A new day dawns for Earth’s mightiest heroes! But in order to avenge something, you first have to lose it. Your Major Spoilers review of Avengers #1 from Marvel Comics awaits!
AVENGERS #1
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: C.F. Villa
Colorist: Federico Blee
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: May 17, 2023
Previously in Avengers: The Star. The Icon. The Witch. The Construct. The God. The Engineer. The King.
The world is ever in peril, and a new team of Avengers mobilizes to meet any dangers that dare threaten the planet. But when Terminus attacks, a new and insidious danger rears its head: one that the Avengers know all too well, and one that comes to them in the most dangerous of guises… that of a friend.
NEW CHAIRMAN, NEW ROSTER
In the wake of the battle at the God Quarry, the Avengers are once again in flux, and Captain Marvel begins this issue with an uncharacteristic moment of quiet contemplation, looking down on the planet Earth from orbit. Of course, an Avenger is always on duty, so when Terminus attacks, the new chairman of the Avengers calls her team into action. As the team battles the giant robot to protect Project Pegasus, we get to see each new Avenger being recruited: Iron Man as Cap’s executive officer, Thor as her powerhouse, The Black Panther to redeem his recent actions, Captain America Sam Wilson to serve as the voice of humanity, The Vision for sheer will to overcome all odds, and The Scarlet Witch to do the impossible. That becomes a necessity when the experimental black hole reactor Terminus wants begins to melt down, forcing Wanda to cast a spell to banish it. Or at least, preparing to cast a spell when Captain Marvel can lift it high enough into the atmosphere.
A SYNERGISTIC VILLAIN?
Oh, and there’s the matter of a dying villain who somehow summons the Captain to deliver a warning with his dying breath. It’s a solid opening, one that I like more than the last Avengers #1 I read, and that one led to an epic five-year tapestry of superhero madness. This issue finally elevates Carol Danvers to official leadership of the team, and makes some daring choices on who to put into play. It will likely annoy the vocal fans who insist that it’s not the Avengers without Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Thor, but it very much pleases me. C.F. Villa is a new name to me, but their art is quite good, especially in the quieter moments of the story, but the battle is exciting to look at, as well. The reveal on the last page is intentionally infuriating, but it’s not only really well-drawn, but it also puts into play a number of characters and elements that it has in common with the upcoming stories of the MCU. I’m even fine with Vision returning to something very much like his 90s costume, because it all folds together into the larger story.
BOTTOM LINE: A STRONG OPENING ACT
As the first volley of the ninth volume, Avengers #1 kicks things off explosively, combining world-shattering madness with quiet character moments and interactions that show off the deep ties of the character, Captain Marvel’s strong leadership skills, and some pretty impressive art, shaking down to 4 out of 5 stars overall. MacKay, Villa, and company have a tough act to follow in Jason Aaron’s long run, but this issue shows that they’ve got the chops and the ideas to pull it off. It’s well worth checking out.
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AVENGERS #1
It's always fun when the creators explain the reasoning of their team's membership, and Terminus has never looked better.
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Writing7
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Art8
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Coloring8
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