Shocking betrayals, and a fan-favorite hero is expelled from the Avengers ranks! What in the world is going on here? Your Major Spoilers review of All-New All-Different Avengers #5 awaits!
ALL-NEW ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #5
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Mahmud Asrar
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: TomMarvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in All-New All-Different Avengers: “The Avengers have already racked up some impressive wins, despite their lack of funding and resources. But trouble is brewing under the surface: The Vision is blackmailing Nova for unknown reasons, and Mr. Gryphon, the mysterious new owner of Avengers Tower, is sabotaging the Avengers at every turn…”
CLASSIC AVENGERS CONFLICT AND STRUGGLE
Okay, something is very wrong with The Vision. This issue opens with Vision upgrading his holographic sensor array to add projection technology, then removing all record of that alteration from the computer, for as-yet-unknown means. At the same time, Kamala “Ms. Marvel” Khan is busy with her own heroic concerns…
…or, at least Avengers fanfic speculating on last issue’s surprising kiss between Captain America and Thor . To be fair, it was technically a kiss bestowed by Thor TO Captain America, but that’s still not the point. Or rather, it is the point, as this team of Avengers spends the rest of the issue banging into one another, figuratively and literally. When The Vision brings his new holo-projector into play, it is to falsify evidence that Ms. Marvel endangered civilians, leading to her expulsion from the team. When he attempts to address this injustice, Nova is likewise fired by Captain America, while The Vision smiles maliciously and silently in the background. This issue also intensified the mystery surrounding ‘The Kang Dynasty’, brings back a Marvel Team-Up villain named Equinox, and finally lets The Avengers in on Thor’s secret, in a very strong cliffhanger fashion…
LOVELY CHARACTER INTERACTIONS
Waid’s script is excellent this month, reminding me of the glory days of ‘Cap’s Kooky Quartet,’ with the team stepping on one another, miscommunicating and shouting a lot, with dire consequences for the world. The use of the ANAD Marvel characters, especially this batch, would be difficult for any creative team, but this issue expertly maneuvers The Avengers (all of whom, it must be noted, are appearing in their own solo series, which may be a first for the team) without every undermining the sense of who they are elsewhere in the Marvel Universe. Best of all, Tony Stark’s presence is moderated here, avoiding the problem so many Avengers comics have had since about 2006 or so, the issue of turning into ‘Iron Man and His Amazing Friends.’ Mahmud Asrar has every single character down in these pages, even the tricky new Iron Man armor, delivering satisfying battle sequences, dynamic conversations, and a wonderful moment with Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man joyfully swinging across the skyline towards their Avengers meeting. It’s truly one of my favorite moments of this book so far…
THE BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
In short? If you’re not buying this book, you’re missing out on the best of Marvel’s characters, rendered by an incredibly talented creative team. All-New All-Different Avengers #5 makes all of the heroes shine, gives us a little mystery, a little intrigue, at least one Avenger who is out of their mind, and puts it all down with wonderful art, earning a very-impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. If your idea of the Avengers should be Marvel’s greatest heroes gathered together to face the foes no one else can? This is the book for you…
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