Avengers # 28 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Frank Martin with Anres Mossa (Color Artists).

The Story: Hulk Smash, Banner deduce.

The Review: Now this is what I’ve been waiting for! Hickman’s long form Avengers epic has been a frustrating beast at best, I’ve wanted to like it so badly but have often been frustrated by how disparate all of the elements Hickman and his horde of superstar artists have introduced thus far are. I recall being curious but ultimately disinterested during Hickman’s first year on the Fantastic Four title only to be blown away by FF and the confluence of all the seemingly standalone stories that the writer had been crafting. And so it is that I’ve been following Avengers, New Avengers and now Avengers World,  waiting patiently to see how the puzzle pieces fit together.

With issue #28 it seems as though two mysteries are revealed, one to the reader and another to Bruce Banner who’s unravelling of the continued existence of the Illuminati provides the meat of this issue. I’ve often thought of the Avengers as a very epic but ultimately cold book, devoid of much characterisation or humanity but this issue goes a long way to reversing that paradigm by focusing on the conversation between Tony Stark and a Bruce Banner who repeatedly injects himself with tranquillisers in order to keep his monstrous alter-ego at bay. The tension that builds through these scenes is palatable and riveting, bravo to Hickman and Larroca.

The other reveal shows us exactly what the Map-makers are and how they come to be, further marrying the narrative of Avengers to New Avengers and finally giving readers an answer to help orientate themselves within the deluge of mysteries that Hickman has heaped upon us so far in this run. If this issue is an indicator of what to expect from the third act of Hickman’s Avengers saga then I’m cautiously optimistic about what comes next. That last page reveal/cliffhanger should have readers on the edge of their seat like a good episode of 24 or Breaking Bad it’s such a cinematic, ominous can’t-wait-for-the-next-issue reveal.

New Avengers #14 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Simone Bianchi (Artist), Adriano Dall’Alpi (Colorist)

The Story: As the Illuminati watch how another universe reacts to the incursion events, Doctor Strange hits a new market for more power.

The Review: To have hope is to let ourselves be open to disappointment. While it is always a nice thing to see our expectations be met in any circumstances, cautious optimism is always a good manner in which to approach things, lest our hype be our downfall.

It may have been the way I like this series and the author that made the latest issue rather disappointing for me, making any of the ideas and their executions rather unsatisfying. With that being said, it is with a less optimistic prospect that I ended up reading this issue.

Surprisingly, this one ended up being better than the latest one, but not by a colossal margin. The interesting dialogue and the numerous ideas that made Hickman a respected writer are there, with the scenes involving Dr. Strange being rather entertaining as well as ominous. Showing the sinner’s market, one in which deals are made for immaterial goods and other such things, there are a lot of expansive ideas thrown at the readers. With some hefty explanations and a certain madness mixed in that makes this setting, there is a lot of potential for grander ideas to bloom here, with Hickman showing that he can play with pas continuity as well as create seamlessly.

Another area in which he plays and create is the alternate Earth, this one numbered 2319. Switching things up with another set of Illuminati as well as some variations on the general Marvel universe, there is indeed some creative moments here and there that does manage to entertain as well as play with the themes of the series. Introducing new elements and deepening the explanations to some previously told, this issue is one that does surprise as well as develop in ways that readers might not expect.