One part anthology, one part extended preview, Marvel’s latest “Point One” offering shows off several new series launching under the “All-New Marvel Now” banner for the not-so-low price of $5.99. Luckily, these are some of the most unique and exciting stories Marvel has presented to date, and that’s truly saying something.
Written by Al Ewing, Dan Slott, James Robinson, Nathan Edmondson, and Nick Spencer
Illustrated by Lee Garbett, Michael Allred, Steve Pugh, Phil Noto, and Rags Morales
• Here we go again! It’s your one-stop entry point to the world of ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! Loki embarks on a mission for Asgard! The Silver Surfer and Dawn experience the cosmic rays of Nautikos! A Kree Pursuer and her Special Forces team prepare to invade the Earth! The Black Widow goes undercover in Russia! And can even the Indestructible Hulk survive the aid and assistance of fellow Avengers Cannonball and Sunspot?
• Features completely new LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD, SILVER SURFER, BLACK WIDOW, ALL-NEW INVADERS and AVENGERS WORLD lead-in stories!
This issue marks the third of its kind since Marvel began its “Point One” branding. It is also (arguably) the most successful at achieving its goal of getting readers excited about the latest Marvel universe titles. Assembled here are six wonderfully diverse stories, written and drawn by some of the finest creators in the industry. With sci-fi, spy drama, super heroics, fantasy, city living and teenage angst, there’s literally something for every type of reader presented here.
First up is lead in to “Loki: Agent of Asgard,” by Al Ewing and Lee Garbett. The story, which centers on Loki’s quest for five Asgardian keys, acts as a framing sequence for the rest of the issue’s sneak peaks. In this regard, the story falters somewhat. A few of the key based segues feel a little forced, and the start and stop approach tends disrupt the flow of the story. However, it’s still a fantastic Loki story. Ewing gracefully takes the baton from the mischievously minded Kieron Gillen, presenting a Loki that is both lovable and slightly untrustworthy. His interactions with Agent Coulson feel straight out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the heartwarming bro-moment with Thor suggests this older Loki will continue to dominate Tumblr. Lee Garbett’s clean, brightly colored work fits the fantastical nature of the book well, and his Loki bears more than a passing resemblance to Tom Hiddleston. While I would have loved to Gillen continue his streak on the character, he’s definitely in fine hands.
The first full story is “Girl on Board,” in which Dan Slott and Mike Allred present the Silver Surfer by way of Doctor Who. Accompanied by his companion Dawn, the Surfer takes a detour to the planet Nautikos, inhabited by anthropomorphic sea creatures preparing for the centennial Festival of Light. While hitting all the beats of your typical Who-vian plot-line, Slott injects a delightful amount of humor, from well timed captions, to witty zingers at the Surfer’s expense. Mike Allred, along with his own companion Laura, crafts a beautiful cosmic vista. Kooky creatures and eye-popping colors are standard for the duo, but this stands out as some of their best work to date. The strong chemistry between Norrin and Dawn is apparent from the start, and the Surfer’s troubled past is hinted to lend some conflict to this otherwise bright and hopeful book. This books feels quite unique compared to the rest of Marvel’s line, and is arguably the best story of the issue.
I say arguably, because the G. Willow Wilson penned and Adrian Alphona illustrated “Ms. Marvel” gives the Surfer a run for his money. The latest to carry the Marvel name is Kamala Khan, the heavily publicized sixteen year-old Muslim shape shifter. This story blends the street level, real-life charm of “Hawkeye” with the youthful exuberance of “Young Avengers.” Wilson perfectly translates the teenage mindset in a way that many writers fail to, without resorting to gimmicks like fictionalized social media. The writer never sensationalizes Kamala’s status as a minority, but pays tribute to her heritage. The real winner, however, is Alphona, who absolutely knocks it out of the part artistically. Marvel is leading the pack in terms of enabling top-tier artists to tell innovative new stories, and this is the latest in that line of successes. “Ms. Marvel” takes the cake for the “book most likely to sell out on its first day of print” award.
Continued belowMs. Marvel isn’t the only strong female character to get the spotlight, as Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto’s “Black Widow,” which also launched this week, gets its share. Natasha tracks a target, while musing on what type of predator best describes her. It’s a fun little character story, but not necessarily the deepest of plots. Of course, Phil Noto more than picks up the slack, with a painterly style that is both minimalist and gorgeous.
Rounding out the issue are two team-based stories; “All-New Invaders” by James Robinson and Steve Pugh, and “Avengers World” by Nick Spencer and Rags Morales. These stories are typical super hero fair, and as such are slightly less interesting than the issue’s other offerings. The cosmically tinged “Invaders” introduces Kree-based threat set to plague the Marvel equivalent of the JSA. In other worlds, James Robinson’s wheel house. Unfortunately, the story barely features the soon to be protagonists. Pugh’s art is a fair step better than his work on “Animal Man,” but less intriguing than some of the issue’s more exotic offerings.
The “Avengers World” story is a Cannonball and Sunspot buddy comedy. With an A.I.M. devised plot involving weaponized Hulk-serum, this feels more in like with Spencer’s work on “Secret Avengers” than Hickman’s “Avengers.” Spencer’s strong knack for character dialogue is present, particularly from Bruce Banner. Of all the stories featured here, this one has the most bearing on the Marvel Universe, with a new status quo moving forward for the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. Rags Morales’ work bodes well for his upcoming stint on “New Avengers.”
After reading this issue, it’s hard not to be excited about at least half of the stories contained within. While the traditional “Point” numbering is irksome and confusing, these one shots are a terrific sampler, allowing readers to test out a number of books at a relatively low price. While Marvel may be on the verge of running out of adjectives to describe its publishing initiatives, the company clearly has plenty of stories and talent up its sleeves.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy. Worth picking up for the “Silver Surfer” and “Ms. Marvel” stories alone.
