Review: Empyre: Avengers #1 (of 3)

Empyre represents a very different kind of challenge for the Avengers and Fantastic Four, rather than simply fighting an enemy on one front they also have to work to protect innocents in a larger war on multiple fronts. Much like M. Night Shayamalan“s ”˜The Happening“, the enemy here is nature itself. The Cotati are a plant like species out to eliminate all animal life. This creates quite an original enemy as it“s basically the revenge of the natural world onto ourselves.
The United Kree-Skrull alliance seek to crush this new threat, even if the battlefield of earth is destroyed in the process. This scenario creates a unique set of challenges for Earth“s Mightiest Heroes as they must save innocent lives from the crossfire even while trying to take down the Cotati. By this issue“s end we also see unique challenges as Ka-zar“s wife Shanna and Man-Thing appear to be siding with the Cotati.

The brilliance of this issue lies in Jim Zub“s writing focusing strongly on character interactions. The Avengers have always been about the relationships between these larger than life heroes and this issue definitely represents this well. Seeing Luke Cage meeting Doctor Nemesis, Mockingbird and Wonder Man discussing what a jerk Quicksilver still is, Black Knight returning to the team and Doctor Voodoo being a functioning part of the team is an absolute joy. So to is seeing T“Challa serving as leader in this complex battle.

The Avengers here are fighting two very complex battles and the path to the end of this crossover is not clear cut because of these complex dynamics. The art throughout this issue is amazing, whether it“s a dinosaur in the Savage Land, Man-Thing or battle scenes against the Kree and Cotati, the art throughout the issue is clear, creative and perfectly executed. This is classic Avengers, but at no point does the art feel old or simplistic. The characters are all rendered perfectly by Carlos Magno.
The colors by Espen Grundetjern are just a bit too muted and the book might benefit from a dedicated inker, but the overall effect is as epic and beautiful as a crossover of this scale demands. Jim Zub could easily make this crossover book into filler, but instead adds enough character moments to keep the issue interesting and make it vital to the larger story.

Writing: 4.8 of 5 stars
Art: 4.7 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.4 ofÂ 5 stars

Overall 4.6 of 5 stars

Writer: Jim Zub
Art: Carlos Magno
Colors: Espen Grundetjern
Publisher: Marvel

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.