The Avengers in the Veracity Trap!

by Chip Kidd, Michael Cho (illustrator)

What happens when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes learn who—and what—they truly are?
  
Writer Chip Kidd and artist Michael Cho have created a mind-bending, visually sumptuous saga that takes the Avengers—and you, the reader—to places that challenge everything we thought we knew about super heroes and the very nature of heroism . . . villainy . . . and existence.

It starts with an epic battle in Asgard, as Loki, the god of mischief, comes into possession of a weapon of unimaginable power and assembles an army of otherworldly monsters in an effort to carry out his evil plans. Cue the Avengers—Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Giant-Man, and the Wasp—who meet this horrifying throng of beasts head-on as a thrilling, knock-down drag-out fight ensues.

But when the smoke clears, what appears to be a typically raucous comic book take-down is revealed to be something very, very different—and very, very terrifying. And this discovery threatens to destroy the Avengers in a way that Loki or any other foe never has before. Because this time the enemy is . . . the Truth.
 
Oh, and did we mention that it’s absolutely hilarious?
 
Welcome to The Veracity Trap, a truly profound, thought-provoking conundrum of a comic, where no one—not even the Avengers—can escape!
 
Includes a reversible, two-sided dust jacket featuring Giant-Man, Thor, Iron Man, and the Wasp with exclusive art by Michael Cho on the underside and Hulk and Captain America on the case—beautifully designed by Chip Kidd.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

Chip Kidd is an American author, editor and graphic designer, best known for his innovative book covers.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Kidd grew up in a Philadelphia suburb, strongly influenced by American popular culture. While a design student at Penn State, an art instructor once gave the assignment to design a book cover for Museums and Women by John Updike, who is also a Shillington native. The teacher panned Kidd's work in front of the class, suggesting that book design would not be a good career choice for him. However, Kidd later received professional assignments to design covers for Memories of the Ford Administration and other books by Updike.

Kidd is currently associate art director at Knopf, an imprint of Random House. He first joined the Knopf design team in 1986, when he was hired as a junior assistant by Sara Eisenman.

Publishers Weekly described his book jackets as "creepy, striking, sly, smart, unpredictable covers that make readers appreciate books as objects of art as well as literature." USA Today called him "the closest thing to a rock star" in graphic design today, while author James Ellroy has called him “the world’s greatest book-jacket designer.”

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For Jack Kirby, who built universes with just a pencil." -- dedication from artist Michael Cho

Yes, longtime readers and fans of the 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes' will find something positively Kirbyesque about this retro-styled but yet contemporary / self-reverential graphic novel. With illustrations AND a team line-up that initially scream out the long-ago summer of '65, the The Veracity Trap! has Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Wasp, Giant-Man, and Captain America tangling with the mischievous Loki, and subsequently being thrown into the 'real' modern-day world occupied by writer Chip Kidd and artist Michael Cho. Tailored for a family audience - kids will love the colorful adventure aspect and streamlined story, while their parents will dig the old-school look but also occasional dialogue that is either slyly double entendre (the Wasp's "That's the SECOND most disgusting thing I've ever done in my life!", which begs the obvious follow-up inquiry) or charmingly heartwarming - it is a love letter of sorts to that first decade of Marvel Comics, when dozens of quirky new superheroes created by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and/or Steve Ditko arrived on the Silver Age scene to capture the hearts and minds of many. Although self-inserts can be a dangerous thing (falling prey to the 'Mary Sue' / 'Gary Stu' trope), Kidd & Cho creatively help out our trapped title characters towards the conclusion, and take a moment to nicely express how the characters and stories influenced their young lives. 'Avengers, Asssemble!' indeed . . . and take a bow. 😉

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this was a trip back to when I was just starting to read comics! Written by Chip Kidd and illustrated by Michael Cho this story is a kind of twist on Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello. The Avengers discover that they are not real in OUR reality (of Kidd/Cho) and that Loki (L) has found a way to 'trap' Cho/Kidd (who revert to little boys) in the reality THEY (Avengers) inhabit! Confusing...reference Fantastic Four #10 (10/9/62) for a similar story. Great to see L back in action!

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An homage to Jack Kirby and a Golden Age of Comics.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

'60s Marvel comics meets Chuck Jones's "Duck Amuck" in which Loki forces the Avengers to realize (to their existential dread) that they're comic book characters with no agency of their own.

It's silly and fun, not dark, and the oversized format of the book keeps strong focus on Cho's super cool art, including charmingly gratuitous full-page pin-ups of the various characters in key moments of action.

I don't know if this is available digitally, but if it is, I wouldn't recommend reading it that way. The book's design as a physical object is a vital part of its magic.

[Ben A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure, meta fun with whimsical writing and beautiful retro illustrations that really hits that sweet spot and sidesteps the void that a lot of modern comics leave behind.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 year old grandson wanted me to read this to him but I had just gotten it from the library and wasn’t sure whether it was appropriate. I was also concerned about the meta-fiction aspect being too complicated. But I discovered upon reading that I was overly cautious and I think he could have followed the overall story, maybe even enjoyed it a great deal. I will certainly find out when we do read it together.

It was fun and clever and made one think. It is a loving but winking tribute to the whole comic book world. And the ending testimonials by the real-world artists about the power and influence the heroic characters had upon their lives was touching and pretty close to home for me.

[Miles Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork is great in this.

[Rocco Versaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the privilege of seeing an advance copy of this wonderful book. It’s clever, funny, and gorgeously drawn. A really love letter to Kirby/Lee with the very distinctive stylings and attitude of Kidd and Cho—two major forces in comics.

[Eamonn Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Avengers In The Veracity Trap’ is a new adventure that harks back to the very early days of Marvel’s Avengers, a superhero group now famous worldwide thanks to some of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Yet it started simply in 1963 with a pencil, some Bristol drawing boards and Stan Lee and Jack Kirby bringing a bunch of individual Marvel heroes together to form a team.

Rumour has it that the success of the Justice League of America inspired the creation of the Fantastic Four, but surely that is much more so with the Avengers. The FF were a family with a shared origin. The Avengers, like the JLA, were individual stars with their own comic books, coming together to increase the company’s profits. I mean, fight crime and injustice.

The story goes like this. Loki lures the Avengers to Asgard, where he has assembled a horde of monsters to fight them. The monsters resemble Kirby creations from the early 1960s Marvel books, and someone nerdier than me could probably identify most of them. I recognised Fin Fang Foom, and with further research, discovered that there are now two omnibus editions of these vintage works, but I don’t own them yet, and cross-referencing from internet sources would take too long.

The Avengers fight the monsters, and individual splash pages of our heroes bear the strapline ‘A Marvel Masterworks Pin-Up’ in another homage to the early comic books. The pin-ups were in the back pages then, not part of the story, but Michael Cho’s artistic intentions are good. The Avengers line-up for this story is: Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Giant-Man, and the Wasp. While the others fight monsters, Thor is looking for Loki and finds him at an ancient temple, which also contains the Veracity Vortex.

At this point, the story turns into metafiction, which is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as ‘writing about imaginary characters and events in which the process of writing is discussed or described’. The process of writing here involves a pencil and Bristol board, and two men collaborating. The way metafiction is introduced is clever, original and part of the story, so I won’t spoil it.

I think the advertising blurbs for the book mention this aspect of it. Lee and Kirby did a sort of metafiction in at least one early FF, ‘Fantastic Four,’ which showed them creating an issue but having difficulty because Reed had not yet updated them on the FF’s latest adventure. The pretence here was that the FFs were real, and the comic creators were telling true stories about them. Joe Simon and Kirby did a similar thing with the Boy Commandos back in the 1940s and maybe the Newsboy Legion, too. Kidd and Cho take it a step further.

Nerdy notes: the Avengers line-up of Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Giant Man, the Wasp and the Hulk is only featured in one comic. That was Avengers # 2, in which they fought the Space Phantom. In Avengers #1, Hank Pym was little Ant-Man, not Giant-Man, and the Hulk left at the end of Avengers #2, disgruntled because the others mistrusted and feared him. To fit into the original chronology, this episode would take place sometime between the first two issues. Ant-Man would have been pretty useless against giant monsters, even assisted by his little friends. Are there ants in Asgard?

The art by Michael Cho is a decent homage to Jack Kirby, albeit from a slightly later time than 1963. Cho’s drawings look like Kirby inked by Joe Sinnott. The first three issues, featuring the Hulk, were inked by Paul Reinmann, a solid professional but no one’s favourite Kirby inker. It’s a minor criticism, but some of the figures are a bit wonky. Now, Kirby often went wonky, especially in later years, but, around this time, his figures were perfectly proportioned.

Cho does capture the good, clean lines of the art. Many of the poses are straight lifts from comics of the time. As an homage, this is fair enough. The pictures are big, bright and colourful, with few panels to a page, often one, and capture the spirit of the original. Cho is more of a graphic designer than an illustrator, but so was Kirby.

At a mere 64 pages, ‘The Avengers In The Veracity Trap’ is a brief bit of fun for old fans and may appeal to new ones or aficionados of Michael Cho’s graphics. Given the small price differential between the eBook and the hardback, it might be worth going for paper on this one. I suppose the decision depends on your financial situation. The hardback book measures nearly 12 x 9 inches in imperial units, making it a decent size. Worth a look.

[Paul Sutter]

AVENGERS IN THE VERACITY TRAP, is definitely a tribute to the Marvel comics of yesteryear, brought to us in living color, with a fun and far-out storyline that almost takes us back to the glory days of Marvel comics, and of course the Avengers. It truly pays homage by presenting the Avengers as they once looked back in the 1960’s, with many of the same superheroes who were part of the group, before there was a change in the lineup with Avengers number sixteen.
They are all here, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Giant Man and the Wasp. They must unite to face the diabolical threat of the perennially evil Loki. Scheming as always, Loki conjures up a grab bag of nefarious villains, that were seen in many earlier Marvel comics, and also when Marvel was known as Timely Comics. Such monstrosities as Fin Fang Foom, Goom, son Googam and Toad Men, enter in the Avenger’s world, giving our heroes a vicious battle for survival.
The Avengers are winning, until Loki opens the Veracity Vortex, and everything changes totally. The Avengers find themselves in the same room as the authors of the book, Chip Kidd and Michael Cho, wondering how in the world they got there and what has happened. The next thing they know Kidd and Cho go back to their childhood, unsure what to do next to save the day and this comic. Loki is gloating over his achievements, as it looks very dire for Thor, Iron Man, and gang.
The Avengers wonder how Kidd and Cho know their names, unaware they are part of their plot and the story. It is a sort of mind-bending tale that is short but fun, reminiscent of the way many comics were back in their glory days. The evil must be defeated with a truly amazing machine, with the heroes set to return to their own lives, ready to forget the mortal combat they were in.
With full-page pin-ups of our six heroes, the book channels earlier Avengers magnificently. It is the ultimate tribute to not only the comics, but those who painstakingly created them each issue.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss old Avengers plots like these.
This is one of those comics where I can't decide if I'm going to like it more or less the next time I read it, so I'm just keeping it at a lower rating until I decide how I feel. The story is pretty good and the dialogue reads as fun and quippy. It definitely has a retro feel to the Avengers which is something I grew up with and I just love it.
The art is the real reason I think this story is so good. Michael Cho is so good at creating retro feeling books and art, and I feel like it really worked here. In the past I've been mixed on the art he creates, but it just worked so well here and felt like an evolution of the Kirby style. So dynamic and beautiful, and it reminded me of reading picture books as a kid and just being immersed in the art it provided.
Which actually leads me to my next thing: this is an Avengers story that's totally for kids and the imagination of being a kid. I just love the way that the book wants to capture that imagination and dedicate itself to the art of Kirby who was built on imagination. I really enjoyed that. The story doesn't talk down to the kids, but it serves as a strong all age comic for both kids and adults to enjoy.
Cons? Some dialogue is just too cheesy even for me. I liked most of it, and I felt like it was strongly written, but it had some MCU quips in here that did NOT feel like a Stan and Jack story. I miss when the MCU didn't influence the rest of the way the Marvel books felt, but they've largely had a negative effect outside of the best books out (looking at you Immortal Hulk its still one of the best modern stories).
If you watched the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes show as a kid like I did, or read the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby run and that's totally your scene like it is mine, then this is a really good read for you. Highly recommend.

[Cody Wilson]

Avengers: The Veracity Trap is an incredible showcase for artist Michael Cho. His bold lines and vibrant colors have attracted me to his work for years, and full interior art from Cho is a treat given that he usually only draws covers. The Veracity Trap features two different art styles from Cho: his usual, fully rendered approach with clever color holds and gradients, and a tribute to Jack Kirby with flatter colors and rougher line work.

Kirby homages are nothing new and sometimes strike me as derivative or empty. However, a few thoughtful artists - such as Steve Rude and Bruce Timm - have pulled off such tributes in a way that deftly fuses Kirby’s sensibilities with their own, and Cho is easily among their ranks. Even when he streamlines his lines to channel Kirby’s dynamism, Cho’s work remains unmistakably his own. Really, the art is the selling point for this project, and it's a joy to behold his version of the classic 60s Avengers.

The story itself left me mostly neutral. It starts with a by-the-numbers plot of the Avengers fighting Loki and his monsters. Then, the comic takes a meta, existential turn that has been done so many times before that the creators make a joke about how many times it has been done before. This sort of postmodern twist usually annoys me, but writer Chip Kidd and Cho pull it off well enough that I didn't necessarily mind. My main compliment is Kidd gives Cho's work space to shine, in contrast to the overly verbose writing style of the 60s that could crowd out the art. Also, a few good jokes throughout got laughs out of me.

More than anything, Avengers: The Veracity Trap is a Michael Cho art book, and I can highly recommend it on those grounds alone.

[Timothy Neesam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvel goes meta in this delightful throwback to 1960s comic books, filtered through a modern sensibility.

The Avengers are battling Loki when Thor accidentally travels through the Veracity Vortex and lands in contemporary New York, specifically, in the office of writer Chip Kidd and artist Michael Cho, who are in the middle of creating a Marvel comic. It’s a clever idea, and the book leans into it with pleasure.

Thor soon brings in the rest of the Avengers, who are understandably shaken to learn that they exist as characters in a fictional world. The idea is playful, but it’s also surprisingly thoughtful. That sense deepens when Chip and Michael themselves pass through the Veracity Vortex, reverting to their adolescent selves and joining the action against Marvel villains. The story becomes as much about fandom and imagination as it is about superheroes.

The writing is witty, and the art deliberately evokes early-1960s Marvel, capturing not just the look but the spirit of that era. One of the book’s quiet pleasures is its physical presence. It’s larger than most volumes, giving the artwork room to breathe. Chapters open with oversized, single-image pinups reminiscent of Marvel Masterworks, and the colours are crisp throughout.

It’s a book that’s a pleasure to read and to linger over. Someone (looking at you, Chip Kidd) clearly had a great deal of fun writing it, and Michael Cho’s affection for early Marvel comics is evident on every page. The references never feel forced; instead, they invite the reader to share in that enthusiasm. It’s a book about loving comics, made by people who clearly do—and one I’m delighted I can return to.

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have more than a vested interest in this new MarvelArts original graphic novel published by Abrams ComicArts, which made its world premiere at San Diego Comic-Con 2025. It’s edited by my longtime friend, Charlie Kochman. I had the honor of giving Chip Kidd an Inkpot Award at Comic-Con in 2015, when he was a part of “The Craft of Comics” special section in that year’s Souvenir Book, which I edited and designed. And I’ve known artist Michael Cho since 2012, and his art, sense of design and amazing color work has always been a favorite of mine (he’s also one of the nicest guys in comics, and I had the pleasure of working on two covers with him during my time at Comic-Con). So when I found out that Chip and Mike were collaborating on a brand new graphic novel—the third in a series from Abrams—I was absolutely thrilled. (I’m through name-dropping now, calm down.) This is pure Jack Kirby 1964 Avengers, with an amazing plot twist that results in a surprise and somewhat touching ending; that’s all I’ll say about the story. But I can go on and on about Mike’s art on this project. It’s pure Kirby channelled through Mike’s perspective and stule—to me, at least—the best sequential comic work he’s ever done. Make sure you take off the dust jacket for the amazing portraits of the Avengers—in true 1964 fashion—Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Giant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk (okay, he wasn’t an Avenger after issue 2, but it’s nice to have him here) on the inside cover and the hardbound casing. If you love vintage “Marvel Age of Comics” stuff, this one is for you, True Believer!

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chip Kidd and Michael Cho recapture the retro days of Marvel with their original graphic novel featuring the Avengers. Set in the early days of the team’s history, the roster consists of Iron Man, Thor, Wasp, Giant-Man, Hulk, and Captain America. Battling the machinations of Loki, the group faces a fearsome army of monsters defending an all-powerful weapon dubbed the Veracity Vortex. Stepping into the strange Vortex to retrieve his hammer, Thor returns to the Avengers with the knowledge that they are all comic book characters. Leaping through the Vortex as a team, the heroes land in modern-day New York, meeting writer Chip Kidd and artist Michael Cho. Realizing that Loki has been playing them all along, the creators and Avengers must team up to restore order to both worlds. Chip Kidd pens a metaphysical tale that runs the gamut from homage to downright farce. The plot itself is little more than a ploy to insert the writer into his own story, help save the day, and set the toys back up again for someone else to play with. As such, Kidd’s plot lacks the heart and energy that the classic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby duo had in telling such yarns. Michael Cho is the star here, however, deftly handling artistic chores with a throwback charm. The pages range from action sequences and talking heads to excellently rendered pin-ups of the classic roster. The Avengers in the Veracity Trap presents an artist’s visually stunning ride for a writer’s personal ego trip.

[Reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second outing for Abrams/Marvel comics. After a spiritual sequel to a classic Fantastic Four romp, we get the Avengers in a classic caper.

The Avengers vs. the crushing reality of your own existence. Very relatable. I do love the trope of comic characters meeting their creators in a sort of man vs. God confrontation. But instead of rubbing shoulders with Jack Kirby or Stan Lee, we get the hapless and panicking Michael Cho (no relation) and Chip Kidd who are equally as flabbergasted by their meeting.

It's a novel idea, and it's clear an incredible amount of love went into this read. It's like it was made purely so Kidd and Cho could pen their own love letter to OG Marvel stories. That being said, the pair are quick to point out that the formula has been tried before, which plays on your mind throughout. While it's a valid attempt at meta commentary, it did undermine my enjoyment.

But man, what a beautiful book to look at. I'm sure you'll catch me mindlessly skimming it in the near future.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply affectionate Silver Age tribute, with a meta twist. This short graphic novel starts off as a pitch-perfect Lee/Kirby homage, with the classic Avengers battling Loki. The meta part comes in when the Avengers cross over into our real world, where they're merely figments of our collective imagination. Specifically, actual writer Chip Kidd and actual artist Michael Cho. Self inserts can be pretty hazardous, but Kidd and Cho don't particularly steal the scene here. They're basically stand-ins for the type of reader who just wants to meet their favorite supers and tell them they've had a positive impact on their lives. The Avengers are still thoroughly the active heroes. The story even allows Steve to break out his little-used drawing skills! The writing is often quite funny and sometimes sincere, making this a lovely little nostalgia bomb.

[Tim Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m enjoying these Abrams Books/Marvel collaborations - they feature great artists in a deluxe presentation worthy of their talents. The latest, a Chip Kidd/Michael Cho production, The Avengers in The Veracity Trap is a delightful retro meta-story with some of the best coloring I’ve yet encountered.
I only know Cho from his DC reprint covers, so seeing him flex his artistic muscles and provide Kirbyesque monsters and machinery is a delight. Chip Kidd deftly balances humor, action and nostalgia in a goofy plot that somehow works.
This volume is definitely a keeper to be enjoyed by young and older reader alike.
Highly recommended.

[Sineala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel that is an affectionate Silver Age pastiche done with a lot of love for the genre, plus it's deeply meta.

Before this came out, I was prepared to be angry that it was clearly not 616 canon (the Hulk and Captain America were not on the team at the same time and, yes, I am that pedantic) but given that the plot is "the Avengers find out they are fictional characters in a comic book," I'm pretty sure the team is whatever Chip Kidd and Michael Cho want it to be, by in-universe fiat. So there.

It's very cute.

[Drake Zappa]

in this economy, it can be difficult to indulge in an immediate impulse purchase, but when with no prior knowledge of the books existence, with birthday money in hand walking around forbidden planet, when I saw a Marvel Arts book with Chip Kidd and Michael Cho of all people as the creative team behind it, it was an instantaneous purchase; I quite simply wasn't walking out of the store without that book. After reading it, I can day it was well worth the £18.99 I spent, which is honestly really reasonable given how comic prices can be lately. Really fun book, loved it! Xx

[Patrick Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An almost perfect Avengers story. Chip Kidd has crafted a complete story that many comics readers will recognize almost immediately but isn’t ruined because we definitely have seen this story before. Michael Cho’s art and colors are gorgeous! I was a fan of Michael’s art before, but it really pops off the page here. Abrams Comicarts put this together into a nicely oversized (magazine) hardcover.

[Meenakshisankar M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a standalone Avengers comic book which had a very whimsical and meta plot of the Avengers getting tricked by Loki to find out that they are all part of the comic world in reality, and they end up interacting with the author and illustrator in the real world. Though it had many trademark funny dialogues, the overall writing was a bit disappointing. I am also not a fan of this classical old-style of illustrations.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love? The original Avengers written by the amazing Chip Kidd and drawn by the wonderful Michael Cho? Yes! A meta-fictional story in which the Avengers discover that they are comic book characters and are able to venture into our world to interact with the author & illustrator? Double yes! This was right up my alley and I enjoyed every page!

[Jim N · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for Michael Cho’s spectacular artwork, the oversized format, beautiful printing, design and a heaping helping of nostalgic fun. 3 stars for the metatextual script which provides an entertaining framework in which the artwork can shine but not much more.

If you’re a fan of the source material, this book is well worth your time.

[Emile Rudoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestamente está muy sencilla, pero no por eso es una historia aburrida, al contrario, me divirtió mucho. Obviamente está pensada para que el arte de Michael Cho luzca y supongo que en físico debe de ser aún mas impresionante. Un cómic que sirve para pasar un muy buen rato.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meta stuff doesn't always work for me, but this was a lot of fun and felt like a perfect goofy old Avengers story, complete with some Kirby-esque art. Also, I am but a simple person and so Hank Pym being there makes me happy.

[Kelson Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly quick read, but a fun homage to the glory days of Kirby’s Marvel residency. The inks and colors from Mr. Cho are a blast to flip through, but the writing feels lacking. Wide scope but little payoff in my opinion.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5?

The colors are amazing. But that's all the praise I really have. The story could be ok, but the pacing is way to fast. I'm also a bit confused by the formatting. Is this a picture book? A Graphic Novel? idk, man.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

a slight, inconsequential meta story that is redeemed by utterly gorgeous artwork on every page

[Brad Wojak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun story with eye-popping art.