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New Avengers (2013) (Collected Editions)
New Avengers, Vol. 1: Everything Dies
The Illuminati must reassemble to prevent the collision of our universe with another! It's the Marvel Universe's most powerful and brilliant team - Black Panther, Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt, Mr. Fantastic, Sub-Mariner and the Beast - armed with the six Infinity Gems against an infinite legion of parallel realities. But their task is complicated by old wounds, lies and secret agendas. When the Illuminati experiences its first dimensional incursion, can the members of this loose brotherhood trust each other enough to use the Infinity Gems in unison? And when they learn Earth is the center point for the death of the universe, doesn't that mean destroying it might save everything else? Enter the world-eater, Galactus, as the Illuminati does the unthinkable! Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting revamp New Avengers in a multi verse-spanning saga! COLLECTING: NEW AVENGERS 1-6
152 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2013
84 people are currently reading
1589 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Hickman
1,226 books2,048 followersJonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 295 reviews
September 17, 2014
Judging by the title, one can assume which of the following happens in this volume:
A) Franklin Richards flushes a dead goldfish down the toilet
B) Jarvis is way too old for the job and is sent packing. Next stop: the homeless shelter run by Aunt May. Good luck, buddy!
C) Hawkeye has “performance” issues
D) Alternate Earths get blown up “real good”.
First, the titular “New Avengers” is kind of a misnomer. This is an Illuminati book. These are the alleged smartest guys in the Marvel universe who have taken it upon themselves to run thingsinto the ground. You have Dr. Strange, conjurer; Tony Stark, ass; Namor, underwater ass; Black Panther, super cool ruler of Wakanda; Black Bolt, Inhuman, who has no concept of what a stage whisper is; Hank McCoy, replacing the dead (yeah, sure) Charles Xavier; Reed Richards, rubber band man; and because he couldn’t trust this brain trust, Captain America. The eggheads forgot to include Deadpool, so you won’t find a lot of laughs here.
Because alternate Earths are getting blown up and because Captain America doesn’t want to see this happening again, especially to our Earth, the nerd council agree to use the Infinity Gems (insert trumpets here). The Infinity Gems can alter reality. Captain America wields the Infinity Gems, cause he’s awesome and . The rest of the Illuminati have fewer qualms about sacrificing other Earths to save ours, so courtesy of Dr. Strange, Cap takes a long nap. “When you wake up, buddy, it will be as if it never happened?”
This isn’t a bad comic for “grand” ideas and schemes. And discussions. Plenty of hand wringing discussions. Even though there’s a villainess who presides over another Earth’s destruction in a revealing outfit (Perfectly dressed for the occasion, no?),if you’re a discriminating shallow reader, you might want to pass on this.
A) Franklin Richards flushes a dead goldfish down the toilet
B) Jarvis is way too old for the job and is sent packing. Next stop: the homeless shelter run by Aunt May. Good luck, buddy!
C) Hawkeye has “performance” issues
D) Alternate Earths get blown up “real good”.
First, the titular “New Avengers” is kind of a misnomer. This is an Illuminati book. These are the alleged smartest guys in the Marvel universe who have taken it upon themselves to run things
Because alternate Earths are getting blown up and because Captain America doesn’t want to see this happening again, especially to our Earth, the nerd council agree to use the Infinity Gems (insert trumpets here). The Infinity Gems can alter reality. Captain America wields the Infinity Gems, cause he’s awesome and . The rest of the Illuminati have fewer qualms about sacrificing other Earths to save ours, so courtesy of Dr. Strange, Cap takes a long nap. “When you wake up, buddy, it will be as if it never happened?”
This isn’t a bad comic for “grand” ideas and schemes. And discussions. Plenty of hand wringing discussions. Even though there’s a villainess who presides over another Earth’s destruction in a revealing outfit (Perfectly dressed for the occasion, no?),if you’re a discriminating shallow reader, you might want to pass on this.
February 19, 2015
There are two things that stood out for me in this graphic novel.
(1) You get to see Black Panther in his home, protecting his people/nation.; and
(2) The extended Avengers have to make some tough choices and neither choice is good for their moral compass especially that of Cap. I don't want to give spoilers so there it is.
A solid GN above the usual three star ratings I give and that is typically more for the artwork.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus.
(1) You get to see Black Panther in his home, protecting his people/nation.; and
(2) The extended Avengers have to make some tough choices and neither choice is good for their moral compass especially that of Cap. I don't want to give spoilers so there it is.
A solid GN above the usual three star ratings I give and that is typically more for the artwork.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus.
December 5, 2013
T’Challa aka Black Panther makes a startling discovery – parallel universe Earths are crashing into one another and one is headed to crash into our Earth! With an INFINITE number of EARTHs all destined to be destroyed, the Illuminati are in a CRISIS. What would be a good title for this story? Everything Dies!
T’Challa convenes a meeting in Wakanda with the Illuminat to decide what to do next. The Illuminati are the biggest brains in the Marvel U (sans Bruce Banner), Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Black Panther (left but returned for this book), Namor, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt, Beast as Professor X’s replacement, and the bizarre addition of Captain America. The only reason Cap might be on the Illuminati is because this book is pointlessly called New Avengers and apparently every freakin’ iteration of the Avengers has to have this dude regardless of whether he fits or not.
Anyway, T’Challa captures an alternate universe character called Black Swan (Hickman’s character names are just the worst) who has a device that literally blows up planets! Everything Dies is a morality story as the Illuminati must decide how far they will go to protect their world and how many must die to save many more.
After reading Hickman’s other Avengers title and the Infinity mini-series and utterly disliking both, I was surprised that his New Avengers book was really good, especially as it’s yet another Hickman story about the end of the world (a tired cliché of Hickman’s you’ll notice if you’ve read a few of his books). Part of why this book is better than the others is because Hickman’s managed to keep the cast to a reasonable level rather than the sprawling mass of costumes he’s got in Avengers and Infinity, and kept the crazy new characters to a minimum as well. Though calling this New Avengers is a bit misleading as it stars the Illuminati, and Cap, but the title Avengers has more recognition than Illuminati, so here we are.
The story sounds like gibberish and yet you can follow what’s happening and more or less understand the story, a damn near miracle when it comes to a Hickman book these days! Because the Illuminati are the holders of the Infinity Gems, they predictably choose to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet to deal with this new problem but what’s unpredictable is the way that plan plays out. I won’t tell you exactly what happens except that watching someone as un-technical as Cap handling the Gauntlet is like watching your gran trying to figure out how an iPad works.
This isn’t a very action-heavy story with a lot of scenes featuring the Illuminati sitting around a table talking but Hickman’s got such a great handle on the characters that it’s never boring. Little scenes like T’Challa speaking bitterly to Namor, referencing the events of AVX show that the characters have history, while Cap is his usual idealistic and somewhat stuffy self, and Reed and T’Challa come off the best as conscientious participants in what is essentially genocide on a scale that dwarfs anything Hitler or any of history’s villains could ever accomplish. So are the Illuminati really good guys – or the worst villains of all time? It’s an interesting situation.
A lot of cool villain characters show up like Galactus (yay!) doing his usual planet-eating stuff and his alternate universe herald Terrax (ol’ stone face) has a throw-down with the Illuminati. There’s even a scene in Latveria at the end where Doom is single-handedly taking on the parallel universe baddies and you find yourself rooting for the guy! So while there’s little fighting going on, when there is, it’s pretty damn good.
Steve Epting’s art is what I really love about this book. His page layouts are always amazingly cinematic and well-placed, lending the story an appropriately dramatic gravitas. The characters all look amazing and every panel looks beautiful, finding the perfect balance between realism and cartoonish-ness. The way he presents the parallel worlds is really atmospheric where the characters step through a portal into what looks like the middle of a red eclipse.
New Avengers is a well-written, engaging story that also features Hickman’s ambitious storytelling without missing out the characters - if only Hickman wrote this well in all of his Marvel titles! Steve Epting’s art is as absolutely blinding as it always is. Great Illuminati story all round! If you didn’t like Hickman’s main Avengers title, give this one a shot - it’ll remind you why he’s in the top tier of Marvel writers.
T’Challa convenes a meeting in Wakanda with the Illuminat to decide what to do next. The Illuminati are the biggest brains in the Marvel U (sans Bruce Banner), Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Black Panther (left but returned for this book), Namor, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt, Beast as Professor X’s replacement, and the bizarre addition of Captain America. The only reason Cap might be on the Illuminati is because this book is pointlessly called New Avengers and apparently every freakin’ iteration of the Avengers has to have this dude regardless of whether he fits or not.
Anyway, T’Challa captures an alternate universe character called Black Swan (Hickman’s character names are just the worst) who has a device that literally blows up planets! Everything Dies is a morality story as the Illuminati must decide how far they will go to protect their world and how many must die to save many more.
After reading Hickman’s other Avengers title and the Infinity mini-series and utterly disliking both, I was surprised that his New Avengers book was really good, especially as it’s yet another Hickman story about the end of the world (a tired cliché of Hickman’s you’ll notice if you’ve read a few of his books). Part of why this book is better than the others is because Hickman’s managed to keep the cast to a reasonable level rather than the sprawling mass of costumes he’s got in Avengers and Infinity, and kept the crazy new characters to a minimum as well. Though calling this New Avengers is a bit misleading as it stars the Illuminati, and Cap, but the title Avengers has more recognition than Illuminati, so here we are.
The story sounds like gibberish and yet you can follow what’s happening and more or less understand the story, a damn near miracle when it comes to a Hickman book these days! Because the Illuminati are the holders of the Infinity Gems, they predictably choose to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet to deal with this new problem but what’s unpredictable is the way that plan plays out. I won’t tell you exactly what happens except that watching someone as un-technical as Cap handling the Gauntlet is like watching your gran trying to figure out how an iPad works.
This isn’t a very action-heavy story with a lot of scenes featuring the Illuminati sitting around a table talking but Hickman’s got such a great handle on the characters that it’s never boring. Little scenes like T’Challa speaking bitterly to Namor, referencing the events of AVX show that the characters have history, while Cap is his usual idealistic and somewhat stuffy self, and Reed and T’Challa come off the best as conscientious participants in what is essentially genocide on a scale that dwarfs anything Hitler or any of history’s villains could ever accomplish. So are the Illuminati really good guys – or the worst villains of all time? It’s an interesting situation.
A lot of cool villain characters show up like Galactus (yay!) doing his usual planet-eating stuff and his alternate universe herald Terrax (ol’ stone face) has a throw-down with the Illuminati. There’s even a scene in Latveria at the end where Doom is single-handedly taking on the parallel universe baddies and you find yourself rooting for the guy! So while there’s little fighting going on, when there is, it’s pretty damn good.
Steve Epting’s art is what I really love about this book. His page layouts are always amazingly cinematic and well-placed, lending the story an appropriately dramatic gravitas. The characters all look amazing and every panel looks beautiful, finding the perfect balance between realism and cartoonish-ness. The way he presents the parallel worlds is really atmospheric where the characters step through a portal into what looks like the middle of a red eclipse.
New Avengers is a well-written, engaging story that also features Hickman’s ambitious storytelling without missing out the characters - if only Hickman wrote this well in all of his Marvel titles! Steve Epting’s art is as absolutely blinding as it always is. Great Illuminati story all round! If you didn’t like Hickman’s main Avengers title, give this one a shot - it’ll remind you why he’s in the top tier of Marvel writers.
June 9, 2021
Reread: 09/06/21
This book was so epic! It starts with the death of Wakandan children and the coming of people from space and all that entails is death and destruction ahead and so the Illuminati is reformed and we learn of the Incursions and whats happpening with them so they use the Gauntlet and when it fails, mind wipe and betrayals happen and then when its the question of survival everything is on the table and they talk about Nuclear/Anti-matter options but thankfully have Black Swan to guide them and they sort of fight Terrax and also a good one where the Incursions are happening in Latveria so they have to deal with the situations there and its all hands on deck.
This volume was so cool and just shows how dire things are and that everything is dying and what do superheroes do in the face of death? Also I love how Hickman focuses and asks the question of Superhero code, great philosophical questions and finally loving the narration that Black Panther uses and the tension between him and Namor is awesome. The art is too good, too dark and perfect for this story! Hickman off to a great start!
____________________________________________________________________________
WHAT A BOOK! This starts the most epic run in Marvel of Hickman, the death of the Marvel multiverse! It starts with the appearance of Black Swan and then killing Wakandan children, then he gathering of Illuminati, forming of the Infinity Gauntlet, Steve mindwiped, men desperate enough to do desperate things and the death of worlds! Learning about what the incursions are, facing off against Terrax of another world and then learning about Mapmakers and all and the death of a world by the heroes! Just wow this book was another level, so much happens and characters make such choices that will change them forever, what will "superheroes" do to save the world? What can they even do? Will they become villains in the face of "reality dying"? The writing makes them do desperate things and puts a massive mystery and the art by Steve Epting is gorgeous and some narrations with the art is just too good. Probably one of my favorite books of all time!
This book was so epic! It starts with the death of Wakandan children and the coming of people from space and all that entails is death and destruction ahead and so the Illuminati is reformed and we learn of the Incursions and whats happpening with them so they use the Gauntlet and when it fails, mind wipe and betrayals happen and then when its the question of survival everything is on the table and they talk about Nuclear/Anti-matter options but thankfully have Black Swan to guide them and they sort of fight Terrax and also a good one where the Incursions are happening in Latveria so they have to deal with the situations there and its all hands on deck.
This volume was so cool and just shows how dire things are and that everything is dying and what do superheroes do in the face of death? Also I love how Hickman focuses and asks the question of Superhero code, great philosophical questions and finally loving the narration that Black Panther uses and the tension between him and Namor is awesome. The art is too good, too dark and perfect for this story! Hickman off to a great start!
____________________________________________________________________________
WHAT A BOOK! This starts the most epic run in Marvel of Hickman, the death of the Marvel multiverse! It starts with the appearance of Black Swan and then killing Wakandan children, then he gathering of Illuminati, forming of the Infinity Gauntlet, Steve mindwiped, men desperate enough to do desperate things and the death of worlds! Learning about what the incursions are, facing off against Terrax of another world and then learning about Mapmakers and all and the death of a world by the heroes! Just wow this book was another level, so much happens and characters make such choices that will change them forever, what will "superheroes" do to save the world? What can they even do? Will they become villains in the face of "reality dying"? The writing makes them do desperate things and puts a massive mystery and the art by Steve Epting is gorgeous and some narrations with the art is just too good. Probably one of my favorite books of all time!
December 29, 2014
Oh, Wakanda eh? Gonna show us how little we know about Africa, high-tech and that corner of the Marvel U that reminds me there's more to the world than just New York? OK I'm game. Bring it on T'challa. You be one hep cat.
Epting really loves to draw leather accessories doesn't he? More than anything, that's when I know I'm reading one of his books. The soldiers always look extremely well-dressed.
This story is Gravitas. Dead Serious. Universes Threatened. Kewl man, I'll play along. Somehow even though I've gotten addicted to the fun books lately (Hulk by Aaron & Hulk by Waid tickled me, Rat Queens, Injustice, Nightwing), the Hickman Avengers books are working for me. Maybe I just got tired of *bad* serious books (see Justice League by Johns), and needed a break from the relentless "I think this is important" bullshit that so many bad writers can't let go of.
Speaking of serious/important: I'd totally forgotten what Black Panther stood for, or his cool tech powers. I thought he was just a brooding fisticuffs-wielding manly-king, always second string in the comics I've been reading the last decade or so.
Best part of this is how Hickman captures the cynical subtext of the Illuminati - all these heroes getting supremely dirty and tragically dooming themselves to save a universe or twenty. I absolutely love his Submariner - so dry, so droll - if we didn't know he has the hots for Susan Storm, I'd swear he's the comics incarnation of Paul Lynde.
Hickman also seems to have a bias and talent for creating historical war mythology. I enjoy it because it never feels forced or half-assed; he's obviously spent enough time to figure out how events would most naturally turn into outcomes that make sense.
Bring on the universal destruction. Bring on Doom. Bring on the sins of the fathers of the Marvel universe (616). Bring on the surprises boys.
Be haunted by this review and further diatribes at
Epting really loves to draw leather accessories doesn't he? More than anything, that's when I know I'm reading one of his books. The soldiers always look extremely well-dressed.
This story is Gravitas. Dead Serious. Universes Threatened. Kewl man, I'll play along. Somehow even though I've gotten addicted to the fun books lately (Hulk by Aaron & Hulk by Waid tickled me, Rat Queens, Injustice, Nightwing), the Hickman Avengers books are working for me. Maybe I just got tired of *bad* serious books (see Justice League by Johns), and needed a break from the relentless "I think this is important" bullshit that so many bad writers can't let go of.
Speaking of serious/important: I'd totally forgotten what Black Panther stood for, or his cool tech powers. I thought he was just a brooding fisticuffs-wielding manly-king, always second string in the comics I've been reading the last decade or so.
Best part of this is how Hickman captures the cynical subtext of the Illuminati - all these heroes getting supremely dirty and tragically dooming themselves to save a universe or twenty. I absolutely love his Submariner - so dry, so droll - if we didn't know he has the hots for Susan Storm, I'd swear he's the comics incarnation of Paul Lynde.
Hickman also seems to have a bias and talent for creating historical war mythology. I enjoy it because it never feels forced or half-assed; he's obviously spent enough time to figure out how events would most naturally turn into outcomes that make sense.
Bring on the universal destruction. Bring on Doom. Bring on the sins of the fathers of the Marvel universe (616). Bring on the surprises boys.
Be haunted by this review and further diatribes at
July 30, 2016
2.5 stars. I expected that to go better.
Personally, this just reminded me a little too much of Crisis on Infinite Earths. I do see the plot differences, but I just didn't find it a compelling story at all. And the fact that the Avengers in this story are all super boring for me didn't help at all.
I mean, Namor is a douche. I'm almost sick of Captain America and Iron Man from how much attention they get (especially in the movie universe). Reed Richards wasn't that bad in this, but still not a favorite. Dr. Strange was basically just there. Despite Black Bolt being forced to play minor roles because of his power, I like his character. He can't open his mouth to say anything stupid, and his demeanor just makes me believe he wouldn't say anything stupid. Beast takes Xavier's place after his death, and I like Beast. And Black Panther... Thank god he was there. The white guy monotony was just barely corrected by throwing in T'Challa. I just didn't like these characters much. A couple were okay, but they made me not care about the story as much.
Overall, it wasn't horrible. I can see why some people would really like it. I just didn't like it that much at all. The artwork was good, dialogue was pretty strong (only stating necessities). And then there's an opening at the end that will allow them to continue this plot. Which I won't be reading.
Personally, this just reminded me a little too much of Crisis on Infinite Earths. I do see the plot differences, but I just didn't find it a compelling story at all. And the fact that the Avengers in this story are all super boring for me didn't help at all.
I mean, Namor is a douche. I'm almost sick of Captain America and Iron Man from how much attention they get (especially in the movie universe). Reed Richards wasn't that bad in this, but still not a favorite. Dr. Strange was basically just there. Despite Black Bolt being forced to play minor roles because of his power, I like his character. He can't open his mouth to say anything stupid, and his demeanor just makes me believe he wouldn't say anything stupid. Beast takes Xavier's place after his death, and I like Beast. And Black Panther... Thank god he was there. The white guy monotony was just barely corrected by throwing in T'Challa. I just didn't like these characters much. A couple were okay, but they made me not care about the story as much.
Overall, it wasn't horrible. I can see why some people would really like it. I just didn't like it that much at all. The artwork was good, dialogue was pretty strong (only stating necessities). And then there's an opening at the end that will allow them to continue this plot. Which I won't be reading.
January 30, 2015
New Avengers? More like Illuminati.
I am right in the middle of Marvel's Infinity event and you know what? I'm loving it.
While Hickman's main Avengers book is all about the smack down, the New Avengers is more of a strategic thinking man's book. Not to say that there isn't any action in it...but its definitely more plot heavy and requires a bit more dedication in thinking on the reader's part.
I am so glad I haven't read Infinity until now. No wonder people were confused and thought that this whole storyline was too much of a mind trip. It's hella confusing! However reading these all back to back without a wait of months between them - as well as reading them in the proper order - I have to say its a pretty big slice of FANTASTIC!
There are some pretty heavy moments in this first volume. A lot of big decisions are being made and I am freaking out over the consequences of these decisions. For sure shit is going to bite these New Avengers in the ass. Things are tense! Tense, tense, tense!
Also...
Namor is a dick.
A big hairy tuna dick.
Nyah.
I am right in the middle of Marvel's Infinity event and you know what? I'm loving it.
While Hickman's main Avengers book is all about the smack down, the New Avengers is more of a strategic thinking man's book. Not to say that there isn't any action in it...but its definitely more plot heavy and requires a bit more dedication in thinking on the reader's part.
I am so glad I haven't read Infinity until now. No wonder people were confused and thought that this whole storyline was too much of a mind trip. It's hella confusing! However reading these all back to back without a wait of months between them - as well as reading them in the proper order - I have to say its a pretty big slice of FANTASTIC!
There are some pretty heavy moments in this first volume. A lot of big decisions are being made and I am freaking out over the consequences of these decisions. For sure shit is going to bite these New Avengers in the ass. Things are tense! Tense, tense, tense!
Also...
Namor is a dick.
A big hairy tuna dick.
Nyah.
September 23, 2018
*** edit 9/22/18 - this is even better the second time around. I just love Hickmans' writing of all of the Illuminati. He even gets that Steve holds Tony to higher standards than everyone else. It's such an enjoyable read. (Especially considering the current Avengers run)
This is one of the better written Avengers stories to come out since the 2005-ish series of New Avengers. Hickman is able to write about an epic conundrum and actually make it feel epic. This is an interesting plot line and it doesn't have an easy solution. In some ways, its a grand version of the trolley problem. Save your own universe and kill another, risk both and take time looking for a solution or let your universe be destroyed.
The chemistry between everyone is interesting, especially T'Challa and Namor! I love reading reviews from people that continue to hate Tony for the mind wipe. As thought T'Challa, Strange, Namor, Reed and Beast didn't also agree to it.
So, this was enjoyable. I never read past this unfortunately so I'm excited to see where it lead.
4 stars.
This is one of the better written Avengers stories to come out since the 2005-ish series of New Avengers. Hickman is able to write about an epic conundrum and actually make it feel epic. This is an interesting plot line and it doesn't have an easy solution. In some ways, its a grand version of the trolley problem. Save your own universe and kill another, risk both and take time looking for a solution or let your universe be destroyed.
The chemistry between everyone is interesting, especially T'Challa and Namor! I love reading reviews from people that continue to hate Tony for the mind wipe. As thought T'Challa, Strange, Namor, Reed and Beast didn't also agree to it.
So, this was enjoyable. I never read past this unfortunately so I'm excited to see where it lead.
4 stars.
March 3, 2022
Enjoyed this one a lot, and even more so than Avengers, which I already liked a great deal. It was very epic in scale and more sci-fi than superhero, but I thought it was a nice change of pace from the main title.
August 11, 2016
Another Marvel comic about space travelers wanting to destroy worlds. Pass.
July 10, 2023
three stars, but only because t'challa is so wonderful. it's great to see him protecting wakanda and putting his people before himself.
January 13, 2014
New Avengers it may be called but this is actually a "new" Illuminati book, with the Black Panther joining this secret cabal of world movers that he once advised to disband.
A new Avengers book indeed! This is the third volume of a franchise founded by Brian Bendis after he broke original assembly in Avengers Disassembled. This time, Jonathan Hickman is writing, giving him a larger canvass to write his stories of alternate universes and cataclysms. Artist Steve Epting returns to the Avengers for the first arc but these aren't the Avengers he was had artistic duties on in the nineties. Hickman is going to bring these heroes to the wire. To quote new character the Black Swan, "It breaks hopes, it crushes what makes us decent and steal what little honor remains."
I've read this originally in monthly installments, but reading it as a collected edition is a much better experience. A reread will certainly reveal more to the story than what was originally thought. This is certainly the most Hickmanesque Avengers title right now.
A new Avengers book indeed! This is the third volume of a franchise founded by Brian Bendis after he broke original assembly in Avengers Disassembled. This time, Jonathan Hickman is writing, giving him a larger canvass to write his stories of alternate universes and cataclysms. Artist Steve Epting returns to the Avengers for the first arc but these aren't the Avengers he was had artistic duties on in the nineties. Hickman is going to bring these heroes to the wire. To quote new character the Black Swan, "It breaks hopes, it crushes what makes us decent and steal what little honor remains."
I've read this originally in monthly installments, but reading it as a collected edition is a much better experience. A reread will certainly reveal more to the story than what was originally thought. This is certainly the most Hickmanesque Avengers title right now.
August 23, 2013
Out of the two Avengers titles Jonathan Hickman is currently writing, this is the one that most feels like a follow-up to his run on Fantastic Four. It's dealing with multiple universes, features Reed Richards prominently, and even acts as a continuation of what he started with Black Panther near the end of his FF runs. You've also got the emergence of a weapon hinted at in Fantastic Four, as well as one of the characters accusing Reed of having to "solve for everything" (which was a nice touch).
I think it also benefits in that it primarily focuses on the Illuminati characters, instead of the dozen or so members currently showing up in the core Avengers book. I never cared much for the concept or execution of the Illuminati when Bendis was handling them, but here they are often engaging in philosophical debates about what it means to essentially be the (self-appointed) caretakers of Earth, the universe, and possibly other universe. Hickman also adds in Beast and Captain America, and it was his handling of Cap's reaction to all of this that I especially loved.
As I was reading early on, I kept thinking, "How is Cap OK with this?" and soon enough, true to character, he politely interrupts. In another writer's hands, Cap's protests could have easily devolved into a "this isn't how we used to deal with this" aw-shucks boy scout type of way. His reactions are coming from an earnest place, and even when he fails, he takes the blame but refuses to compromise his ideals so quickly ("take the easy way out", as he puts it). The rest of the group's reaction and decision to this is incredibly shocking, and I'm honestly surprised I hadn't heard about it on the internet before now (considering something similar happened years ago in the DC Universe and the internet blew up about it). My love for Captain America as a character is continually surprising me.
Hickman also seems to keep coming up with original ideas (in many of his books) that I'm always half-convinced must have happened before, because they're just to cool to not have been done. He keeps tapping into my teenage inner Cosmic Marvel fanboy, which is just getting me more excited for what he has planned for Infinity (a series this book is clearly a lead-up to, considering Infinity #1 opens with a two page re-draw by Jim Cheung of something that happens in here).
I think it also benefits in that it primarily focuses on the Illuminati characters, instead of the dozen or so members currently showing up in the core Avengers book. I never cared much for the concept or execution of the Illuminati when Bendis was handling them, but here they are often engaging in philosophical debates about what it means to essentially be the (self-appointed) caretakers of Earth, the universe, and possibly other universe. Hickman also adds in Beast and Captain America, and it was his handling of Cap's reaction to all of this that I especially loved.
As I was reading early on, I kept thinking, "How is Cap OK with this?" and soon enough, true to character, he politely interrupts. In another writer's hands, Cap's protests could have easily devolved into a "this isn't how we used to deal with this" aw-shucks boy scout type of way. His reactions are coming from an earnest place, and even when he fails, he takes the blame but refuses to compromise his ideals so quickly ("take the easy way out", as he puts it). The rest of the group's reaction and decision to this is incredibly shocking, and I'm honestly surprised I hadn't heard about it on the internet before now (considering something similar happened years ago in the DC Universe and the internet blew up about it). My love for Captain America as a character is continually surprising me.
Hickman also seems to keep coming up with original ideas (in many of his books) that I'm always half-convinced must have happened before, because they're just to cool to not have been done. He keeps tapping into my teenage inner Cosmic Marvel fanboy, which is just getting me more excited for what he has planned for Infinity (a series this book is clearly a lead-up to, considering Infinity #1 opens with a two page re-draw by Jim Cheung of something that happens in here).
September 28, 2013
While this is titled as New Avengers, this is actually an Illuminati book. There are a couple of changes to membership, but it is comprised now of: Black Bolt, Namor, Dr. Strange, Reed Richards, Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther, and a new arrival chosen by a departed member to take his place.
We learn that many years ago when they first formed, one man refused to join, walking away from the world: Black Panther. This sort of makes sense, especially when it comes to Wakanda and how it exists within the Marvel Universe...if T'Challa had been so disillusioned with what happened it would make sense to me how withdrawn and quiet he became.
Also, Cap wasn't part of the original group, and one member...Charles Xavier, is now dead, and we will meet who he trusted to replace him.
What makes Black Panther call up this group of allies he rejected is the arrival of humans from another parallel Earth, and it turns out that Earths in the multiverse are destroying each other on a planetary scale, and Panther calls the only people he knows who can deal with this, or even have a chance.
I like how he's not a willing member, but knows it's a necessary evil. He puts his country before his own beliefs. We also get a lot of moral discussion about right and wrong and deciding the fate of the world in secret, and another team member is unwilling to bend his beliefs, which he also feels the group should stick to, as the right way for all to follow.
This leads to a rather shocking action by the rest of the group, who in a way, 'take him out of the equation' by neutralizing him.
This is a brave book that makes some big decisions about personalities, and relationships that will be changed forever in the wake.
I have liked some of Hickman's work in the past, but I think this might be my favourite because it combines great abstract large ideas with the right amount of characterization and interaction on a human and personal level.
I won't give away much more than this, suffice it to say, this is a great read, and unlike nearly any other Avengers book. I can't wait to see where they take us next. (Oh and thankfully the art is bang on too).
We learn that many years ago when they first formed, one man refused to join, walking away from the world: Black Panther. This sort of makes sense, especially when it comes to Wakanda and how it exists within the Marvel Universe...if T'Challa had been so disillusioned with what happened it would make sense to me how withdrawn and quiet he became.
Also, Cap wasn't part of the original group, and one member...Charles Xavier, is now dead, and we will meet who he trusted to replace him.
What makes Black Panther call up this group of allies he rejected is the arrival of humans from another parallel Earth, and it turns out that Earths in the multiverse are destroying each other on a planetary scale, and Panther calls the only people he knows who can deal with this, or even have a chance.
I like how he's not a willing member, but knows it's a necessary evil. He puts his country before his own beliefs. We also get a lot of moral discussion about right and wrong and deciding the fate of the world in secret, and another team member is unwilling to bend his beliefs, which he also feels the group should stick to, as the right way for all to follow.
This leads to a rather shocking action by the rest of the group, who in a way, 'take him out of the equation' by neutralizing him.
This is a brave book that makes some big decisions about personalities, and relationships that will be changed forever in the wake.
I have liked some of Hickman's work in the past, but I think this might be my favourite because it combines great abstract large ideas with the right amount of characterization and interaction on a human and personal level.
I won't give away much more than this, suffice it to say, this is a great read, and unlike nearly any other Avengers book. I can't wait to see where they take us next. (Oh and thankfully the art is bang on too).
June 2, 2022
Excellent, compelling, enthralling! Storytelling idiosyncrasies aside, Hickman has clearly crafted a complex and broad narrative of which this is only the exciting start!!! Also, I loved the characterization of Black Panther here. He's brooding, quiet, but also confident and decisive. I look forward to the rest of Hickman's Avengers saga!
September 7, 2013
The "Illuminati" presented in this volume is new to me, though apparently it's been a thing in the Marve Universe for a while — representative from several superhero teams/groups meet in secret to try to "manage" the truly world-threatening crises, unknown even to their own friends and family and teammates.
As much as I liked this book, it was hardly an "Avengers" title, even with the participation of several Avengers past and present. The Illuminati now consists of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Hank McCoy (the Beast, replacing the deceased Charles Xavier), the Black Panther, Dr. Strange, Captain America, Tony Stark (Iron Man), Prince Namor (the Sub-mariner), and Black Bolt, of the Inhumans. Among them they possess the Infinity Gems.
The crisis is the destruction of the entire multiverse. They discover that "incursions" are occurring which cause two parallel Earths to collide, and only one can survive. So the obvious moral dilemma is that by saving their own world, they are dooming another one.
I liked the characters rather more than the story, which seems to be a MacGuffin hunt with guest appearances by everyone from Galactus to Dr. Doom. The "villain," the Black Swan, is very derivative of Galactus's heralds, or the Harbinger from DC's old Crisis On Infinite Earths. With obligatory push-up bustier. I did not find her or her origin story very interesting.
There is a lot of interpersonal tension (like Black Panther swearing he's going to kill Namor, since apparently he killed a bunch of Wakandans), and Captain America, as the voice of inflexible right-and-wrong morality, ultimately having to be "dealt with" since he won't go along with the lesser-of-two-evils approach the rest of the team is willing to accept.
Reed Richards is Mr. Pragmatism, Tony Stark had very little dialog. Stephen Strange is haughty and mystic, the Beast is grimly realistic, and Namor is an asshole. The Black Panther doesn't like anyone, and Black Bolt, of course, says nothing.
I will probably pick up the next volume, just to see how the sudden but inevitable betrayal happens. This is an interesting story filled with some of Marvel's heaviest hitters, but it's really not the Avengers we are familiar with.
As much as I liked this book, it was hardly an "Avengers" title, even with the participation of several Avengers past and present. The Illuminati now consists of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Hank McCoy (the Beast, replacing the deceased Charles Xavier), the Black Panther, Dr. Strange, Captain America, Tony Stark (Iron Man), Prince Namor (the Sub-mariner), and Black Bolt, of the Inhumans. Among them they possess the Infinity Gems.
The crisis is the destruction of the entire multiverse. They discover that "incursions" are occurring which cause two parallel Earths to collide, and only one can survive. So the obvious moral dilemma is that by saving their own world, they are dooming another one.
I liked the characters rather more than the story, which seems to be a MacGuffin hunt with guest appearances by everyone from Galactus to Dr. Doom. The "villain," the Black Swan, is very derivative of Galactus's heralds, or the Harbinger from DC's old Crisis On Infinite Earths. With obligatory push-up bustier. I did not find her or her origin story very interesting.
There is a lot of interpersonal tension (like Black Panther swearing he's going to kill Namor, since apparently he killed a bunch of Wakandans), and Captain America, as the voice of inflexible right-and-wrong morality, ultimately having to be "dealt with" since he won't go along with the lesser-of-two-evils approach the rest of the team is willing to accept.
Reed Richards is Mr. Pragmatism, Tony Stark had very little dialog. Stephen Strange is haughty and mystic, the Beast is grimly realistic, and Namor is an asshole. The Black Panther doesn't like anyone, and Black Bolt, of course, says nothing.
I will probably pick up the next volume, just to see how the sudden but inevitable betrayal happens. This is an interesting story filled with some of Marvel's heaviest hitters, but it's really not the Avengers we are familiar with.
August 18, 2013
Inventive, massive, bold, and intriguing. Hickman takes the title in a brand new direction, which--if you're not off put by plenty of necessary exposition--will take you to places most comics can't. Can't wait to see what he does next, and I never get sick of Steve Epting's art... It's just right for this title with its expressive faces and dark shades.
May 3, 2015
Definitely more of an Illuminati (not the Jay-Z and Beyonce kind) book!
Reading this in tandem with Hickman's Avengers run before I dig into Marvel's new Secret Wars.
Absolutely loving it! Really good spot to jump in if you want to get into Marvel before everything gets smushed together!
Reading this in tandem with Hickman's Avengers run before I dig into Marvel's new Secret Wars.
Absolutely loving it! Really good spot to jump in if you want to get into Marvel before everything gets smushed together!
April 6, 2014
I'm not saying Steve and Tony have an abusive friendship, but every time they disagree, Steve ends up dead or mind-wiped.
January 1, 2015
Marvel does Crisis on Infinite Earths! Red Skies! Worlds dying! Dubious morality!
March 1, 2016
Everything is terrible. Just another day with the Illuminati. SO OVER YOU ALL.
December 10, 2023
Нелоша история, както винаги - не напълно оползотворена.
Все пак, има повече съдържание от обичайното поголовно пата-кюта. Разбира се, има и доволно неизяснени неща, тъпи сюжетни решения и останалите характерни черти на тази вселена.
Все пак, има повече съдържание от обичайното поголовно пата-кюта. Разбира се, има и доволно неизяснени неща, тъпи сюжетни решения и останалите характерни черти на тази вселена.
December 6, 2023
И тоз "сюжет епичен"
не беше за отличен...
не беше за отличен...
December 26, 2022
Bu kitap için New Avengers'tan ziyade Illuminati demek daha doğru olacaktır. Dünyanın kaderini belirleme hakkını kendinde bulan bu grup yine tartışmalı kararlar alıyor. Captain America'nın o masadaki varlığı en baştan garip gelse de sonrasındaki gelişmeler hiç şaşırtmıyor. Secret Wars'a giden yoldaki ilk adımlardan biri olan bu kitapta aksiyon dozunun pek düşük. Onun yerine genellikle diyaloglara ve fikirlere yer verilmiş. Son olarak Steve Epting'in hem gerçekçi hem de çizgi roman havasını iyi yansıtan çizimlerine bayıldım.
May 3, 2021
He aquí la historia del equipo de Vengadores menos equipo de la historia. Y es que mientras Hickman desarrollaba en Vengadores su proyecto heroico convertía Nuevos Vengadores en... no sé muy bien como definirlo, pero otra cosa, sin duda. Y es que aquí vamos a tener una de sus grandes líneas maestras argumentales, la saga de las Incursiones que llevará al apogeo de su trabajo para Marvel, Secret Wars. Y lo hace retomando aquella inquietante creación de Bendis, los Illuminati, esa reunión de dirigentes de héroes surgida a raíz de la Guerra Kree-Skrull y que había jugado un papel primordial en diversos puntos de la historia de los superhéroes, siempre desde el más absoluto secretismo. Así que aquí, movidos por la amenaza de las Incursiones, Iron Man, Namor, el Doctor Extraño, Reed Richards y Rayo Negro van a volver a reunirse, ahora junto al Capitán América y llamados por Pantera Negra.
¿Y que son las Incursiones? Pues ni más ni menos que choques entre dos de las Tierras del Universo Marvel. Y es que si en DC, después de Crisis Infinita la Tierra se había convertido en la piedra angular de los 52 universos, en Marvel, Hickman va a convertir la Tierra (o las Tierras, mejor dicho) en los auténticos puntos de choque del Multiverso, pues durante las Incursiones, o una de las Tierras es destruída o lo serán las dos. Y Hickman lo hace acompañado por los lápices de Steve Epting, que ya había demostrado que tenía buen lápiz para las historias oscuras en las páginas de Capitán América junto a Ed Brubaker, y que aquí vuelve a hacerlo, en el arranque de una saga que "cambiaría para siempre el Universo Marvel"...
En el orden en el que las cosas cambian en el Universo Marvel, claro.
¿Y que son las Incursiones? Pues ni más ni menos que choques entre dos de las Tierras del Universo Marvel. Y es que si en DC, después de Crisis Infinita la Tierra se había convertido en la piedra angular de los 52 universos, en Marvel, Hickman va a convertir la Tierra (o las Tierras, mejor dicho) en los auténticos puntos de choque del Multiverso, pues durante las Incursiones, o una de las Tierras es destruída o lo serán las dos. Y Hickman lo hace acompañado por los lápices de Steve Epting, que ya había demostrado que tenía buen lápiz para las historias oscuras en las páginas de Capitán América junto a Ed Brubaker, y que aquí vuelve a hacerlo, en el arranque de una saga que "cambiaría para siempre el Universo Marvel"...
En el orden en el que las cosas cambian en el Universo Marvel, claro.
February 6, 2016
I wanted to shout expletives at Tony and Reed and well, Dr. Strange, strangely enough. I mean, I understand T'Challa's conundrum. Namor's always gonna be a douche (but damn, when he punched my Captain, I wanted to punch him back). THe thing is, I expected REED RICHARDS TO BE A GOOD GUY. He's reasonable, he's intelligent. He can't think he can commit to do worst-case scenario. Whoooo does he think he is? And TONY? Tony Stark has done a lot of shit that Cap has tolerated or forgiven but you think, oh, this time, he'll be completely honest and nice and not a paranoid/cynical alcoholic narcissist. I am not even kidding. I expected more from you, Tony. Shame on you. Dr. Strange. OH GOD. WHAT THE HELL, MAN? You're a cool and composed guy. You're the sorcerer supreme. You're the guy everybody comes to for help with the mystic arts. You're supposed to be a good guy and you're supposed to be against this. Knowing what I know of what he has done, I don't have a lot in me to rant at the guy but seriously, the things he does in the latest issue I just read. Damn. Dr. Strange... I cannot believe he did that. Wow.
Anyway. Illuminati sucks. They don't even have the balls to go through with it. Only Namor does. And they made such a big deal about it like "Oh when it comes to it, we're gonna do the unthinkable" well you're all a bunch of no-good superheroes. i hate you all!
Anyway. Illuminati sucks. They don't even have the balls to go through with it. Only Namor does. And they made such a big deal about it like "Oh when it comes to it, we're gonna do the unthinkable" well you're all a bunch of no-good superheroes. i hate you all!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2023
More gobbledygook from Jonathan Hickman. I guess the main dilemma is interesting. I'm trying to read the lead-up books to Infinity, but maybe I shouldn't bother.
May 4, 2015
That was by far, the most nihilistic, urgent Avegers story I have ever read. The weight is very real, as the darkest moment of the Marvel universe is put forward, giving us a nasty new perspective on everything to come. Hickman is a the king of this kind of stuff, and I am so happy that he's such a force behind the Marvel architecture right now. I'm also a HUGE NERD for Reed Richards, and with him at the front of everything, New Avengers is a gripping, hopeless, gut-wrenching tragedy of cosmic proportions. The synergy (or lack thereof) within the Illuminati, is brilliant character work, while the concepts are the exact heady goop we crave from Jonathan Hickman. Epting's pencils are almost shocking in their clarity, creating a blend of grounded surrealism that, induces an infinite dread. This is an incredible compliment, not only to the core Avengers book, but to the whole tune of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. I feel like a stupid PIG for not reading this WAY sooner.
December 27, 2018
Just not good, I couldn't even get halfway thru it.
The dialogue is overly dramatic, and hard to buy into. The plot involves multiple universes literally colliding, so the Avengers have to fight other versions of themselves, and maybe blow up other Earths, using Infinity Stones... an overly convoluted mess, that involves a lot of pseudo-science mumbo jumbo, with supposedly the worlds most brilliant and powerful heroes.
YAWN, I don't enjoy these styles of narratives at all, they make me roll my eyes because of how far fetched they are, even within the context of a world filled with heroes with super powers.
If you are the type of person who is looking for legitimately interesting characters, who are more then flashy over the top powers, with problems that are empathetic, and fighting people with clear purposes, then this is not the comic for you!
The dialogue is overly dramatic, and hard to buy into. The plot involves multiple universes literally colliding, so the Avengers have to fight other versions of themselves, and maybe blow up other Earths, using Infinity Stones... an overly convoluted mess, that involves a lot of pseudo-science mumbo jumbo, with supposedly the worlds most brilliant and powerful heroes.
YAWN, I don't enjoy these styles of narratives at all, they make me roll my eyes because of how far fetched they are, even within the context of a world filled with heroes with super powers.
If you are the type of person who is looking for legitimately interesting characters, who are more then flashy over the top powers, with problems that are empathetic, and fighting people with clear purposes, then this is not the comic for you!
August 12, 2014
Meh.
That's a good one word summation of how I felt about this. The book is simply a continuation of the Illuminati, which is cool and all, but very much not a continuation of any of the past "New Avengers" in line up or themes, which I found VERY disappointing.
And holy hell does Hickman seem to love alternative dimensions and the collision of them. At this point after reading a few titles he's been on it seems to be the only kind of story he is interested in telling. If your into that, more power to you, but I'm kind of tired of it right now.
I'll read the next volume to see where it goes, but if it's as "meh" as this one it will probably be my last in this run unless I hear later on it makes some radical changes in tone and line up.
That's a good one word summation of how I felt about this. The book is simply a continuation of the Illuminati, which is cool and all, but very much not a continuation of any of the past "New Avengers" in line up or themes, which I found VERY disappointing.
And holy hell does Hickman seem to love alternative dimensions and the collision of them. At this point after reading a few titles he's been on it seems to be the only kind of story he is interested in telling. If your into that, more power to you, but I'm kind of tired of it right now.
I'll read the next volume to see where it goes, but if it's as "meh" as this one it will probably be my last in this run unless I hear later on it makes some radical changes in tone and line up.
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