Comics: Avengers #1 + #2

Lets face it, Avengers was the biggest film of the year. There’s just no denying it, it totally was. So it makes perfect sense to start this all new Avengers series with the team from the film. From this point on Jonathan Hickman could of gotten a little lazy, telling any simple story and it still could have sold as it has the word ‘Avengers’ stamped on the front (that god awful Avengers Assemble series proves that time and time again). Instead Hickman crafts a new story about this team being defeated by a powerful new enemy. The back-up Avengers are assembled; and there are a lot of them!

Issue 1

“We have to get bigger”

Starting with a series of flash-forwards establishing the darkness that is to come; the tone is set for the new series right from the outsight. Briefly flashing back to Captain America and Iron Man deciding to expand the Avengers’ roster, we are then introduced to the villains of the story; led by the God-like Ex Nihlo.  I quite like the concept behind these villains; that they are looking to raze Earth and start over; quite clearly inspired by The Day The Earth Stood Still. The Avengers’ team from the film is sent in to combat the villains; getting their arses spectacularly handed to them. I love the way the two heavy hitters, Hulk and Thor, are turned against one another to take them out; convincing Hulk that Thor is mocking him.

Jerome Opeña does a fantastic job on art duties, giving the series a very realistic style and a film like scale. Even simple details like Captain America suiting up are greatly detailed. The brief action scenes look totally epic.

Ending with Cap assembling his new team, anticipation is high for the next issue.

Issue 2

A lot of this issue focuses on retreading events of the last, yet thankfully it expands enough to keep you invested. The new villains explain in detail their plans, how they have been searching for years for a planet that could remake to perfection; deciding Earth is it.

It is also established just who is in this new roster of Avengers. Some old members return, not surprisingly including fan favourites Wolverine and Spiderman. A lot of humour is found in the various recruitment techniques used to assemble the team; something that was lacking a little in the first issue. Some of the new team seems have to just been chosen as they have never been Avengers before, with their being more obvious choices available.

The artwork continues to be fantastic, even while it is a slower issue than the first. In fact it is a very conversational issue, with the only action being the attacks on Earth that inspire Captain America to try again to fight the villains. These have a very classic monster movie vibe.

This issue ends with the new team having just landed on Mars, prepared to take on Ex Nihlo.