Written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Stuart Immonen.
Find out who the New Avengers are, where they call home (gotta see it to believe it!), which Dark Avenger has joined their ranks, and just who the interdimensional demonic threat to our existence is! These heroes have gathered to take on the threats too dark, too dangerous, and too bizarre for any other team of heroes. The New Avengers are back!! And Bendis & Immonen are back with the Siege & Secret Invasion colorista Laura Martin!! You didn’t really think Marvel was going to cancel their number one ongoing title did you? Heck no!! Backup feature: Another brand new oral history of the Avengers chapter by Bendis!
What did we at Multiversity think of the new volume of New Avengers? Click behind the cut for our thoughts.
Matt’s Thoughts: So now we have all four of Marvel’s new Avengers on-going titles. All of these are what we have to measure up to one another as well as debate endlessly as to what is the best and why. We all, as nerdy nerds, get to spend hours upon endless hours in which we pontificate to one another in circles and groups about why one book is better than the other, or why this works and this doesn’t.
Well you know what? Eff that noise. I’m backing Bendis.
Now, I think this comes as no surprise to anyone. While some people have their problems with the writer (and granted, what writer DOESN’T have a chorus of nay sayers?), I’ve always felt that since getting deeply into comics, Bendis would take care of me. The first issue of New Avengers basically backs me up in my belief, and makes me feel better about spending money on two books by the same author with the “same premise.” Of course, when I say same premise what I mean is that they’re both Avengers titles, and they’re obviously intertwining and going to crossover.
Here’s why I get behind New Avengers so much though. At a certain point during the run of the first volume of the book, New Avengers took a turn and stopped being the book it started out with. It was somewhere around Secret Invasion, and definitely ended after issue #50. The book kept it’s stamina but not it’s heartfelt quality, and I missed that. While we are just getting into the team dynamic a tad, I like the group that Bendis has formed here, and already love the dialogue. There are several laugh out loud moments in it for me, and as much as we can argue, “Oh, Steve (Rogers) wouldn’t say that!”, in Bendis world, he TOTALLY would. Having Bendis be on the main Avengers stories for seven years now, I can buy it and get behind it.
Of course, when I ask myself, what do I really like more – Avengers or New Avengers? I’m not really sure how to answer. While Avengers features a more “classic” feel with a classic line up and classic villains (sort of), New Avengers picks up a dangling plot thread that I KNEW would have some kind of importance the moment I read it. When Voodoo became the Sorcerer Supreme, Daemon Hellstorm went on a whole rant about the fabric of reality and whatnot, and I was waiting patiently for it to become relevant. While I initially thought Siege might be part of that, I’m really glad it’s being brought here, so for now I’m sticking with New Avengers just for that (with Avengers a close, and I mean close, second).
Plus, how can we not ALL adore the artwork of Stuart Immonen here? If there has ever been a more versatile artist drawing at Marvel, please let me know. We’ve seen Immonen be Hitch’s perfect chameleon, have a stylish and cartoony/light hearted Nextwave, and now a very intriguing and well rounded out New Avengers. Immonen is such a talented guy, and now to see him dishing out artwork that is for all intents and purposes much cleaner and smoother than his more jagged edged work is really something. I love watching Immonen’s career and am very happy to have him stay on with the Avengers. It seems a good home for him, and his history with Bendis as far as quality is concerned has been nothing short of “Buy every time.”
Continued belowI could sit here and gripe about a few little things (including my general distaste of an entire franchise being relaunched, though I do understand why), for the most part I found New Avengers #1 to be a fun and enjoyable return to form for the book. I did have complaints towards the end of the last volume, so I’m hoping this can be like all my favorite memories of New Avengers in it’s early days before everything got all unpleasant with Civil War and have some fun Avengers stories, brought to me by a team I trust.
David’s Thoughts: When Avengers #1 came out a few weeks back, it was a fun enough issue to me but it seemed like something was askew to me. It’s not that it was bad, but Brian Michael Bendis’ script seemed to be missing something. To me, I think it was an inactive connectivity to the characters and situations that they were involved with. In that regard, it’s unsurprising that Bendis’ initial brain child New Avengers and its relaunch feels far more naturalistic and more entertaining to the industry titan, as it is well within his comfort zone.
When the issue launches, we’re presented with a follow up of a character arc that began in New Avengers — the transition of the Sorceror Supreme mantle from Stephen Strange to Brother (“Brudda’) Voodoo. Except, there are nefarious machinations taking place in the Marvel mystic realm, as Damion Hellstrom quickly dispatches Strange and prepares for the revelation of his true form and of the first villain of this new book.
As this is happening, Luke Cage confronts Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, informing the two of them that the intention of his actions during Dark Reign was not to be someone else’s (Tony Stark’s) lackey. This leads to a very well crafted discussion by Bendis, showing off more and more of his grasp of these characters. In my mind, no one writes Cage better than Bendis, and this issue shows him off as a leader of the Avengers of a new age. Cage (with some help with the sneaky pocketed Danny Rand) purchases Avengers Mansion from Stark to be the new New Avengers home, and thus begins the era of this new team (apparently comprised of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Ms. Marvel, Iron Fist, Mockingbird, Hawkeye, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and The Thing).
Not only that, but Bendis’ deftly introduces the New Avengers liaison — Veronica Hand of Dark Avengers fame. This addition is especially well handles, especially when Cage and Wolverine go to confront her at a local restaurant. I think she’ll add a very interesting dynamic to the equation, perpetually causing distrust amongst the ranks while also driving the team to new heights.
Stuart Immonen’s work continues to be superb, and to me seems to fit Bendis’ script better than John Romita, Jr.’s. Granted, I know why the latter artist was the choice for the flagship title, just like I know why Immonen was selected. His detail and personality on this street level roster is an exceptional fit, really telling a lot of the story with just his vibrant and kinetic arc. Whether it’s the sections where the sorcerers square off or where Cage faces off against the other heads of the Avengers, Immonen shines.
Just like the first issue of the first volume of New Avengers, this issue starts off with its feet in the right direction. While it doesn’t have the immediacy of overwhelming awesome of the first volume’s inaugural edition, it still reads incredibly well and gets me very excited for the issues coming forward.
Gil’s Thoughts: I was torn on this book in the beginning. I was never entirely sure why there needed to be a finale AND a relaunch of the book, since it’s the same creative team and (largely) the same roster as it was before Siege happened. I also happen to have a budget and there are 4 launched or relaunched Avengers books on the market now, and my wallet was hurting. This book had to be REALLY good for me to keep on buying it.
Thankfully, it was. Luke Cage is still leading the team, and personally, I think it’s a great choice. The addition of The Thing and (spoiler) Victoria Hand is also a stroke of genius. I’m glad Bendis is still using her, because she’s a great character who could use some redemption. The story is actually a continuation of one of my least favorite storylines from the last volume, but with a twist that actually kept me interested in where it was going.
Continued belowBendis’ script wasn’t perfect, as there were some funky issues I had with elements introduced in the story (how is it that Spider-Man is on two teams, both based in houses that anyone in New York would kill to live in, but he lives with a woman who would pistol whip him for leaving the toilet seat up?) and I thought it was a tad convenient that the New Avengers get a newly refurbished Avengers Mansion just days after Siege happened (Stark was just brain dead AND broke, but he refurbished the mansion? WHAT?) But who needs to look deeply into the book. It’s a lot of fun, and that’s what matters. There were a LOT of fun moments too, as the single best exchange came from Mockingbird and Wolverine:
Wolverine:
“[in reference to Ben Grimm joining the team] Hey, I’m an X-Man and on TWO Avengers teams.”
Mockingbird:
“Yeah, how the Hell do you do that?”
Wolverine:
“Multitasking, it’s my mutant power. Don’t tell anybody.”
I for one love the Bendis speak. And I think this is the best of the Avengers books out there right now, save maybe Avengers Academy.
Brandon’s Thoughts: This is an issue I have been looking forward to with much trepidation. As a person who never got into the Avengers on a month in month out basis till New Avengers I was worried that once the Heroic Age hit New Avengers would become West Coast Avengers kind of deal. Luckily, this takes me worries and whisks them away. The New New Avengers are still as solid as before.
Bendis comes through as usual on New Avengers and provides a setup issue that does just enough to whet this reader’s appetite for more. I enjoyed how the dynamic of the team as a family unit continues to thrive even adding more family to the team. This is a team that isn’t so powerful that you can’t connect with them on an emotional level. Adding a character like the Thing and bringing back Iron Fist makes a solid title even more so.
Stuart Immonen has become as much a part of this title as the characters and Bendis himself. While this title has had some great artists over the course of it’s run Immomen shows the depth in style a title like this requires. He handles the lighter moments such as Thing being asked to join perfectly and then segues smooth as butter into the action sequences.
If you, like me, love the New Avengers then rest easy friends this issue is good. While the renumbering is annoying I can get over it in hopes that one day at some milestone they’ll go back to original numbering which seems to be the new trend anymore. Otherwise, what you find here is great art and writing that’ll leave not just New Avenger’s fans but also Classic Avenger’s fans feeling good about the new title. I mean hell, the mansions back!
Walt’s Thoughts: While a lot of people were excited for Brian Michael Bendis being at the head of the first adjective-less Avengers title since he dissolved them in the early 2000’s, this was the Avengers title I was excited for. Granted, I’m not sure why they had to reset the numbering, but that’s a discussion for another day. While I’m not sure how I feel about Bendis writing a more classic Avengers lineup, his take on a street-level division is something I can get behind (especially now that they aren’t on the run).
Everything featuring the New Avengers was very well done. In my opinion, Bendis has a great voice for each of the team’s members, though I know plenty disagree with me on that count. I feel Bendis has done a great job of toning down the supposedly “excessive” use of dialogue while still retaining his own unique style, though I’m sure it will still grate on a few. The excellent group dynamic that Bendis cultivated in the previous volume is still present in this first issue, and boy am I glad to see Iron Fist thrown back into the mix. One thing I am a little bit confused about is where this falls chronologically, considering most of the same cast is involved with the current Avengers story arc, but I’m sure it will become more apparent as time goes by.
You want to know one area where New Avengers is definitely going to top…uh, the new Avengers title (as an aside, that name makes it so difficult to talk about the two)? Art. Even if I liked John Romita Jr, which I don’t, Stuart Immonen is just very difficult to top. Sure, he may not bend my mind as artists like Frank Quitely can, but it’s just so hard to find any faults in his artwork (which can’t be said for Quitely, as much as I enjoy him). I can already tell that his kinetic style is going to be absolutely perfect for this book, as it was on the previous volume, and I hope to see him on the title as long as possible.
However, I am not without some wariness. Search for the Sorcerer Supreme was my least favorite arc of the previous New Avengers volume, so finding out that this first arc would be a continuation of that has put me on my guard. I love stories involving magic, but I’m very particular about how it’s done and I just don’t see Bendis fitting into that view of how I think magic should be done. However, Magic seems to fit street-level teams well for whatever reason, so I’ll give Bendis another shot in that realm. Hopefully he proves me wrong.
