Avengers by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez Omnibus, Vol. 2

Avengers (1998) (New Editions) #3-5

by Kurt Busiek, George Pérez

Fan-favorite creators Kurt Busiek and George Pérez craft a new era for Earth's Mightiest Heroes! The Avengers forge an uneasy alliance with the Thunderbolts to face Count Nefaria - but the true threat comes from the stars, as Earth is declared a cosmic maximum security prison for alien criminals! COLLECTING: AVENGERS 24-56, 1 1/2, ANNUAL 2000-2001; THUNDERBOLTS 42-44; MAXIMUM SECURITY: DANGEROUS PLANET; MAXIMUM SECURITY 1-3; AVENGERS: THE ULTRON IMPERATIVE

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Fiction, Adventure

1248 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2002

About the author

Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.

Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.

During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).

Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.

In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.

In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.

In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.

Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.

Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this compilation [although I wish they would have had more 'Easter Eggs' in the form of the author and artists thoughts at the end, discussing why they went the route that they with the story arc[s], why inspired them. That would have been a great addition]. While it does move at a good pace, it does feel 'long' in parts. I thought the writer was spot-on with his portrayals of the various characters, with how they were written in the narrative. The art was not quite as seamless as when Perez was on the book. There are numerous artists after Perez left [well, "numerous" to me], but I do not think it has completely adverse effects on the final product. I think the the writer did a decent job trying to tackle some thornier issues in a comic-book format [in that he was trying to write to both young people and adults].

I found it funny how much the other Avengers kept discussing Hank Pym's changing costumes and aliases, how these changes were signs of mental instability that Hank has suffered from in the past, yet some of the Avengers [such as Scarlet Witch, of all people!] also had costume changes over the course of the remaining comics in the Busiek run. Obviously, the Wasp has practically a new costume in each issue. Scarlet Witch's costume changed a few times. Thor's costume changed a little bit [not much].

I do think this run highlights two 'weaknesses' in comics, especially Marvel comics.
The first weakness has to do with the "maxi-event". The 'big event' was the "Maximum Security" storyline, where Earth becomes the universal Australia for extraterrestrial villains. Despite having some cross-overs with other comics in the 'Event', once it was over, there were very few long-term consequences [other than Quasar not being able to return to Earth for some time]. I did find the 'homage' to Superman being humorous [only, it was Ego regressed to infanthood being discovered by an older couple in Nebraska and not Kansas]. But, in the end, what was the point? One would think that sections of Earth would still have been in shock over the alien invasion; one would also think the United Nations would have been more focused on erecting some kind of "interstellar warning system" in order to better protect the planet. Ah, well.

On a side note, I think it was a shame that, in the end, the Kree were relegated back to their former "evolutionary dead-end" status sometime after the events of "Maximum Security." "Maximum Security" clearly stated that the Kree's evolutionary progress had been jumpstarted by the Supreme Intelligence, and that they were no longer facing universal extinction as other races 'evolved' past them. Yet, in future [subsequent] comics, the Kree are once-again described as "at an evolutionary dead-end" when considering their long-term future. Even the Inhumans describe the Kree this way and had attempted to "jump start" the Kree's evolutionary progress before the "War of Kings" event.

The other "weakness" is how events in one comic [series] do not affect any of the other series Marvel is publishing. Washington, DC, was destroyed!!! Wiped off the face of the map! [well, it's citizens were] Nothing is mentioned of this in any of the other comics being published [that I am aware of; I shall have to try to look into it further, next time I am at a comic book shop]. One would think that something would have been mentioned about Kang having taken over THE WHOLE PLANET!!!!! by one of the other superhero teams or individuals. Spider-Man and Wolverine are clearly shown as having eluded capture, yet nothing is said of the X-Men being captured by Kang's forces. It is like when Xorn took over New York City in the New X-Men run; he destroys New York City in the process, but nothing is really ever said about this conquest in the other comics.

I was always a big fan of Marvel's continuity and attempts to follow continuity. To me, it is a shame that continuity is no longer a concern in the comics. But that is just me. I've already spent too much time talking about it. hahahaha

There is a lot going on in this compilation. It got pretty crazy, there, by the end. I did enjoy the lengthy Kang story at the end of the run, though. I thought it was a great/powerful story arc; it had some incredible moments in it like Thor walking through DC after it was destroyed or Firebird telling Thor off because Thor was ready to bail on the human race after the conflict with Kang was over or the Avengers agonizing over how a new species of life will be exterminated in order to save humanity from Alkhema's "children" taking over the planet. There are also some incredible bits of artwork throughout the back portion of this run.

I did like how Busiek tried to resolve Hank's various "mental issues" in this novel by making Hank Pym a 'whole man.' It was an interesting take on a character who should be fairly interesting but seems to constantly be shackled by past failures. Hank is definitely a 'lightning rod' for people's emotions; most seem unable to forgive him for striking Jan while they were married [even though that was the writer's choice for such an act to occur] [and I am not saying physical abuse of any sort in any relationship is okay]. It was a one-time 'event' and yet it is still held against him. Despite Hank's internal struggles being resolved [especially in the yearly annual], future authors would continue to bring his past back to haunt him. It's kinda crazy, that writers were unable to move past Hank's past and write about him in a more positive fashion.

It has always struck me as kind-of odd how Simon and Wanda's relationship "evolved" like it did over the course of the series. They were so madly in love with each other, constantly copulating [or so it seemed], and then they went their separate ways and decided to be "really, really old, good friends" instead of continuing to pursue a "more serious" relationship. It makes me wonder if authors/writers do not know how to write about a long-term, stable relationship [other than maybe Sue and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, which still managed to grow and evolve over time]. At least they could agree to remain as friends. hahahah

It is always fun [funny] to read how various characters are written, but Captain America always strikes me as the most funny. He tends to be written as a character who has a strong moral code and inner strength of character that allows him to see things [issues] more clearly than his fellow teammates. Yet oftentimes this "inner value system" seems to have double-standards, based on who is currently writing about the character in a given storyline [and depending on how much the writer worries/cares about continuity with prior issues]. At times he is written as overbearing and judgemental because 'he believes so strongly' about a particular issue; other times, he is written as wrestling internally over decisions he has to make and are they the right ones. Which is all well and good, but oftentimes his approval or disapproval seems to depend on his mood[s] more than this internal coda; again, I realize this has to do with the authors/writers more than the character himself. At the same time, I also realize the writer is using Captain America's character to express the writer's approval of or disapproval for a particular action / situation.

Overall, I do feel this was one of the best runs in the Avengers series. [I thought the Masters of Evil taking over Avengers Mansion in the first volume to be especially good, as well as when the Avengers took on the Greek gods [say, issues 270 - 286ish]. I also liked Gatherer's storyline with Proctor as the leader of the villains in the 90s.] Like any other runs, it had some great moments and some stinkers. I thought the writer did a good job discussing various issues [faith issues, varying levels of tolerance versus respect, how persons are worthy of respect because each person has value as an individual, the slippery slope of justifying one's actions after the fact, the dangers of intolerance, acts committed during times of war, etc.] over the course of the novel. But it was still fun to read.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big step down from the previous volume, as the artists rapidly rotate and the story gets overcrowded with overlapping villains and space opera plots that start to run together. There are no less than six different villainous men sitting back in thrones scheming in this book. If that's your cuppa tea, enjoy!

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even with an acclaimed writer and a lot of interesting ideas and highs and lows, everything here feels so flat and wooden. I don't know why.

[TK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a long long book! I was really impressed how Busiek wove in so many different stories together. The story telling reminded me of early Claremont X-men, where each issue is exploring a central plot and advancing a few side plots.

This Avengers volume brought so many elements together for a great climax. I will admit there were some story branches I found myself not caring about (The Triune Understanding especially) and sometimes there were so many things converging that it felt like a mess.

Overall it was pretty good storytelling, I think if these were characters I was more passionate about (I read it mainly for Warbird's arcs which were all stellar) then it would have been even more captivating for me.

[Will Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very nice, over-arcing story that seemed to start as just a few adventures after another, but it also gets into how the Avengers deal with race, PR, team dynamics, and of course, saving the world. But when it all starts tying together when Kang threatens the Earth, it starts getting really great.

[Sadiel Giron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely enjoyed this more than the first volume. Perez leaves during this run but the artwork doesn't dip in quality, still great artwork by Alan Davis, Stuart immonen, Steve Epting and more. Favorite part in this story is the Kang Dynasty arc.

[Mark Stratton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Busiek is a grand storyteller. Between that and the wonderful artists, the echoes of Lee/Kirby were there to be seen. Overall, a whole lot of fun.