In the new Marvel Universe, the A-Force comes together again (sorta). Read on for our review of the second “A-Force” #1 but be warned, there are some spoilers within.
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Illustrated Jorge Molina & Laura Martin
A-FORCE, ASSEMBLE! From the ashes of Battleworld, Marvel’s newest hero SINGULARITY has risen and entered the Marvel Universe. But she didn’t make the journey alone. To combat the most fearsome threats from across the multiverse, Singularity will summon the world’s mightiest team of Avengers to her side: SHE-HULK. CAPTAIN MARVEL. DAZZLER. MEDUSA. NICO MINORU. Together, they are A FORCE to be reckoned with!
As much as I griped about “Secret Wars” in the MC2 column, there were some miniseries worth buying. One of them was “A-Force”, an all female Avengers team. In their Battlezone, Arcadia, they protected the people. It was a sort of oasis where everyone was happy and the A-Force ensured that kept going but in a very different way than your typical Avengers teams. They were a part of their community and had more conventional approach to heroism compared to to the Hickman “Avengers” series. Now that the Battleworld is no more, the A-Force has to reassemble again.
“A-Force” #1 is told from the perspective of Singularity, the young hero who was a core part of “A-Force” the first time around. She could best be described as the little sister of the group and is basically a walking incarnation of the universe. Singularity, after sacrificing herself in the final battle of “A-Force”, she has found herself in the Marvel Universe with all her memories in tact. Once here, she comes across her former team members and tries to get the team back together.
“A-Force” #1 has a lot of the little things that make G. Willow Wilson so likable as a writer. This is a very lighthearted script for the most part. Singularity is adorable in the aforementioned little sister way. Her voice is really distinct and her desire to find her friends because she misses them and not to fight bad guys is really refreshing for a team book like this. There is a villain to fight but her instinct to hug her friends and get them to remember her is endearing and it makes “A-Force” feel like something different from what normally get. The characterizations of She-Hulk, Medusa and Captain Marvel are also very well done with each of them behaving and sounding like they should. Wilson has a great grasp on some of the biggest heroines in comics and it’s what will help make “A-Force” a success.
With all that said, “A-Force” does have some problems. As much as I like Singularity here, it’s only because I read the “Secret Wars” tie-in. She’s the focal point and it’s a little tough to latch on to her if you don ‘t know who she is or where she came from. Singularity’s dialogue is very cute but it doesn’t match with her narrative and that’s a little confusing. If she can think that way, then she should be able to talk that way. For those who read the tie-in, it’s super easy to get into but for everyone else, you might not care what Singularity has to say. You’d probably rather see someone more established like She-Hulk take the narrative lead. There’s some fun heroics in this debut but like many of the recent Marvel #1’s, it’s a fast read. “A-Force” #1 doesn’t feature the team being a team so that’s another thing to keep in mind. It’s going to take some time for this group to come together (we don’t see Nico or Dazzler) but I have all the faith in the world that Wilson and Molina will make this interesting.
Jorge Molina and colorist Laura Martin do a really nice job on this book despite some minor issues. The first double page spread with Singularity recapping things is absolutely gorgeous. Singularity’s design and posing is childlike in a good way but it’s Martin that really brings her to life. The mix of purples and dark blues make for an actual starry sky look and there’s a beautiful fluidity in how she moves. The action sequences are strong with perfect angling and the whole thing captures great sense of classic superhero heroics. The panel layouts are very good allowing Molina to pack a lot into each page. Martin’s colors pop off the page thanks to her ability to capture light just at the perfect spot.
Continued belowThe problems lie in some of the pencils. As great as the book looks overall, the contorting on the noses of the core women cause them to all have similar faces. It’s not overly distracting but it’s definitely noticeable and even more noticeable on the cover. There are also a lot of completely blank backgrounds which is a much used technique but it does take you out of the action just a tiny bit.
“A-Force” #1 is a fine debut with lots of elements to enjoy and for fans of these characters and those looking for an alternative to the main Avengers title, this is definitely one to stick with. Like many current superhero titles, this will grow and evolve but needs time to do so.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – A solid debut with some definite flaws but not enough to ruin the entire premise. I’m sticking with “A-Force”.
