“Step one, we stay alive!” – Captain America
This issue opens with Thor and Captain Marvel in a heated battle with several robotic creatures and a giant monster named ZZutak. They’re searching for Dr. Strange. Meanwhile, Count Nefaria is stealing the next gem that he needs in order to command a vast army when he comes across Ironman, who is none too pleased. It seems that Tony Stark wants to prevent Nefaria from achieving that goal. The rest of the Avengers arrive to do battle with Nefaria, who really wants his whetstone.
The Creative Team:
Matthew Manning wastes no time bringing us into the thick of the battle. Thor and Captain Marvel are dealing with the hostile world that they’ve been thrust into while the rest of the Avengers have to prevent Nefaria from achieving his goal of creating an all-powerful army. Manning is good at creating tension and building up to the payoff. This story is edge of your seat type stuff that keeps us glued to the entire text. I really enjoy this type of storytelling. It pulls us into the characters’ worlds and doesn’t let go for a second. Great stuff includes the revelation concerning the power of the ruby and Nefaria’s rise to power.
Sommariva, Parsons, and Reyes take on the mighty Avengers are strong and slightly cartoony which helps the story along giving the proceedings a manic pace that works especially well during the battle scenes. Highlights include the splash of thor with the monsters reflected in his helmet and the battle between Thor and Captain Marvel.
In Conclusion:
This fine Avengers tale is finally collected into one volume. It speaks to the efficiency of teamwork and how well our heroes work when the put their brains together. But is their strategic mindset enough to bring down the ever-evolving Count Nefaria? Will Thor, Captain Marvel, and Dr. Strange find their way back to earth? To be continued. *** (8.3 rating)
SCORE: 3/5
Writer – Matthew K. Manning
Art – Jon Sommariva, Sean Parsons, Jimmy Reyes
Colors – Protobunker
Letters – Christa Meisner
Publisher – IDW/Marvel
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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