Comic Books

AVENGERS #1

THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE!

There came a day! A day unlike any other…where two of Marvel’s top creators teamed up for the very first time to create a bombastic new monthly Marvel comic that not only ushers in the Heroic Age of Marvel Comics but unleashes onto the world the most blockbuster Avengers team ever! Who will answer the call? And will they assemble just in time…because Kang the Conqueror is here from the future. And wait till you find out why…!

Bonus back up feature: the oral history of the Avengers, part one. A brand new illustrated look at the Avengers in a way you have never seen before by series writer Brian Michael Bendis.

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: John Romita JR.
COVER BY: John Romita JR.

Price: $3.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 7.5%
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Avg Rating: 4.1
 
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Comments

  1. Not feeling the art in this. I know JRJ is well-respected but some of his stuff can be ugly and confusing (World War Hulk).

    Will pick this up in a collected edition.

    Also don’t like Wolverine/Spider-Man splitting time between two Avengers teams.

  2. The Heroic Age banner is hideous.

  3. Yeah, it really does take away from the cover art.  Still think JRJR’s art looks a little wierd at times.

  4. Please let this be good lord. I beg you…..Seriously, I beg you.

  5. I don’t get how Wolverine and Spider-Man could even be on two different teams. Looking forward to this.

  6. This book is sure to be better than decent with the dreamteam that’s working on it.

    But seriously, while I’ve gotten used to the idea of Spidey being an Avenger (he’s a high-profile NYC-based superhero. It had to happen eventually), I have never been able to accept the premise that Wolverine could be on one Avengers team – let alone two – while simultaneously leading the X-Men’s alpha team AND X-Force AND having 2-3 monthlies worth of solo adventures.

    Come on, Bendis. Just let him go. You don’t need him. It doesn’t make sense.

  7. I wasn’t going to get this – I was swearing off the Avengers… but JRJr? Damn – I might need to succumb.  Anyone know if the first 4 issues will be a "getting the team together" story line again?  That I can skip.

  8. Man that cover does not look good.  I like Romita  but that looks way to cartoony. I know some people love that style, but not my thing.  Would prefer Copiel.

  9. Agreed that JRJR does not work for me on a book like this. He was perfect for Kick-Ass but his style isn’t suited for a big time super hero book.

  10. Yes. I say yes to you, new ongoing adjectiveless Avengers title! A thousand times yes!

  11. Not a Marvel fan, but I will say this, BUY IT! Very pretty. So pretty I’m going to buy it and I don’t normally say that about Marvel. 🙂

  12. The story sounds interesting, and while there are some odd things I’ve noticed lately about JRJR’s art (weird cheek lines on the women, for example), he does look really good, and you gotta admire his work-horse ethics–we could use more guys like him in the big books. 

  13. My main point is like many others, why do spidey and wolverine need to be on 2 teams when we could have had some decent replacements? Imagine Clint in this line up or with cage in new avengers. It’s the same issue I have with cage being in 2 books and marvel not giving enough face time to their catalog of heroes. Shame. I’m still buying this book though.

  14. I’ll never get used to the JRJR hate.

    This will be the first time I read an an Avengers book since Secret Invasion. Can’t wait to see what JRJR does with the characters.

  15. @sammy I doubt they’re gonna be on this team. i think this will be them picking out the two teams and spidey and wolverine are just on the cover cause they play big roles in this particular issue but not in the ongoing book

  16. @roivampire I could deal with that and can understand why marvel would do that from a marketing point of view. Interested in finding out the full line up on this book if that’s the case

  17. @sammy I just can’t imagine them being on both teams just from a writing standpoint it seems like bendis wouldn’t want to do that

  18. Yeah, I’m very certain that Wolverine and Spider-Man will exclusively be in New Avengers.

  19. @roivampire and darknight. Yeah I think both characters would fit new avengers better. We’ll see.

  20. Siege was astoundingly good.  This will be incredible.

  21. I was re-reading the Essential X-Men volumes and it was interesting to see that during the period of Wolverine’s mini-series from the early 80’s, and even when he got his solo book in the late 80’s, he didn’t appear in X-Men as much as they often noted he was off on his own adventures.  I think this obviously changed in the 90’s when they realized more Wolverine = more sales, which is exactly the reason he’s in every bloody X-Men book, plus every Avengers book it seems.  Would you expect anything less from the company that has 5 Deadpool titles a month?  I wish they brought back a little of that type of continuity to their books, besides that New Avengers should showcase different characters than Avengers.  Bendis should try and make some lesser-Avengers characters interesting (as opposed to cool, which is what Fraction is trying to do to some small X-Men characters and failing miserably), rather than always falling on his usual crutch of characters.  I’m glad to see the classic Avengers back together, and I did like Siege, but I’ve always thought Bendis realies too much on the same old tricks time and again and doesn’t really try anything new.  I’m definitely on board for Secret Avengers but I’ll see how this one goes before commiting.

  22. My brain simply cannot process the fact that there are actually comic book fans out there who don’t love John Romita Jr.  I seriously can’t even begin to comprehend this….

     

    jeff.

  23. For me it depends on his inker whether I feel is art or not.

    But for proof of my point: take a look at the Spider-Woman art released from this.

  24. wait….clint ISNT in this line up?? i thought he was supposed to be…WTF! Since steve isnt gonna be cap in this and no clint…i’m not sure if i’ll actually be staying on this if it isnt a 5 star first issue.

  25. @fvckstick  Just because he isn’t on the cover doesn’t mean he’s not on the team. spider-woman isn’t on the cover either and she’s been confirmed for this team by the teasers just like clint

  26. @roivampire awesome Clint is on this, I forgot. I love Clint and buckys relationship, has a lot if potential.

  27. I’m picking up this and Secret Avengers when it comes out, but I’m thinking I’ll cut that down to just one of those after the first couple issues.  With Clint and Bucky, this one shows some promise

  28. @Grandturk- the first arc is supposed to jump right into a time travel/Kang story.  so no dragged out getting the team together story this time.

  29. It’s so hard trying not to read this.

  30. JRJR isn’t suited to a superhero book

    What the fudge is wrong with you people? 

  31. I’m looking forward to catching up on Avengers.  I tried New and Mighty, but just didn’t click.  Hopefully, this is more classic than those stories.

  32. I got to read this because I work at one of the shops that is involved with the Avengers Day party stuff. I’m not a big Romita Jr. fan but I really, really liked this book. 

  33. Only thing I have not liked from JRJR was his World War Hulk stuff. For whatever reason, they did not resonate for me. Maybe it was too many "big" scenes, where JRJR really excels at story-telling and the close-ups and the smaller panels. Maybe his schedule for WWH was just awful, I don’t know.

    And don’t go by the covers, obviously. I don’t think an Avengers cover has accurately represented what characters are in it over the past five years except by accident. There is no connection I can see between the people trying to sell books based on the cover and the people drawing the insides.

  34. I might have tried this because Iron Man’s in it but JRJR’s Iron Man in the FCBD freebie really did not turn my crank.

  35. i am really excited for this i love bendis and jrjr, ready for some avengers greatness

  36. If I wasn’t already dropping some marvel titles due to monetary constraints I might’ve  considered getting this.  I’ll see if I’m still interested when a collection comes out.

  37. Cant wait for this but the cover is pretty shitty looking imo,,,looks like thor is sucking his cheeks in

  38. the cover looks unnaturally too ‘slick’.

  39. I really do not like JRJR’s modern art in The Sentry, Work War Hulk, The Eternals, ect. It did work for me in Kickass though. I prefer his classical work in Iron Man, Dazzler, and Uncanny X-Men.

  40. The only thing wrong with that cover is the typography of the Heroic Age banner. The pencils was fine.

  41. Is this a good jumping on point? Do I need to read Siege: Sentry: Fallen Sun?

  42. People, people, please! Just ’cause their on the cover doesn’t mean Spider-Man and Wolverine are in the book! They’re there to sell comics! And Hawkeye will be in it, too but Purple-tights McBow ‘n’ Arrow doesn’t bring the kids like Spidey & Wolvie!

  43. Doomwad No! Save your 3.99!

  44. @Edward: I’ll bite. First, the composition is boring. It’s a square. Four corners, symmetrical. Thor and Iron Man are doing the same thing, so are Wolvie and Cap, roughly. All the human faces look the same. Even the poses are stock. There is practically no value contrast so it looks just like a splotch. So much so that he had to outline the characters in the front. And oh look a cute little visual pun of Spider-man webslinging Mjolnir, which I barely noticed because of the boring, splotchy, cramped composition. 

    And is there even anything going on here that makes sense? Cap and Logan are standing somewhere but Stark, Thor and spidey are coming in behind, close and obviously fast judgung by Parker’s momentum. So it’s not a take off which would kind of make sense but their just kind whizzing by. And Spider-man is totally gonna smash into the back of Cap’s head there.Ok so fine, "it doesn’t have to make physical sense". But the figures look like they know they are on a cover and are cramping their posture to fit in. Especially Iron Man and Wolverine.

    The typography is ass.
  45. doomwad-I think for the most part, all #1’s are designed to be good jumping on points. 

    Anyone that is really bothered by how many teams Wolverine and Spiderman are on because of unbelievability issues need to take a long look in the mirror and reevaluate their priorities. 

  46. "Is this a good jumping on point?"

    "I’m dropping this."

    $4 ongoing? No, thanks. JRjr art is tempting, though

  47. @JJ: Dude, JRJR doesn’t try to re-invent the wheel with his art. What he does do really well is capture the traditional tonal quality of western comics. I remember once discussing him with a non-comic reading friend while we were both studying design. Without being able to put in into words, this guy tried to tell me JRJR reminded him of early memories or his imagined idea of comics.

    Meaning JRJR expresses something greater than photo-realism in his art. He expresses the idea of comics.

    I agree the composition isn’t JRJR’s best and that the idea of spiderman swinging by the hammer is silly. However, the figure drawing are fine, the rendering is fine, the similar faces are just part of the visual shorthand JRJR uses in his style.

  48. they should have made this Avengers #504 so that we could really pretend it’s not a good jumping on point.  or do the New/Mighty/Dark issues count so that this is actually issue #620?  NOT A GOOD JUMPING ON POINT!  you have to read the complete run including, nay, especially Bloodties and the Chuck Austen run.  otherwise you won’t understand a word of this issue

  49. yeah, I don’t see how the faces look similar.  unless my face and your (yes, YOU) face look similar because we both have two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two cheeks that lead down into a jaw/chin.

    and edward mentioned visual shorthand.  as I understand it, that’s exactly right.  I can see that that is Captain America, holding his shield and looking all majestic, Wolverine gritting his teeth and popping the claws, with Iron Man and Thor flying above because they can fly, and Spider-Man trailing along, because that’s what he does.  As long as I can see all these things clearly and get what the fuck I am looking at, then JRJR did his job. 

  50. He did a job on my girl Spider-Woman too.

    Like a plastic surgeon did a job on Joan Rivers.

    Someone explain that one to me using fancy graduate school graphic design terms.

    And even when you are done she will still be ugly.

  51. @ScorpionMasada- he thought he was drawing Marvel Apes?

  52. hahahha, what happened to the fancy graduate school graphic design terms.

    Let me help you: he was anthropormorphisizing the bestial nature of Spider-Woman.

    Maybe not quite fancy graduate school graphic design termnology . . .

  53. I don’t like the photo-realistic art style that some people do these days.  I can’t get enough of the pure style that JRJR does.  It takes a good inker and colorist to make the style work.  The JRJR V2 Thor stuf looked pretty good, but the flat and drab color just killed the art.  WWH was another victim of bad ink and color and it looked like i was reading in the dark.  I have to admit that JRJR sometimes looses all perspective in his drawing.  I remember a pannel in Kick-Ass where Kick-Ass’ head is about 3x its normal size for some reason, and I LOLd. 

  54. anthropormorphisizing isn’t even a word

  55. I also don’t like Howard Chaykyn or however you spell his last name for the same reason above.

    Well-respected, but depending on the inker can look UGLY and awkward.

    Not always feeling Yu either.

    Do like me the guy who was on the Ultimate Comics Avengers Volume 1: was it Pacheco?

  56. At one time all words weren’t words.

  57. @Edward: Well at least I got you to retratct your comment that "The only thing wrong with that cover is the typography of the Heroic Age banner".


    Scorez!

    I’m just kiddin’ around. 🙂
  58. Sorry guys. Just trying to make a joke on the premise that a number one issue is, of course, a good jumping on point and Siege: Sentry: Fallen Sun was so bad that eveyone knows that no one should read it.

  59. What?! I can agree with Edward? Time to pull out the umbrellas because the sky’s coming down!

  60. @JJ: … what? i said the compostition is not the best and the hammer swinging is silly not that they’re wrong

    @Rustyautoparts: Want to know what you’re feeling right now? it’s called ‘being right’ 

  61. Would you rather date or look like Spider-Woman (Maleev) or Spider-Woman (JRJR)?

  62. Would i rather date realistic portrayal of a woman based on the photo reference of a very attractive model or a cartoon?

  63. for the record any terms I use aren’t graduate school graphic design terms.  it’s a combination of my one Art History class, one drawing class, and the masters program known as Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

  64. @Edward: I love that feeling, I don’t get to feel it much.

  65. Siege got my pumped. If this is not good I may have to ball up in a corner of my room and cry for several hours.

  66. @JJ: i know you don’t, brother, i know. 🙂

  67. @Ed: HAHAHA! Well done!

  68. This team is like the KFC sandwich with fried chicken for bread.

  69. @Scorpion Masada: LOL’d

  70. This debate is insane. 

  71. @Magnum: Please don’t judge me. Thank you.

  72. Other then Thor’s face (which is kinda wonky) I like JRJr’s style for these characters. Definitely love his take on the new Iron Man suit.

    The preview did show some iffy designs too…..But I’m sure this book will look 90% amazing. 

  73. For me, my hype on marvel books seems to go into opposite directions compared to their advertising.  I get amped on the simple, understated stuff, but then for this, and the whole Heroic Age, I don’t even care right now.

  74. It wasn’t terrible,but I’ll put it on my pull list when the artist changes. An Avengers book should look a lot better than this. Its kind of insulting.

  75. So disappointing. I don’t even know where to start.

    The team itself doesn’t make sense. Why these characters? Bendis gives no explaination why these group of heroes can be the true Avengers. (Which is false since a good chunk of this team is already in New Avengers) Hell WonderMan made complete sense with his refusal of joining.

    For Bendis, this was such weak writing. I’m not trying to sound like a hater here! I’ve read his most recent stuff on USM and other Avenger titles and they were pretty good. Here….everyone just feels so off. Rogers doesn’t act like himself, Stark could’ve been anyone else in the Marvel U, Spidey was completely annoying. Granted I know Bendis tends to write Parker as an annoying idiot but still….the jokes were not working here.

    Kang was so melodramatic, I felt like I was reading a Silver Age comic when he appeared. Plus the inclusion of a stupid idea from a DVD release doesn’t sell me for this arc.

    Then you get the art! Oh my god, what happened to Romita Jr!? Everyone was so off modeled. Was that Steve Rogers or an older Richie Rich? Iron Man’s helmet changed shape several times, Thor was so bad to look at, Hawkeye doesn’t look like Barton (it still looks like Bullseye underneath) and….god it was so bad. There was some great panels though! Like when Kang appeared and then disappeared. That was great! But everything else was so drawn badly here, it can’t be the inker/colorist cause Romita Jr. have been working with them for years.

    Just a bad first issue. I’m sorry, I really read this with an open mind and didn’t want to sound like a Bendis hater but….it was bad. I want to try the next issue to see if maybe this was just a bad first issue. But I’m not going to read a Bendis/Romita Jr comic if they are not giving their ‘A’ game here. 

  76. everyone is written to be so young and naive… these are not the averagers that just went through dark reign. skrull invasion, and civil war.  Listening to them talk and interact… it’s like they just graduated from super hero school and from a band.

     

    What happened to Thor’s asgardian thee’s and thou’s… Thor never use contractions!!

     

    Also… Mockingbird’s "please don’t say west coast" was pretty funnuy  

  77. @loki  Thor has been talking more like a character from lord of the rings than a character from shakespeare ever since JMS relaunched him.

  78. @loki: That’s the biggest problem here. Everyone seems to be acting or interacting with each other like they’ve never seen each other before. How the hell does Thor not know who Bucky is? He’s been fighting along side him for the past two events now!!

  79. Personally, I liked the art quite a bit.  The story didn’t blow me away at all and I agree that some of the character writing seemed a bit off at times, but overall I did enjoy this issue.  I think I expected more from it though and I hope this series gets better as it goes on.

  80. @TNC yeah but Thor doesn’t know who Bucky is, he just knows he’s the new Captain America

  81. @Roi: How does Thor not know who is under that costume?

    Again he fought along side him for a while now. Plus how many times do you think Rogers talked about Bucky in the past? That’s just plain ignorance right there on Thor’s part. 

  82. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Sorry, I fell asleep on my keyboard while reading this at my desk. We weren’t even given a reason why Steve picked these particular people for the team. I was hoping to see some new faces for the Avengers, not the same old people.

  83. "I’m going to choose you Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Spider-Woman for my Avengers! And for my New Avengers! Some of you might even be on different teams!!"

  84. @TNC I’m pretty sure Thor and the rest of the community are nice enough to not demand secret identities in the heat of battle of even right after it. I mean seriously, Thor was dead when the whole winter soldier thing happened, then steve dies right when Thor comes back. So when was Steve supposed to tell Thor that Bucky had returned exactly.

    Also there are much more important things to be arguing about than this. like for starters why the flip are spider-man and wolverine on this team and new avengers? i though this issue would devide the teams up and answer the roster questions not give me more of them

  85. ok, calmed and collected now. First off, I liked this because it was fun and it hit all the notes and Avengers 1st issue needed to hit. The only problem i have with it is that i know spider-man and wolverine are also in New Avengers. If i didn’t know that this would have been a more enjoyable read. Instead i was waiting for a moment that never came where the two teams were split.

  86. For those who are wondering why and how the cast was chosen, Steve gives you the reason in on like page eleven.  You might not like what he says, but they tell you why they were chosen.  And I say let’s wait for the end of the first arc before kvetching about rosters.

    It wasn’t JRJR’s best art, but I still liked it quite a bit.  I freakin loved the last page reveal.  One of my favorite ‘little used’ villains.

  87. @MisterJ yeah me too, i reread it knowing that the team didn’t macth up to what i thought it would and its a great read all the way through

     

  88. I REALLY want some evil silly putty

  89. This book was good, but not great. WHo cares about the Heroic age banner? This art looks like John Romita jr., inked by Klaus Janson. That’s what you get. Some nerds have nothing better to do than nit pick.

  90. I loled at the variant cover. I saw it on the shelf and I was like, what?

  91. Alright, Steve Rogers. You need to fix your hair. Now. I am on the verge of losing all respect I ever had for you. Not one more issue of this! NOT ONE MORE!!!

  92. That’s what it would be like to be on a team with Thor.   Sigh

  93. I can’t remember where I read an early review, but they said it wasn’t all set-up the way New Avengers #1 was.  Well, while I haven’t read New Avengers #1 so I can’t compare, this sure felt like a set-up issue to me.  Granted, I’m not a Bendis fan on a good day, although I did enjoy Siege, mainly because it was so un-Bendis like.  Short, to the point, and not lame banter, which was cool when he first did it, now it’s old.  I was hoping the fact that Thor, Cap and Iron Man on a team would get me to get this regularly, but no dice.  Onto Secret Avengers.

  94. You can nitpick pick this book, but it just worked for me.  Loved Thor not knowing who Bucky is. I was totally down on every moment.  I dont understand the JRJR hate at all.  I think its like Skottie Young said about his own art recently on the video show,  they are cartooning.  Its not perfect dissecting every frame, but when youre actually reading it and enjoying it it looks wonderful.  Calm down with the "Roster Questions" why don’t you let New Avengers come out before you freak out about Wolverine and Spider-man being everywhere. 

  95. I’m so happy this was so bad story/plot wise.  Dropped.  I’m officially out of the Avengers.  Thanks.

  96. It was fun – I’m on board.  

    Liked the oral history bit at the end too. 

  97. I loved it.  It was entertaining and dense and it set-up a lot of interesting plot threads. The oral history thing was cooler than I thought it would be.  Loved that Kang still talked like a Silver Age villain.

    Bendis has gotten better at writing single issues.

    They used to be 5 minute reads and these days they take about 12 to 15 (Ultimate Spider-Man especially and Siege has been a recent exception to this.)

    The cover aside Romita Jr.’s art was his standard greatness and the Kang entrance scene was particulary effective and dramatic.

    Luke Cage’s reaction was veeerry interesting and I can’t wait for it to be expanded on in New Avengers.

    Story and Art both get a 4 out of 5 for me.

  98. So the Back to the Future II moment was intentional right…right? I hope…

  99. I enjoyed it, but sometimes I feel like the old man on the porch in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. ‘Why don’t you kiss her instead of talking her to death?!’

  100. I enjoyed this. This was fun, airy and had a great silver-age flair to it. There are some odd hiccups in the art, but for the most part it’s solid JRjr work. It had a very non-Bendis feel to it, despite some Bendis scenes. I loved the Bucky/Thor scene. It’s plays off everyone else on the team having an existing relationship and fits nice. And everyone is pretty on-model. Steve is more or less JRjr’s stock "Blond Male" and as such he looks a lot like Donald Blake from the Jurgens/JRjr run. I’m not a fan of Kang being subservient to someone, but the one thing I’ve wanted from Bendis was a Kang story so I’ll wait it out. 4.5/5 for me.

    @TNC a nose/mouth/chin only costume that has no fundamental differences in design will look the same on any character.

  101. @ AlexG – I assume so.  It would be tragic for two people to have the same completely terrible idea.

  102. @Grandturk–agreed. That panel threw me off the page for a moment…

  103. I just can’t believe that this is a tie-in to a bad Marvel DVD. Are we running out of ideas all of a sudden?

    Next issue: The team faces off against Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four! 

  104. I’m anti-$4 but I bought this anyway. And I’m happy I did. Very fun. I don’t think I’m buying future issues but definitely the trades.

  105. @TNC There have been plans for Bendis to do a story with The Next Avengers for a long time. Pretty sure almost immediately after the DVD came out. Plus, if you created the characters what’s the point in creating yet another alternate future team of kids for no reason than to be MacGuffins when you have a pre-packaged set? Saves on people doing the mental gymnastics to figure out why Marvel has X amount of Future Avengers running around in Y amount of possible futures. 

  106. @Prax: I just thought it was going to be an ongoing DVD series or even a cartoon show. I’m sorry but when I want to read an Avengers book I don’t wanna read a tie-in involving this.

    Have Kang and (possibly) Maestro in the story. But don’t involve the Next Avengers. Just not for me, which is fine. If people enjoy the fact this is a tie-in to an obscure DVD release then I can’t sway you. 

  107. I enjoyed it! I had to google to find out who those kids were at the beginning and it doesn’t bother me at all that it’s from some direct-to-DVD cartoon. Like all alternate future stories, you’re just gonna have to accept it. Some of the dialog was atrocious, but the story "feels" like something that could have been written in the late 80s/early 90s (but that’s because Kang shows up.) I’m not a big fan of JRJR or Janson, but Dean White’s color art made this book palatable. Overall a fun book!

  108. @TNC

    You’re acting like the Next Avengers DVD is needed to read this. You don’t need it. It’s just a nice little tie in. Like Prax said, why create new characters when there’s readily usable ones.

  109. So who is missing here? beast?

  110. A lot of people seem disinterested in the use of the Next Avengers characters — as though it will automatically suck because they didn’t like the DVD. That… does not compute for me. I’ve seen a great many talented writers take silly or contrived ideas and make them sing. So, jury’s out on that aspect. It’s just a future Avengers story, that’s it. As NawidA mentioned above, it’s not necessary to know a THING about the cartoon.

    People also seem to be nitpicking continuity issues and set-up concepts. Thor, for one, would probably NOT know who Bucky was. I get that. He may have fought alongside Bucky in a couple of events, but it was always him coming in at the last minute and leaving after the battle. Thor hasn’t been involved with the Avengers in quite some time, and Bucky hasn’t been Cap for long. Even if someone mentioned who Bucky was, there’s no guarantee that it really meant anything to him.

    As for why the characters were chosen: Steve actually tells you in a single panel when they’re all gathered —  he gives a few descriptors for each person and says exactly why they were chosen for the team. I guess folks passed over that? Or wanted deeper exposition? I didn’t need it. It was perfect for me. If Steve says you represent bravery, that’s good enough for me. 

     For me, that was the huge success of this issue. It was a study in how to write team dialogue. Everyone had lines that revealed something about their characters. Thor’s slightly removed, absent-minded dialogue reveals him as a Thunder God with only one foot set in the affairs of mortals. Spider-man’s incessant joking masks his insecurity. And so on. I thought the banter played fast but stayed tight and consistent as the plot was revealed. 

    Light, airy and fun, which is exactly what I was hoping to see post-Dark Reign.

  111. I love JRJR’s art. I have been a fan since his days on X-men and Spiderman in the 80’s. My problem is I’m not sure I like the idea of Steve Rogers out of uniform and in a more administrational role. I will continue to buy to see where Bendis takes us.

  112. Damn, a whole lot of bitching on this thread.

    I thought this was fun, and I haven’t read a Bendis book since Secret Invasion. Good, silver-age sort of fun. Sure, Bendisitus popped up a few times ("For reals Hawkeye"?) but it was entertaining overall.

    And honestly, who the fuck cares if Spider-man and Wolverine are on two teams? Learn to sit back and just enjoy the stories. That sort of nit picking will make your hair fall out.

  113. The POW winner by a landslide, nice.  🙂

  114. I care because honestly, this whole Wolverine as an Avenger thing has been purely marketing and never been like…Wolverine deserves it the role. I mean i have issues of X-Force where he is blatantly tearing people to shreds and issues of his own book where he is doing less then heroic deeds just because he can. I got over it when he was a member of New Avengers because that was a completely different animal entirely but this is supposed to be a classic Avengers book and Wolverine is thrown in. Plus Steven’s rational for the team really falls falt when he descripes Spiderwoman as Savy…..

    Sorry if this comes off as venting, i overall like the issue just Wolverine and Spidey’s inclusion sort of soured my enjoyment. I’m hoping that thanks to the Age of Heroes one shot Captain Britain joins the team and Spiderman and Wolverine get replaced with like Marvel Boy, She-Hulk or another female character.

    But this is only the first issue and hopefully Bendis decides to write best on good story and merit outside of popularity and marketing. I love JR JR on most stuff but his Ironman has always been atrocious because bar a few cosmetic changes he always draws the same armor which varies wildly in design during the book

  115. Fun but not awesome fun. Most interesting for me was Wonder Man being set up as a potential foil. He’s a great character but recently he hasn’t been used that well and being a bad guy might be cool.

  116. @twistedkaijuu07: Spider-man + Wolverine = $$$$$

    They won’t be leaving any time soon.

  117. I know its one of my pet peeves about the industry that i know i can’t change is that every thing comes down to money and marketablity rather then good comics…i’m still bitter that Cap and the MI:13 was cancelled

  118. I gotta disagree on the whole "Spidey+Wolvie = marketing ploy"notion.

    People love conspiracy theories, but Marvel and Bendis have been on record as saying that this came out of a creative retreat where they questioned "why not have all the best known heroes on one team — like the JLA?" And I see no reason why we should ascribe any other motivation to me. It was an idea that a writer pondered and then ran with. It’s clear to me that Bendis WANTS to write them on the team. He has fun with them. Look at it this way: one of reasons that Wolverine and Spider-man are so iconic is that they both have very clearly defined voices and characters. On a team book, that’s gold.

    I don’t think this book would have sold much more or less without Spidey and Wolverine, honestly. I think they’re there because Bendis likes their voices and the dynamic they add to the team.

  119. I don’t get the gripes about Wolverine and Spider-Man. They are on the Avengers for the same reason Batman and Superman are on the JLA. No biggie. It’s been long established that almost every hero in Marvel has been on the Avengers at some point, whether as a reserves or full time member. Spider-Man has been a member of the Avengers since the early 1980s…so, about half of his existance.

     I had no idea there was a Next Avengers DVD and the DVD seems to have as much impact on this story as the X-Men cartoons have had on the X-Men comics. Don’t let it bother you so much.

  120. I’m not saying that’s the only reason to have them on the team, but it’s naive to think that it’s not a factor in their continued involvement across the multiple books.

  121. NOK: So who is missing here? beast?

     

    Pleeeease… the obvious last member of this Avengers is…. Doc Brown! 

  122. Every single one of you is missing the point: AVENGER-SEGWAYS!!

    (On the page where everyone shows up after Thor knocks Kang to the other building)

  123. If Bendis wants to really write the two on a team book he has New Avengers which they’ve clearly carved a niche in, i just personally wanted a clean break of a book built on the strength of the Avengers on the cover rather then built on Spiderman and Wolverine popularity, thats all i’m saying. I personally have no problem with Spiderman as an Avenger because it was something that was a long time coming, but Steve pointing out spiderman for responsibility still irks me to this day and i still day and Wolverine talking to Jessica Drew about earning her place on the avengers sounds weird coming from a guy who murders people for a living and never seems to answer to anything he ever does. I’ve just never seen Wolverine as an avenger an no type of justification outside of Wolverine deciding not to kill people with his claws anymore and abandoning the X-men will make me see that

  124. The oral history is not so good and conflicts with the Casey mini.

  125. Its good to see Thor back in the Avengers books and not just a guest star and Bendis writes some nice dialogue

  126. With the Doc Brown homage I’m wondering if there will be a Doctor Who nod in the next issue.

    ….That’s a nerdy comment if I ever saw one. lol

  127. @twistedkaijuu07 and everyone who wonders why Wolverine is in the Avengers.  Go back and read New Avengers 2 or 3 I can’t remember which Cap gives the explanation for why the Avengers need a Wolverine.  If I remember correctly it was to carry out the hard choices that others wouldn’t or couldn’t do. 

     Why does Spider-man and responsibility urk you? That is part of the core of the character. Every time he has every shirked his responsibility some one gets hurt or dies.  Please explain.

  128. I’m sorry no matter what anyone says about ignoring One More Day, i cant it was the most out of character irresponsible decision i have seen any character do in my life…so thats why it irks me and i understand that the Avengers need someone ruthless but adding Wolverine to the roster is like giving the Punisher a free run…he’s an unrepentent murderer and it irks me that because no one actually does anything about his actions(prepared for everyone to jump down my throat at that logic)

  129. Wow.

  130. *sigh*

  131. This was awesome!!  I don’t understand all of the criticism.  I loved that Bendis brought in the continuity from the DVD Avengers Next or whatever.  Cute idea

  132. @Twistedkaijuu07  Ok for Spidey.  As for Wolverine Punisher comparison, Wolverine will kill if he has to Punisher kills because he has to.  They are very close but if Wolverine was exactly like the Punisher there would be a lot fewer Avengers rouges and Norman Osborne, Tony Stark, and others would be dead.  Oh yeah and Punisher is crazy.

  133. Wolverine has avenged many a person in his long life. Why can’t he be an Avenger? He seems perfect for avenging stuff. Avenge this. Avenge that.

  134. I actually went to my LCS and dropped this. Sorry but after a couple of re-reads and some thought, this title is just not for me.

    I’ll try Secret Avengers though cause, sorta on the same vein as Batwoman, it somehow has been in my mind for awhile. Brubaker on a Spec Ops team sounds about right.

  135. When i was kid i got the last issue of West Coast Avengers as a birthday present…it was awesome and cemented my love of the avengers then i got a couple random back issues here and there and found this great issue which had this pin up of the classic avengers team. Spiderman was on it thats why ive allways giving him a pass and when i think of the avengers i think of that pin up with wonderman the vision, cap, black panther…wolverine is the farthest from my mind of avenger…but back to the issue it was pretty good though i’m hoping for a roster change

  136. Just remembered that Bucky and Thor were both in the Stark: Dissassembled arc in Iron Man. You’d think Thor would have used that time to go up to Steve and ask "Yo, who the fuck is this guy?" But I guess he felt awkward about it.

  137. I’m sorry I just had the image of TNC going to the store then going home, reading Avengers, shaking his head, sleeping, waking up, driving to his LCS, walking in, making eye contact with the store guy, and then pointing at Avengers with only two words to say before leaving promptly. DROP IT.

  138. I give Twistedkaijuu07 comment of the week. He’s awesome. I’m not being facetious. That’s the kind of unbriddled passion I love to see in fellow fans.

  139. ATTENTION! TNC has dropped the Book. Stay Calm and Carry On

  140. How did Spider-Woman look?

    How come no one answered my original question to prove that JRJR has some problems with his art?

    Except Edward, who said JRJR’s art was an absurd choice when it comes to the attractiveness of Spider-Woman.

  141. If that is what we base comments of the week on, TheNextChampion needs to be awarded user of the decade at iFanboy.

  142. @Scorpion: you loss me, mate, what question?

  143. @NawidA-You forgot about him getting up and re-reading it, pondering, eating breakfast, reading, again, and then going to the store.  🙂

  144. The one you answered correctly.

    Would you rather date or look like Spider-Woman (Maleev) or Spider-Woman (JRJR)?

    A real live Austrailian called ME mate!

  145. @Sorpion: see, now, that didn’t come across as a question about JRJR’s art but some weird sex fantasy thing.

  146. Oh . . .

    You still answered correctly.

  147. "My god… it’s full of nitpciks!" I really don’t like Wolverine, but I’ll admit I really enjoyed the scenes between Logan and Jessica Drew. As well, I’m not a fan of the current Spider-Man status quo, but his presence on the team doesn’t hinge on any of that. He’s just hanging out with his buds.

    @Drake Steve was really only there for 5 minutes. I imagine the rest was Awkward silence as Thor and Bucky just stood around waiting for Tony to do something. 

  148. This has a 42% pick of the week percentage? I must have missed something or read the wrong book.

  149. I was  Really looking forward to this and it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t that great,,,I know people love JRJR’s but I would have loved to see Oliver Coipel do the first arch of this series.,,,The story itself was really bland ,,come on why use the Next Avengers DVD as a starting point for this series,,,for some reason I taught loki would pop up,,hey faked my death here I come ,,,,,shit give me a prison break with osbourn,,but Kang jump in time bullshit …This back to the future shit is getting really boring…batman and captain america come to mind,,,as for the argument of
    Spider-Woman (Maleev) or Spider-Woman (JRJR)?give me a Greg Land drawing of any female any day of the week…2 out of 5 for me

  150. Doctor Nutz, wonderfully descriptive name by the way, people aren’t allowed to like Greg Land here.

    But you also answered the question correctly.

    I like the Next Avengers movie.

  151. Worst banner ever, I can’t help agreeing with that.  And I have to admit, huge fan that I am, I was a bit unsure of Romita, Jr.’s art at first.  By the end I didn’t have any complaints. He’s still the best action guy in the business, and I appreciate Bendis trying to speed up his storytelling.  This felt rockier than Siege.  It just had a few moments that made up for it.

  152. why is Bendis using Next Avengers as a basis for his story?  I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that his daughter loves it.  also, this story is supposed to include many many alternate futures, so Next Avengers is only the tip of the iceberg.

    why do these characters belong on the Avengers?  if you are really asking this question about these characters, you need to never read an Avengers book again.  really, it’s in the fucking premise!  they are on Earth, they are not only mighty, but the mightiest, and they are heroes.

    and if the art bothers you? go back through each panel and tell me what is happening and who is doing it, then remember that the art helps to tell the story and stop complaining about who didn’t look like themselves.

  153. Damn, laying down the law angry tone-style, ABirdseysView.

    But answer me this question: Would you rather date or look like Spider-Woman (Maleev), Spider-Woman (Land) or Spider-Woman (JRJR)?

  154. @Scorpoin: Clarify  ‘date’

  155. With all the people complaining about the price I wonder what is gonna happen WHEN all books go to $3.99.  Will you stop reading or will you continue to buy?

  156. Dinner, movie, conversation and a platonic bubble bath.

  157. @Scorpion, Maleev, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Land draw Spider-Woman.  I agree JRJR makes her look like an ape.

  158. I like JR JR’s art.  I loved his Punisher: War Zone.  But every once in a while, I think all of his dudes really need a nose job.

  159. This was fun but it reminded of both the first Booster Gold arc and Avengers Forever. It seemed odd to have big bombastic moments mixed with Bendis’ trademark conversation. I think most of all this suffers from ‘first issue itis’ where there’s so much set-up your unsure about how to feel about the book, plus you can’t help but be effected by the hype. This has happened to me a dozen times, like with Ennis’ MAX Punisher book. The first issue had me going ‘well that was OK I guess’ and then the second issue knocked me on my ass and it became one of ny favorite series. I think issue 2, when we get into the meat of the story, will blow everyone away. I trust Bendis and I love JRJR…fucking bring it!

  160. Ewwweee on Romita’s work. Ooooo I did like the ending though.

  161. I fucking love JRJR! Had to get that out…

  162. None of the JRJR love answers the question.

    Until the question is answered, all your opinions are suspect.

  163. @Scorpion: really? why? because we can tell the differience between a comic book character and a possible sexual partner?

  164. I did, I said Maleev because I’ve never seen a Land-drawn Spider-Woman, and JRJR’s does in fact look like an ape.  however her ape-looks doesn’t deter me from saying this issue was great for the reason edward said above.

  165. Because like ABirdseysView said, there is some ugly art and if you can’t admit that, then you are hiding something and that makes you suspect; however, both of you have answered the question and you two are not suspect.

    Edward, you ain’t Socrates.

  166. I liked this a whole lot.  I’ve been very down on NEW AVENGERS since Secret Invasion, and this is kind of back on track for me.  Just good superhero fun with some A Listers, a cool villain, and a big plot in capable creative hands.  Seeing Hawkeye back in costume has me very excited.

     I can’t comment on the cartoon, never saw it and don’t see why it should impact anyone’s enjoyment of this.

  167. Does anyone know if the Young Avengers are remaining a separate team or if they’re being incoporated into one of the new Avengers titles?  New, Secret, Academy?  I know they have the upcoming Children’s Crusade, but I didn’t know if they’d be featured in another book or not. 

  168. I thought the art was excellent. I love JRJR on books like ASM and Kick-Ass and I think that his work adds to the lighthearted feel that this book is going for. No better choice for art, in my opinion. I understand that the art is not for everyone, but I personally like the more sketchy and cartoony feel. I like tight, detailed pencils too, but it’s nice to see somebody try and do something different with their art.

    Except Cap’s hair on the third page.

  169. @Scorpion: this is one of the most insane arguements i been part of for a while. Why does the attractiveness of spider-woman determine the quality of JRJR’s art. It’s not meant to be photo-realistic or titilate you like Greg Land, it’s stylised expressionist crtooning. It’s meant to express ideas or emotion.

    What you are saying is that a painting like Guernica can’t make to feel sad because it’s all flat and the horse doesn’t look realistic

  170. Let me just say I am really, really, really, really happy that the surly 15 year-olds of the Next Avengers are finally making their official canonic appearance. I enjoyed that DVD more than anyone has a right to. 

    And I doubt it’s really going there (hope not, actually), but if they end up being "villians" (or just power-mad 15 year-olds with no supervision tearing stuff up through time and space), I will laugh and laugh and laugh.

    Either way, I really love Torrun and can’t wait to see more of her.

  171. I haven’t seen the book. I’ve seen some released images, including Spider-Woman. You think it is incredible that anyone criticize JRJR’s art.

    It is not about looking unrealistic. It is not about being flat. It is not about cartooning.

    IT IS ABOUT AN IMAGE LOOKING UGLY when the image is supposed to be beautiful.

    That is all.

  172. @ScorpionMasada And… boom. With that line you’ve negated any point you were trying to make. You haven’t seen the book? What page/preview art are you pointing to where she looks like an Ape? Because that certainly wasn’t the case in the issue itself. And if it is your basis, I suggest you reacquaint yourself with what an ape looks like. What was the point of all your blathering on in this thread? To prove you have a "better" eye for art? A desperate attempt to have people validate your choices and feel accepted? The reason no one has been answering your questions is that no one wants to validate your asinine tack in this thread. You took the time to make over 20 comments all saying the thing about the quality of the art in a book you didn’t even read. I think it might be time to invest in a life. 

  173. Prax or JRJR III, you got it confused.

    You are pulling out the classic (and valid) argument that people shouldn’t defend or criticize a book they haven’t read and trying to apply it to art.

    I saw the same preview pages that were posted here.

    You can comment on art you have seen.

    I never said she looked like an ape.

    I did imply she looked like a plastic surgery victim.

    Reality cannot be negated.

    Boom! And with that I continue to blather disinvest in a life.

  174. You don’t like JRJR’s work.

    You’re not the only one, but why do you feel the need to troll with a stupid question that has nothing at all to do with the actual book?

    Boom.

    And with that, you continue to be annoying. 

     

  175. The funny thing about ScorpionMasada’s who would you date question is that it makes me think of the Simpsons Halloween Treehouse of Horror where we see a real life Homer. Ugh. 

    Y’know maybe Avengers can be that one title where Spider-Woman isn’t super sexy? And it’s kind of refreshing that JRJR can’t do super sexy after every other artist does nothing but super sexy. 

  176. You know how Jean-Paul Sartre said Hell is Other People? I think this thread seems to have proven a certain someone’s theory. 🙂

  177. @genaverse I’m with you, that movie was way more awesome than it had any right to be and it took me completely by surprise

  178. Edward, I thought I was your mate . . .

    I do like some of JRJR’s work. Like I said in an early post, it depends on the inker (I think). I am even planning on buying this when it is collected.

    My intention is not to annoy . . . (I think)

    Boom?

     

  179. Finally got to read this book. It was a very good book all in all. The one thing that caused it not to get a 5 was that Bendis does not have the voice for some of the characters. Iron Man’s and Thor’s voice down at all. Tony never sounds smart or witty or dazzling once in the issue. Thor seems brutish, aggressive and thuggish – which is far removed from where he is in the present universe. Bendis will need to correct that in my opinion.

  180. Story was okay, but JRJr’s art was bad. I dont think he’s the man for this. Bendis should’ve got Copiel. Highly dissappointed. Whomp Whomp.

     

  181. I had a good time with this book. It reminded my of why I liked the Avengers when I was a kid and I like the "clean slate" feel. I disagree with @marveladdict617 about the art. This Avenger’s team is over the top and the art should be as well. I do however HATE HATE HATE the graphic design branding of The Herioic Age. Awful. I mean really Marvel? You have some of the best talent under your wing and this is the lackluster design you come up with? All it needs now is a lens flare and we’re in business.

  182. yeah, I said she looked like an ape.  this is true in the teaser image, which is not in the actual book.  there are some panel in the book where is face looks very odd, and it made me laugh and think back to that teaser image.  this didn’t bother me or stop me from making it my POTW.  I wasn’t expecting to be turned on by Spider-Woman, or at least not in this book.  in the Maleev book, there were definitely scenes that were supposed to make the reader feel like this was an attractive woman.  same goes with Secret Invasion.  but it’s all in what the story is.

    and I agree that you really shouldn’t be posting too much in a thread where you did not the issue. 

  183. Probably wouldn’t have posted at all.

    I was conducting an experiment.

    I was going to comment on every book released that week.

    Made it about 25 books in and got tired.

    Got caught up in a little argument here.

    The experiment failed . . .

    I didn’t mean any harm.

  184. I was looking forward to reading this after finishing Siege, a series which brought the epic events of Civil War, Secret Invasion, and Dark Reign to a very satisfying close. Unfortunately, Siege now looks like a great jumping off point. I liked the artwork in Avengers #1, but it just didn’t feel right … and the storyline was OK. I’d give this a Netflix-style 3-star rating … "LIKED IT". But, honestly, if I have to make a choice between spending $9 a month to keep up with Amazing Spider-Man and $4 a month for The Avengers, I’m going with Spidey. After reading Avengers #1, ASM feels like I’m getting far more bang for my buck. And, frankly, this whole Heroic Age thing feels like we’re turning the clock back. I’m just not buying it. I don’t need or want a new age of heroes. I expect well-written comic books with sophisticated plots and stunning artwork. This book felt like it was written for the G-rated audience that will be purchasing it on their iPad after all us suckers have paid $4 for the hard copy. No thanks. I’ll pass.

  185. @cahubble09 Spidey is more like $10 a month… They sneak in a 3.99 issue about 1 out of every three.

  186. @JimBilly4: OK … $10/month for ASM … STILL feels like a better buy than Avengers. I’m not saying I didn’t like this book. I like JRJR’s art. But, seriously, "Back to the Future meets Iron Man, Thor, Captain Rogers, and Co."? That just doesn’t cut it. This is the age of LOST. If you’re gonna do time travel, you really need to knock my socks off.

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