Rorschach Reviews: Avengers 2 Marvel NOW!

Rorschach Reviews

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Rorschach's Journal, 19th December 2012: 'Our champions are trapped, a new order forms, The End is Nigh!!!'

Comic Book: Avengers No. 2 Marvel NOW!

Creative Team: Writer-Jonathan Hickman

                          Art-Jerome Opena

                          Colors-Dean White

                          Cover(s)-Esad Ribic, John Romita Jr. and Dustin Weaver

Release Date: 19th December 2012

Score: 8/10 

Pros: -Cinematic style to the comic

         -Cool montage of Avengers recruitment 

         -Subtle hints that add layers to assert previous continuity 

         -Focus on B-list characters 

         -Refined and striking art as well as graphic design 

         -Future building narrative

Cons: -B Plot villains trying to destroy Earth is not impactful

          -Not much action for the average fan

Main Events: Ex Nihlo detonates origin bombs to ravage Earth, Flashback to Tony Stark and Steve Rogers recruitment of a larger Avengers team, The Avengers travel to Mars.

Memorable Quote(s): 'Tell them we're going to Mars. Tell them I need warriors and I need heroes. Tell them it's the end of the world, and what I need...are Avengers.'-Captain America

Memorable Panel(s): The recruitment sequence highlights the scope of Hickman's Avengers and provides comedic and inspiring moments. 

Cinematic, Epic and Grandiose. These are the words that describe Hickman's work in Avengers. He like in his former Fantastic Four run builds a narrative that looks to impact issues far and wide. This allows readers to get into the series and realize that fans will be given the lengthy narrative pay-offs and build to a great level.

Hickman not only builds to the future but lays his foundation from the past. As Tony Stark mentions during the recruitment chat with Captain America "Some useful pieces of the old organization will survive. A limited roster until needs demand more. Call it a foundation..."

This is not only in case of members but using previous continuity, whether it's a fleeting mention of New Avengers; Luke Cage and Dr. Strange not joining and Thor being questioned on resurrection among his pantheon (fans of J.Michael Straczynski will understand this).

While surprisingly there is no action. The scene in this case shines in similar ways is the Avengers recruitment. There is subtle humor where Tony and Steve use stereotypical tropes to convince certain characters. The best of which include using beer to convince Wolverine and money to convince Spider-man. These scenes are short but fun, the most impact-full are those for the B-List characters. These allow to look at their insight into joining the Avengers such as former New Mutants Bobby (Sunspot) and Sam (Canonball) claiming the A for Avenger is liked and adored where as the X for X-men is hated and feared. 

Opena's art is refined and smooth, it provides the necessary sparkle to make the reader immerse in a movie like experience within the comic. The graphic design is another added pleasure, the basic design and white and blue color scheme is easy to the eye. The use of the circular info-graph is a welcome addition which presents the symbol for each hero in nice detail including a red color on the currently neutralized members.  

As mentioned there isn't much action as the crux of the plot hinges on the larger team building of the Avengers. The B-Plot with Ex Nihlo's intent on purging and then resurrecting the Earth feels like a vehicle in forming the team.

Overall the comic at times may feel underwhelming to new and average readers, but i assure them this is typical Hickman. He is known to plan his work ahead and thus the plot for the early issues will drag on. However once the plot threads come together a pay off will occur for readers. 

Check my review for Uncanny X-Force 35 as well: http://comicaper.blogspot.com/2012/12/rorschach-reviews-uncanny-x-force-35.html

'Nuff Said

Aneesh Raikundalia