REVIEW: The Avengers #1

In the great debate over continuous numbering in comics, the traditional stance: that comics should start at issue #1 and just keep on counting up, seems to have reached an inflection point. DC“s Action Comics just recently reached its 1000th issue ”“ an extraordinary feat in publishing by any standards. And this week, Marvel Comics“ Avengers, on the heels of its mega-crossover, box-office smashing #InfinityWar film, releases Avengers #1 — in 2018.

Way back in 1963, the original Avengers #1 was published with classic art from the legendary Jack Kirby. The original Avengers comic was launched at least partially in response to the emergence of DC comics Justice League of America. There is not enough time (or space here) to critically engage how DC and Marvel interface as huge competing multimedia content companies in an age where film and comics are inextricably linked with each other in a global market place; where a film can earn upwards of a billion dollars.

In 1963, The Avengers #1 sold for 12 cents.

The original Avengers comic book ran for over 400 issues ending its historic run in 1996 ”“ years before cinematic production innovated film technology that would eventually deliver comic-book quality superhero films. There were various re-launches over the years, but now that the Avengers is battling Star Wars for most profitable and most influential film franchise status, the stakes for the comic are quite different than they were ”“ even in the 1990s.

All of that said, this new start for “earth“s mightiest heroes”“ is navigating this complex historical terrain and the current popularity of this continuity-challenged series exceptionally well. For starters, Avengers #1 boasts an extraordinary vision ”“ not the god-like android, but an actual narrative vision across time and space. Avengers #1 2018 is embracing a scale and scope commensurate with the title“s current gravitas in the superhero space. It opens a millions years in the past with an ur-version of The Avengers that features all of the timeless and immortal powers afforded to the original team ”“ but present in the ancient progenitors of earth“s mightiest heroes. These Avengers, featuring Odin, The Phoenix, Black Panther, Ghost Rider and others whose powers predate the existence of their modern-day hosts survey a pre-historic earth and wonder about the ominous potential of homo sapiens.

This multi-millennial throwback is not gratuitous. The opening issue also features the original core ”“ Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, having drinks in a pub and discussing the possibility of reconstituting The Avengers in the contemporary moment. Their decision is made for them though as Celestials ”“ an ancient race of giant-gods with occasional proclivities for planetary and universal destruction — begin to literally fall from the sky. It will be interesting to see and read more into this world where an ancient iteration of earth“s mightiest heroes might shed light on how today“s Avengers can manage the re-emergence of the Celestials ”“ maybe one of Jack Kirby“s most underused creations. 3.5/5!

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Ed McGuinness