Advance Review: AVENGERS #0

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AVENGERS #0
Written by James Robinson, Mark Waid, G. Willow Wilson, Gerry Duggan, Al Ewing
Art by Leonard Kirk, Mahmud Asrar, Ryan Steman, Gerardo Sandoval, Victor Ibanez, Kenneth Rocafort
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: October 7, 2015

It’s time to get your teaser on, as some Marvel A-listers gives readers an update as to the state of the Avengers books after Secret Wars

This issue effectively acts as a Point One, even though it is labeled as a zero. Robinson writes the connective tissue of this issue well, unifying these tales and acting as tour guide for the Avengers books while also introducing his book. Robinson has some fun things in store for his All-New All-Different book, and he lands this one nicely. He and Kirk are a solid team and they ferry these tales along nicely.

Mark Waid and Mahmud Asrar are helming All-New All-Different Avengers and tell a short tale featuring a pair of the veterans of their squad. Waid’s dialogue is on point and Asrar’s artwork is sharp. Asrar has crafted a solid body of work during his time at Marvel and I have no doubt he’ll execute this team book well. This was one of the better crafted of the mini tales, and this book will definitely be a huge one to watch.

G. Willow Wilson and Victor Ibanez’s work with A-Force got me interested in the series, even if I don’t really understand where it is going. Wilson’s work with the characters in the story is strong and Ibanez’s work is sharp enough to bring it all home.

Gerry Duggan and Ryan Stegman tell a tale of the Uncanny Avengers. I’ll freely admit this team didn’t grab me, even if the dynamic is somewhat interesting. The full roster of the “Unity” Avengers team intrigues me more than who were shown in this mini tale. Stegman has the chops for any comedic elements of this book, but if there are larger themes at play like there once were in Uncanny, his style may be almost too cartoonish.

Al Ewing writes the final two stories in the issue, working with Gerardo Sandoval on one story and Kenneth Rocafort on a second. One tale, the New Avengers one, relies heavily on the strength of Hickman’s work with Sunspot. Gerardo Sandoval’s artwork will be polarizing, though I found I enjoyed some of the layouts. This was one of the more confusing tales for fans who haven’t been reading Hickman’s Avenger-verse to this point as it was not very accessible.

The story with Rocafort, however, shone like a beacon. Ewing’s Ultimates story features a dynamic character that will surely be a fan favourite and he may have the most exciting team of the bunch here. This character owns every page she is on and Rocafort makes her shine. She is radiant, entertaining and strong, and I can say that the Ultimates story won me over, fully and completely. I’ll be the first in line when this issue drops, based on the strength of this short tale alone.

Avengers #0 is a mixed bag of teasers, with some winners and a couple that missed the mark for me. I will be trying several of these titles out when the #1s drop, and if you’re looking for a taste of what is to come for the Avengers line, give #0 a look.

The Verdict: 8.0/10

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