Avengers 1: Avengers World

Comic Info

Avengers (4) #1-3

Reprints Avengers (4) #1-6 (February 2013-April 2013).  There is a threat to the world and the Avengers have been stopped.  Captain America must initiate a plan by Tony Stark and himself to expand the Avengers into a web of protection that can save the world from a new threat named Ex Nihilo.  When the new team is gathered, Ex Nihilo might not be the only threat.  The new team includes Captain Universe who reveals that the Avengers’ world might be changing more than they thought.

Avengers (4) #1 Deadpool Gangnam Style Variant

Written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Jerome Opeña and Adam Kubert, Avengers Volume 1:  Avengers World is part of Marvel Now’s relaunch.  With a quick release schedule, the series is quickly being turned around for collection.  The story includes Marvel AR which allows smartphone users to access extra content.  The issues in this volume were also collected as part of Avengers by Jonathan Hickman—Volume 1 and Avengers by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus—Volume 1.

I was pretty jaded with The Avengers after Brian Michael Bendis’ mind-numbing run on the series.  Bendis kept breaking up potentially great storylines with huge event comic series and tons of dull talking heads.  The Avengers movie was ok to me…I didn’t feel it was the best thing I had ever seen, and would have liked it much better if I was twelve.  With that, I approached Hickman’s Avengers with a lot of caution.

I have to say I was rather impressed.  Hickman tries a bit too hard to layer his story, and it does almost feel like a Grant Morrison version of the Avengers (who I can admit is hit-or-miss himself).  I always love when a series tries to involve unconventional members…here in the “mainstream” Avengers it seems like all we get are unconventional members.

Avengers (4) #1  Variant

Bendis went with the idea of the big and best characters of Marvel.  I don’t like Spider-Man or Wolverine as Avengers, and Hickman reversed this idea.  Yes, all the big guns are still Avengers but this team focuses on characters like New Mutant grads Sunspot and Cannonball, Shang-Chi, Hyperion, the Imperial Guard’s Smasher, and the omnipresent Captain Universe.  I hope that Hickman sticks with this format and continues to focus on the expanded team rather than the core team.

The big reveal at the end of this collection is the return (and possible merging) of the New Universe.  Captain Universe reveals that Ex Nihilo’s “Adam” is Nightmask.  Captain Universe then warns the Avengers that the White Event is coming…the event that jumpstarted the New Universe.  The next thing that the Avengers could do is a trip to 2099 or help Marvel figure out the legal problems with the Ultraverse.

Avengers 1:  Avengers World is definitely worth visiting.  It is a different take on Marvel’s popular team and feels fresh after the long run of one writer.  Hickman has proven himself in the past on Fantastic Four, and I look forward to more Avengers.  He’s backed-up by a strong art team of Jerome Opeña and Adam Kubert who do a nice job telling the story.  I understand the idea behind Marvel AR, but I do get pretty irritated by seeing the pages peppered by little “AR” symbols.  I’m glad a new team of Avengers have assembled.  Avengers Volume 1:  Avengers World is followed by Avengers Volume 2:  The Last White Event.

Related Links:

Avengers Volume 2:  The Last White Event

Avengers Volume 3:  Prelude to Infinity

Avengers Volume 5:  Adapt or Die

Avengers Volume 6:  Infinite Avengers