Post by dlw66 on May 19, 2006 7:44:32 GMT -5
I picked up this book yesterday at my comic shop. Here are some thoughts:
Overall a nice presentation. Art is pretty good, although Wolverine seems too muscle-bound. The colors are vibrant but not too bright -- solid job for an all-ages comic.
Being all-ages, let me just sum up the story and characterization by saying this book isn't going to tick anybody off like Bendis' take in New Avengers has done. The characterization here is pretty generic, and we really don't get to know much about anyone. As seen in the art samples from about a month ago, the team consists of Cap, IM, Hulk (the dumb one), Spider-Man, Wolverine, Giant-Girl (nothing is revealed about her, although her costume is reminiscent of Giant-Man's in color as well as the antennae on the mask), and Storm. So, pretty much after Cap and Iron Man, there is no resemblance to what most of us recognize as a "classic" Avengers team. Pretty much this seems to be marketed toward the hot properties today, with Giant-Girl perhaps supplying a little "girl power"...
The story goes something like this: the book opens at a military installation that later looks like it might be in Colorado somewhere. The Avengers are introduced (seemingly for the first time) to military brass, then promptly relieved of their "duties" of protecting the world. In their place is a system of robots known as Ultron. Ultron in this story is not a single being, but an army of various mechanical constructs all resembling our mad robot in color and facial features. Of course, right after Ultron is introduced he embarks on his plan to create mischief. The team "takes the battle outside" and a battle royale ensues. We figure out immediately that these Ultrons are not made of Adamantium, because the Avengers pretty much mop up the place with them. The funny thing is, later we have some caption boxes where Ultron is displaying data files on each character (a vehicle for new readers to bone up on the characters' names and powers) and we are told that Cap has an "indestructable shield" and that Wolverine's skeleton is "coated with an unbreakable alloy". I guess today's 3rd-graders can't handle the word adamantium. Worked for me when I was 8...
Storm is nothing more than window dressing (and yes, she sure looks like she is wearing a hybrid of her costume and Ms. Marvel's, as Van mentioned earlier). The regal air that usually surrounds her character is nowhere to be found. The Hulk is back to the 70's version, as I mentioned; the author does manage to work in the obligatory "you wouldn't like me when I'm angry" line while the Hulk is Banner. Cap and Iron Man come the closest to being somewhat like we've known them all these years.
Overall, not a bad read -- FOR WHAT IT IS. I would consider buying the second issue to give it another try. Issue #2 is to feature the Leader and the Abomination, so that might be interesting. I guess on a scale of 1-10 I'd give this a 7.
Overall a nice presentation. Art is pretty good, although Wolverine seems too muscle-bound. The colors are vibrant but not too bright -- solid job for an all-ages comic.
Being all-ages, let me just sum up the story and characterization by saying this book isn't going to tick anybody off like Bendis' take in New Avengers has done. The characterization here is pretty generic, and we really don't get to know much about anyone. As seen in the art samples from about a month ago, the team consists of Cap, IM, Hulk (the dumb one), Spider-Man, Wolverine, Giant-Girl (nothing is revealed about her, although her costume is reminiscent of Giant-Man's in color as well as the antennae on the mask), and Storm. So, pretty much after Cap and Iron Man, there is no resemblance to what most of us recognize as a "classic" Avengers team. Pretty much this seems to be marketed toward the hot properties today, with Giant-Girl perhaps supplying a little "girl power"...
The story goes something like this: the book opens at a military installation that later looks like it might be in Colorado somewhere. The Avengers are introduced (seemingly for the first time) to military brass, then promptly relieved of their "duties" of protecting the world. In their place is a system of robots known as Ultron. Ultron in this story is not a single being, but an army of various mechanical constructs all resembling our mad robot in color and facial features. Of course, right after Ultron is introduced he embarks on his plan to create mischief. The team "takes the battle outside" and a battle royale ensues. We figure out immediately that these Ultrons are not made of Adamantium, because the Avengers pretty much mop up the place with them. The funny thing is, later we have some caption boxes where Ultron is displaying data files on each character (a vehicle for new readers to bone up on the characters' names and powers) and we are told that Cap has an "indestructable shield" and that Wolverine's skeleton is "coated with an unbreakable alloy". I guess today's 3rd-graders can't handle the word adamantium. Worked for me when I was 8...
Storm is nothing more than window dressing (and yes, she sure looks like she is wearing a hybrid of her costume and Ms. Marvel's, as Van mentioned earlier). The regal air that usually surrounds her character is nowhere to be found. The Hulk is back to the 70's version, as I mentioned; the author does manage to work in the obligatory "you wouldn't like me when I'm angry" line while the Hulk is Banner. Cap and Iron Man come the closest to being somewhat like we've known them all these years.
Overall, not a bad read -- FOR WHAT IT IS. I would consider buying the second issue to give it another try. Issue #2 is to feature the Leader and the Abomination, so that might be interesting. I guess on a scale of 1-10 I'd give this a 7.
