I fucking LOVE this book!

For starters, the design is beautiful. The cover of nearly every issue is worthy of being framed and hung on a wall. I love the monochromatic look of the “previously in New Avengers” intro in each issue. I love the cinematic feel of the intro page. It’s like witnessing the opening credits of some epic, super-cool movie.

The art team on this book was kicking ass right out of the gate, and six issues in, they haven’t shown a sign of easing off. The line-work, the color choices, the EVERYTHING that these guys are doing feels vibrant and hums with electricity. The artistic bad-assery going on here is so great, it could easily overshadow the work of most writers in the comic industry. But not Jonathan Hickman.

Hickman’s story-crafting skills are solidly on-par with the beautiful imagery presented in New Avengers. Through the magic of his writing, the relentless, crushing gravity of the situation our heroes find themselves in is subtly shifted onto the reader’s shoulders. This sharing of the load makes us feel like participants in the story instead of casual, disinterested observers. When I read this book, I’m right there with the characters, hanging on every word and waiting to see what will happen next with a curious combination of both anticipation and dread.

New Avengers is an epic book, featuring a cast of epic characters carrying the fate of worlds on their shoulders. The stress caused by that weight serves to strip the characters down, giving us a unique look at what motivates them. It allows us to look at what they want and what they fear. And while there are some fun, bright moments featuring shit getting punched and/or blown the fuck up, it is the moments showing our heroes reacting to their burden that shine the brightest.