Comic Book Pull of the Week: ‘Avengers #1’ Review

Avengers, assemble! Avengers #1 by Jed MacKay and C.F. Villa finally released, giving new life to Marvel’s flagship book. Announced in January, fans have been anticipating the arrival of the new run.

Previously under the reign of Eisner Award winning writer, Jason Aaron, this new series sets forth an all new Avengers crew full of familiar faces. Led by Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, the first issue hits the ground running—with a classic, “getting the band back together” story.

*Warning: spoilers ahead for Avengers #1

The issue starts off with Carol reflecting on the moon, looking over the beautiful blue marble that is Earth. “What does it mean to be an Avenger?” she asks herself. It’s not a promise, it’s a warning. A warning for the Avengers, themselves. As Captain Marvel puts it, “Because to avenge something, you have to lose it.”

Carol then springs into action, as the squad is already fighting on Earth. The colossal Terminus is wreaking havoc, searching for an energy core at Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. and destroying the facility in the process. But this issue isn’t actually about stopping Terminus, it’s about Carol putting this team together.

The next page then flashes back seven days prior to the battle, as Carol is announced as the new Head of the Avengers. Tony, who is there with her, congratulates her and asks who she is going to choose for her squad. First pick? Iron Man, of course.

Jed MacKay addresses many elephants in the room, in this debut title. The first being Carol and Tony’s relationship. Fans of the Captain Marvel series, by Kelly Thompson, know that Tony and Carol patched up their relationship after the fallout of the infamous Civil War II. Yet, it is important that this issue lays the groundwork for everyone. There is a chance that the reader has not been keeping up with all these characters solo series. Jed does a wonderful job in reiterating where Carol and Tony are now, friends.

In the conversation, Carol tells Tony that Avengers aren’t cops—they’re firefighters. Their discussion on the matter shows that Jed understands exactly where Carol’s headspace is.

Now, that Carol has the genius on the team, she gets the muscle. Thor has been dealing with the death of Odin, and agrees to join the Avengers without much hesitance. Thor always been an Avenger, since the beginning, and always will be ’till the end—sternly confirming that he will fight by her side.

Carol then finds T’Challa, who agrees to join—somewhat begrudgingly. In the previous run, Black Panther was the leader of the Avengers until controversy hit. T’Challa seemingly turned his trust on the Avengers, trying to protect his own people. Captain Marvel shows forgiveness, and understanding, offering a spot to “the most dangerous man on Earth.”

Carol has her billionaire super-genius, a former King of Wakanda, a King of Gods and herself. She says she needs a “normal person”, a Captain America. After witty conversation between the three captains, Sam Wilson joins the Avengers over Steve Rogers. Sam, the social worker, fits that mold to perfection. A grounded perspective, always with an eye on reality.

One of the more fascinating additions to the Jed MacKay Avengers team is Vision. Carol finds Vision, haunted after the events of Judgement Day. During the event, a rogue Celestial judges everyone on Earth. The God deemed whether all of humanity deserved to live or die based on their best and worst traits. That is, everyone but Vision. Vision, who has worked his entire existence to be seen as a person, was only seen as a machine to the Celestial. Carol gives him a pep talk—explaining that the Vision she knows never cared about what a God thought. The Vision she knows met his creator and “told him to go to Hell.”

The last of the Avengers to join is Wanda Maximoff—the Scarlet Witch. Carol finds Wanda in the Emporium, her magic shop from the current Scarlet Witch ongoing by Steve Orlando. Wanda’s answer to Carol is simple, “If the Avengers call, then the Scarlet Witch will always answer.”

Back to the battle, the Avengers push back Terminus until it explodes. Due to the explosion, Carol is transported to a mysterious location. Nowhere, Nowhen, Null-time, and Between Moments—the last refuge of Kang the Conqueror. Kang greets Carol, with a warning—the context of which is to be revealed next issue.

To say this is a great issue for new readers is an understatement. Jed MacKay does a wonderful job weaving each characters individual stories from their ongoing issues into this one

The flashes back and forth, between Carol’s assembling and ongoing battle, are classically done. With each member’s introduction being followed by the role they play in the fight with Terminus. On paper, this may be one of the most powerful Avenger lineups to date, with the reintroduction of Wanda and Vision to the team.

C.F. Villa’s art in this is top class, emphasized by Federico Blee’s colors. Every character looks great, to be expected. C.F. had done wonderful work with Jed on their Black Cat series together. Leading to the question of if, and when, Felicia Hardy will make her Avengers debut!

This new Avengers run from Jed and C.F. is off to a hot start. Jed completely understands where each of these characters are right now, and I cannot wait to see where the story with Kang leads. So what do you say? You in?

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Avengers #1 Review

Writer: Jed MacKay

Artist: C.F. Villa

Color Artist: Federico Blee

Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit