by being a tightly focused tale whose resolution depended on intelligence and teamwork, rather than a deus ex machina.

As for issue #4, it's another hugely entertaining read which mines Marvel history without demanding the reader knows it all already. It loses a point or two for reviving the flaccid Ronin identity from Brian Bendis' Avengers run, but the nature of the wearer means it's not going to be a permanent thing - writer Al Ewing is using the role as a story point, and who knows, along the way he just might prove Ronin isn't the dead duck it seems.

Once again, Ewing is in crossover territory, tying into the Inhumanity storyline, which has people worldwide revealed to be Inhumans and developing powers. Mighty Avengers introduces us to a corporate spy named Barbara, shiny new codename Quickfire, who's out to secure some Terrigen crystal for the dodgy Cortex Incorporated from the Inhuman city of Attilan. The community has fallen to Earth and SHIELD is trying to raise it from the Hudson River.

Meanwhile, Luke Cage is putting together a new branch of the Avengers with Spectrum (Monica Rambeau), White Tiger (Ava Ayala), Power Man (Victor Alvarez), the Superior Spider-Man (ssssh Doctor Octopus), Blue Marvel (Adam Brashear) and the mysterious Spider-Hero (Google away if you wish to be spoiled). Luke is basing the Mighty Avengers at the Gem Theatre in Times Square, his old hangout from his days as a Hero For Hire with Iron Fist. Current Avenger the Falcon has turned up, hoping to join the crew, while Luke's wife Jessica Jones and their daughter Danielle are also on hand, along with movie-mad Dave Griffith, the Gem's co-owner.

Most everyone's getting along swimmingly, with the only fly in the ointment being Spider-Man, who wants to run the show. This obviously isn't the Spidey most of them know, but the assumption is that he's changed, not that he's an imposter.
                                             
Blue Marvel isn't at the meeting, he's in Germany fighting bad guys with Hauptmann Deutschland. And Spider-Hero is off having a pointed conversation with black magician Kaluu which hints at his true identity (click on image to enlarge).

There's no big crisis for the heroes to tackle this time out, but there's so much going on that I only noticed after the fact - Mighty Avengers #4 is a stealth 'day in the life issue'. The character dynamics as Luke organises the new team are a lot of fun, and little touches such as the return of Dave aka DW Griffith, whom I've not seen since the Eighties, and the inclusion of 'Captain Germany' made me smile. The latter's German-set team-up with Blue Marvel is a playful dig at Marvel comics which can't imagine anything interesting happening beyond Noo Yoik ie pretty much all of them.

A highlight of the script is the Falcon, who's keen to point out that he's not actually Captain America's official sidekick.
And I love that he's going to get some page time here - it's awfully crowded over in those Jonathan Hickman books.

The least interesting aspect of this issue is Quickfire and the Attilan business - Marvel has enough mutants already, this influx of mutants in all but name risks becoming tiresome fast. But again, Ewing is an excellent writer, so I'm happy to see where he goes with sneaky Barb.

The artwork by Greg Land and Jay Leisten is, for the most part, very effective. The first couple of pages look a little too photo-referenced ...
... but after that the art relaxes and Land and Leisten give us an enjoyable visual ride. The Germany page, above, is especially good, I really like the translation of New York to the comics page and baby Dani is all kinds of adorable. 
And look at that cover, talk about striking. 

Frank D'armata's colours add to the artistic appeal, while letterer Cory Petit's contribution also deserves a nod.

If you've not yet tried this series, give it a shot, you may be nicely surprised. If you can find it.

Comments

  1. I really enjoy the heck out of this series, especially with me still reading Hickman's Avengers (someone's got to cover for AiPT). It feels like a real team book where all the characters are fleshed out and important to the team, instead of just fading into the background or having stock personality placeholders. Even though I'm fine with the art (though that guy smiling above makes me remember: Mentos: The freshmaker, tagline), it could really use a switch up to bring the people who are turned off by Land's work.

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    1. I dunno, if Land is making more of an effort it'd be a shame to have him leave the book - maybe a publicity campaign to tell people how good it is.

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  2. I really love this series. Glad I'm not alone. But I am annoyed that Spider-hero is Ronin who is Blade. Jeez. But It's no bigge because is still fantastic.

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    1. Blade seems an odd fit, whatever he's going by, as when he showed up in the Captain Britain and MI: 13 series - shouldn't he be spending all his time vanquishing vampires?

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  3. Good call on the confusing cover, martin, as I didn't even cotton on in the shop that this was out until the clerk put it in my standing order. I must have just breezed past it dismissing it as another standalone tie-in I guess.

    With lines like "people will guess who you are if you go around wearing Blade's leather trenchcoat all the time", I suspect that Al is now rubbing our noses in the Spider-Hero thing or he's setting up some really brazen red herrings, but after losing me a little in the last issue when it hit some familiar beats this was a really good issue that had me thinking Land was only wrong for it not because of photo-referencing (wasn't there a Steve Ditko/Stan Lee "how we made this issue of Spider-Man" story in which Ditko goes trawling through books looking for photo-reference?), but because his art isn't old-school enough - though fair play I can't see modern audiences appreciating Sal or John Buscema-style art. The bit with Attilan just sitting out in the Hudsen River after some huge crossover happening elsewhere like it ain't nothing was pure 1980s Marvel for me, as was jumping into character's stories catalysed elsewhere but which you are trusted to be able to follow in a way I don't see a lot of these days in superhero comics, so focused as they are on establishing IP branding. Another minor story element that I liked was that Jessica Jones seems to have gone back to having an actual personality again, and "from goofy to poopy" really needs to be on the next Superior Spider-Man trade jacket.

    I would say this is the best Avengers title I'm reading but then I'd be a dick as it's the only Avengers title I'm reading - still, that tells you something.

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  4. Oh dang, now you have me longing for a John or Sal Buscema-drawn issue or 12. I don't know why super-solid, somewhat stylish art has fallen out of favour.

    That 'how made Spidey' story sounds familiar, I wonder if it was in an early annual.

    I know what you mean about Jessica jones, it feels as if we've not seen her since Alias ended.

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  5. This is the only Avengers team-book that I'm still buying. The others have way too much standing around and talking about deep things. This book, when the characters do stand around, at least talk about things in-character. Combine that with Ewing's clear affection for 80's characters and it is an easy subscription for me.

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    1. (Apols for the delay in replying, I blame Christmas!)

      I'd be quite happy were this the only Avengers book, with an occasional 'Old order changeth' issue!

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  6. I'm reading all of the Avenger books too and have to agree that this is the best and most entertaining. I really like the team and how they're all coming together. And despite being in crossover Hell, the stories are still good and easy to follow.

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    1. It's very good, I do hope Mighty Avengers is selling.

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  7. It's funny that the image you posted after saying "a little too photo-referenced" uses the same hands in the previous panel you showed. The Falcon and (character I don't know but some sort of an actor?) have the same hands. It's one thing to trace the way Land does but to use the same image twice in the same comic when it's not necessary either time, that's taking laziness to a new level.

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    1. Great spot, Adam. I need a prize to send out ...

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  8. I saw the end of issue 3 and i am confused wouldn't shuma gorath be above the white tiger spirit in the power totem pole i mean gorath is supposed to be so powerful that doc strange would and willing die to defeat him could you explain to me mart

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    1. Beats me! It wasn't just the tiger spirit alone though, was it? You might try a twitter to @Al_Ewing

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