Comic Book Review: Avengers #1

And there came a day... A day unlike any other! Earth's Mightiest Heroes united against a common threat! On that day the Avengers were born - to fight foes no single hero could withstand!

Avengers #1
Written By: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated By: John Romita Jr.

At last, Marvel's Heroic Age has begun, and with that comes the birth of a new team and direction for the Avengers! The Dark Reign is over, and the ramifications brought upon by the Civil War, Secret Invasion, and Avengers Disassembled are all but forgotten in this brave new and shiny world of heroes. How does the first issue of the relaunch, once again written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by John Romita Jr, hold up to the readership? Well, in my case, it's surprisingly amazing! For somebody like myself who who had doubts about whether or not another reboot was going to work, Bendis sure put a lot of effort and A game into this project, and the introductory piece comes off with flying colors. Also, I may have disliked how Siege ended and wrapped things up, but there's no denying the feeling of importance and the beginning of a bright new future for Earth's Mightiest Heroes here. I must say, I'm interested with the storytelling, and while it may come off to some as repetitive and a way to promote a recent Marvel Animated movie that came out a year or so back, the plot intrigues me, and I'm going to see it through. There's even a supplemental piece included that gives an oral history of how the Avengers formed and started, so there's a lot of material that makes this book worthy to check out.

Now, as for the art itself, I wasn't expecting John Romita Jr. to be the primary choice to do the new Avengers ongoing title, but strangely, his art works well enough and I don't mind it at all. Granted, I prefer him sketching primarily on a Spider-Man book or Kick-Ass comic anyday, but his work here is pretty acceptable. However, I can see why other people aren't too hyped or enthusiastic about it, given his renditions of characters like Iron Man and Thor. Some things may be too sketchy, abstract, or a little rough for some readers to look at, and the there's a slight lack of realism in the way the characters emote. Still, he gets the job done, and his work on Amazing Spider-Man and Wolverine: Enemy Of The State put me on the map to comics when I started the hobby again a few years ago, so you won't see me complaining here.

For plot itself, this is a throwback to classic Avengers storylines from the 80's and 90's. The team gets a visit from an old enemy who presence hasn't been felt for the last couple of years, and I guess the time is ripe for him to make his return and cause a ruckus during the Heroic Age. However, he's not acting alone nor on his own volition, and a certain enemy from the "Past" will put the team to the test in the next few issues. Plus, that reference and inclusion of characters from a certain Marvel animated movie could prove to be a major plot twist later on. Let's see how things go. For now, I give this new first issue of the Avengers a big thumbs up. Any fan who dares to call themselves one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes dare not miss this, especially if they see their mug shot included in the collage spread at the last few pages of the book! There's plenty of heroes on board, and lots of other Avengers books coming up! So come, celebrate Avenger's Day and grab this one!

Rating - 9/10