New Avengers #2 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Laura Martin, Matt Milla, & Rain Beredo (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: The New Avengers fight their unknown demonic adversaries in an effort to keep the Eye of Agamotto away from them.

What Good: Despite all the demonic possession and punching, it’s the light-heartedness and comedy that truly make this issue of New Avengers something special.

There are so many little remarks, and not just by Spider-Man, that are guaranteed to make you smile.  All these little jokes and ribs lend warmth to the book while also making it clear just how well these characters know each other.  The back-and-forth between Spider-Man and Wolverine in particular was a definite high point for the issue as the characters naturally work well together.  I also don’t know if I’ll ever quite get over the image of Spider-Man running about with a baby monitor.

Further aiding this light-hearted feel is the plot itself, which is basically a mad dash for the Eye of Agamotto, with the Eye continually changing hands throughout the issue.  This gives the book a really brisk, fast pace that brims with life and energy while also providing even more opportunities for comedy.  The whole sequence gives off a feel of wild, superhero slapstick that makes for a feel-good experience.