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A-Force (Collected Editions)
A-Force: Wilde Zeiten
What do you do when a sentient cosmic event rampages through Japan? ASSEMBLE A-FORCE! Marvel's newest hero, SINGULARITY, has escaped Battleworld and found her way to the Marvel Universe! But she didn't make the journey alone. To combat the villainous ANTIMATTER, Singularity will call upon Earth's mightiest team of Avengers. And one thing's for sure: They are A FORCE to be reckoned with!
Collecting: A-Force 1-4, Avengers 83, A-Force 1, material from Avengers 0
Collecting: A-Force 1-4, Avengers 83, A-Force 1, material from Avengers 0
Hardcover
First published July 6, 2016
25 people are currently reading
749 people want to read
About the author
G. Willow Wilson
474 books3,323 followersHugo, World Fantasy and American Book Award-winning author of novels and comics, including THE BIRD KING, INVISIBLE KINGDOM, and ALIF THE UNSEEN. Co-creator of Ms Marvel. Honorary doctor of letters, Rutgers University. I accidentally started a dutch baby baking cult during quarantine. Not very active on here right now, but often found on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
December 6, 2022
This is a gorgeous volume of sequential art in trade paperback format. The story revolves around the newest Marvel Super Hero called Singularity. She has moved out of an alternate universe where she met members of A-Force (an all-female Avengers team), heralding a new danger. She recognizes the super heroes from the other dimension, but they do not recognize her. The artwork is gorgeous, and the story is focused on just a few of the heavy hitters. (If you recall this was one of my major complaints of the earlier A-Force graphic novel.) Here the story is comprehensible. It does some very good characterization with a concentration on the dynamic interaction between the characters that are either well-known or obscure. This is a book more worthy of the Avengers as heroes. G. Willow Wilson does a phenomenal job (IMHO) of getting the characterization right while telling a strong extinction level event story that allows each of the team members to shine as individuals while working in conjunction with their teammates.
July 28, 2018
3.5 stars
I didn't know anything about this series but - only judging a book by its cover - I first figured it to be an Avengers-style extemporaneous 'assemble a group' adventure with established heavy-hitters (Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Medusa . . . . Dazzler?) and newbies (Nico 'I need a code-name' Minoru and Singularity). While it may not have been the most memorable story, the A-Force gets it done with nary a man in sight - this passes the Bechdel test - and features lots of action-packed scenes.
Also nice was the nostalgic inclusion of Avengers# 83 - it would've been on the sales rack in Oct. 1970 - featuring the old team finding trouble at the annual Rutland, VT Halloween parade (!).
I didn't know anything about this series but - only judging a book by its cover - I first figured it to be an Avengers-style extemporaneous 'assemble a group' adventure with established heavy-hitters (Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Medusa . . . . Dazzler?) and newbies (Nico 'I need a code-name' Minoru and Singularity). While it may not have been the most memorable story, the A-Force gets it done with nary a man in sight - this passes the Bechdel test - and features lots of action-packed scenes.
Also nice was the nostalgic inclusion of Avengers# 83 - it would've been on the sales rack in Oct. 1970 - featuring the old team finding trouble at the annual Rutland, VT Halloween parade (!).
March 29, 2017
I adored this! I couldn't put this book down! I came for the badass ladies saving the world and stayed for the awesome writing.
The plot revolves around Singularity coming to earth 616 (? I think. I got lost when the whole Secret Wars thing happened) and thinking it's the world she crash landed in before. She finds all of her team members from the other world: She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Nico, Dazzler and Medusa. They don't know who she is and, save Jen, they're all kind of mean. She's being chased by a creature they call Antimatter and they all team up to help her.
Singularity is the cutest little bean and I love her! She's so sweet and affectionate and wins everyone, even Medusa, over in the end. Nico is awesome and incredibly clever. Medusa is kind of a jerk at times but she's very headstrong and isn't having anyone trying to hurt "the children". Jen is sweet and protective from the get go. Carol is a badass and my crush on her knows no bounds. Dazzler has been through some stuff but she's incredibly strong and almost dies saving Singularity. We're also introduced to Dr. Bell who's a brilliant scientist and creates devices that get rid of Antimatter and save Singularity.
They start out as a group of individuals and eventually become a team of friends and fight to protect earth from other creatures. I can't wait for volume 2! I really enjoyed this!
The plot revolves around Singularity coming to earth 616 (? I think. I got lost when the whole Secret Wars thing happened) and thinking it's the world she crash landed in before. She finds all of her team members from the other world: She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Nico, Dazzler and Medusa. They don't know who she is and, save Jen, they're all kind of mean. She's being chased by a creature they call Antimatter and they all team up to help her.
Singularity is the cutest little bean and I love her! She's so sweet and affectionate and wins everyone, even Medusa, over in the end. Nico is awesome and incredibly clever. Medusa is kind of a jerk at times but she's very headstrong and isn't having anyone trying to hurt "the children". Jen is sweet and protective from the get go. Carol is a badass and my crush on her knows no bounds. Dazzler has been through some stuff but she's incredibly strong and almost dies saving Singularity. We're also introduced to Dr. Bell who's a brilliant scientist and creates devices that get rid of Antimatter and save Singularity.
They start out as a group of individuals and eventually become a team of friends and fight to protect earth from other creatures. I can't wait for volume 2! I really enjoyed this!
November 28, 2016
A lame salvage of the homonymous Secret Wars tie-in with a more than lame cosmic "villain" and low character depth, but Molina's art was great.
I liked much more the classic Avengers #83 volume filler reprint here included than the main story, a good old one by Roy Thomas and "Big" John Buscema (the reference to Lovecraft 's Miskatonic University was really nice and unexpected).
' nuff said.
I liked much more the classic Avengers #83 volume filler reprint here included than the main story, a good old one by Roy Thomas and "Big" John Buscema (the reference to Lovecraft 's Miskatonic University was really nice and unexpected).
' nuff said.
November 2, 2016
A blue thing wanders into our universe. She's supposed to be cute because she acts and talks like a six-year-old. She wanders around collecting heroes she knew in Secret-Wars-verse.
Theoretically, they're supposed to help her fight a red thing, but none of them are any good at it. For no very good reason, they stick around as the blue thing keeps finding more people, hoping they can help against the red thing. They can't. In the end, . Yay.
The setup for the ongoing series suggests that they'll be fighting more alien other-worldly stuff. It might be bright colors too.
Overall, I was vastly underwhelmed by this book. I really wanted to love it, because of its characters and its focus. But the plot was just too mediocre and too trite, and the characterization was almost nonexistent.
There was a great bit about Alison in the last issue, and if we saw more like that it'd be a great book. But just going around fighting colored menaces, again and again, until the plot says they can win: not so much.
Theoretically, they're supposed to help her fight a red thing, but none of them are any good at it. For no very good reason, they stick around as the blue thing keeps finding more people, hoping they can help against the red thing. They can't. In the end, . Yay.
The setup for the ongoing series suggests that they'll be fighting more alien other-worldly stuff. It might be bright colors too.
Overall, I was vastly underwhelmed by this book. I really wanted to love it, because of its characters and its focus. But the plot was just too mediocre and too trite, and the characterization was almost nonexistent.
There was a great bit about Alison in the last issue, and if we saw more like that it'd be a great book. But just going around fighting colored menaces, again and again, until the plot says they can win: not so much.
August 16, 2016
This is a pretty decent way to salvage some of the storyline from Secret Wars (A-Force, Vol. 0: Warzones!). I'm interested to see where this goes in the next volume.
June 30, 2018
Why bother? Two stars because the art is beautiful and Singularity is cute.
The fact that this volume has 4 issues of original story and a REPRINT FROM THE PREVIOUS VOLUME and a blatantly misogynistic issue from the '60s is really astounding me. I thought I had more story to go after I got through the '60s reprint, which I'll get to in a second, but no. Just an issue I've already read?
So for the four new to me issues in this book: a resounding meh. The characters barely had personalities, there was no emotional depth. Volume 0 may have been an event, but at least the characters really cared about each other and the plot carried a bit of weight. Like it should be SO EASY for this to be precisely my thing. I love comics by women about women. Also, how many times do the superheroes need to say "in English please" to the scientist? Nothing she said was very complicated. It's pretend science. It just makes them all seem stupid and like they're not listening, especially when it's Captain Marvel is all space all the time and She-Hulk is a lawyer who's probably pretty decent at figuring out context clues idk.
And that reprint! Why is there an anti-feminist comic in this? Who thought that was cute? Was it put in ironically? Some of the panels are pretty funny, but the entire plot is "see feminism is a trick to get you to turn against men and that is BAD." There was no reason for it to be in this volume.
Since I know the next volume is another event which I have no interest in (Civil War II) I probably won't finish this series out. Who cares?
The fact that this volume has 4 issues of original story and a REPRINT FROM THE PREVIOUS VOLUME and a blatantly misogynistic issue from the '60s is really astounding me. I thought I had more story to go after I got through the '60s reprint, which I'll get to in a second, but no. Just an issue I've already read?
So for the four new to me issues in this book: a resounding meh. The characters barely had personalities, there was no emotional depth. Volume 0 may have been an event, but at least the characters really cared about each other and the plot carried a bit of weight. Like it should be SO EASY for this to be precisely my thing. I love comics by women about women. Also, how many times do the superheroes need to say "in English please" to the scientist? Nothing she said was very complicated. It's pretend science. It just makes them all seem stupid and like they're not listening, especially when it's Captain Marvel is all space all the time and She-Hulk is a lawyer who's probably pretty decent at figuring out context clues idk.
And that reprint! Why is there an anti-feminist comic in this? Who thought that was cute? Was it put in ironically? Some of the panels are pretty funny, but the entire plot is "see feminism is a trick to get you to turn against men and that is BAD." There was no reason for it to be in this volume.
Since I know the next volume is another event which I have no interest in (Civil War II) I probably won't finish this series out. Who cares?
November 2, 2016
I liked seeing a bunch of awesome lady superheroes get together, but I had no idea what was going on plot-wise. Still enjoyable!
December 19, 2016
Ketika 5 superhero cewe plus Singularity bergabung ngebentuk satu team xD
July 19, 2017
I'm not against an all-female Avengers team per se, but this volume was just a little too all over the place for me. My ignorance of "Battleworld" and so forth probably didn't help.
January 4, 2025
I enjoyed Singularity trying to track down all her friends in a new place and putting her team back together even though no one remembers one another. I have no idea what happened to the Battleworld "island" from volume 0, but in the way of big event comics I just accepted this new reality and moved on.
I couldn't make it through the original A-Force issue from decades ago included at the end of this volume, the women's commentary on men was way way overdone.
I couldn't make it through the original A-Force issue from decades ago included at the end of this volume, the women's commentary on men was way way overdone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2017
These are good stories; just as good is the reprint, included here, of Avengers #83, which I bought from the newsstand in October, 1970, featuring the introduction of The Valkyrie and the Lady Liberators!
Recommended.
Recommended.
September 18, 2017
Singularity próbuje pogodzić swoją skłóconą lesbijską rodzinę, bo nie chce, żeby jej mamy z sobą walczyły i to jest piękne.
Wiele mogę wybaczyć Marvelowi, bo A-Force.
Wiele mogę wybaczyć Marvelowi, bo A-Force.
June 20, 2017
3.5 stars. Good art, neat characters. Decent plot.
September 6, 2016
Loved it! Always pleased when I have a successful Marvel Cosmic book in my hands. The art is from Jorge Molina is terrific. Solid set up story to kick off a series.
I'm a bit confused about a couple of plot points. Not sure why the space station is called Alpha Flight. Does Canada have a space program? Why are there no men on-board? Is there also a super-hero team called Alpha Flight? Is this their space station?
Also of note: Included is Avengers #83. One of my all time favorite issues of the Avengers!
I'm a bit confused about a couple of plot points. Not sure why the space station is called Alpha Flight. Does Canada have a space program? Why are there no men on-board? Is there also a super-hero team called Alpha Flight? Is this their space station?
Also of note: Included is Avengers #83. One of my all time favorite issues of the Avengers!
March 30, 2017
Spinning out of the Secret Wars spinoff, Singularity pops up in the regular Marvel universe and goes looking for her friends who no longer remember her. Unfortunately, an entity called Antimatter has followed her to our universe.
Jorge Molina's art is fantastic. A little similar to Jimmy Cheung's in places but with his own spin on it. The story is OK. There's a lot of bickering in the book, without any good banter. It would work better if one or two of the characters were smart-asses.
Jorge Molina's art is fantastic. A little similar to Jimmy Cheung's in places but with his own spin on it. The story is OK. There's a lot of bickering in the book, without any good banter. It would work better if one or two of the characters were smart-asses.
August 19, 2016
Not a very exciting villain, but I love this team, and I love the way Wilson writes them.
May 14, 2018
I liked this one, but not as much as volume 0.
The Arcadia Force are a team that I love reading about, but the antagonist was not quite as compelling as the previous for them.
I love this series for the team dynamic and I'm sad that there's only one more volume left in this run.
The Arcadia Force are a team that I love reading about, but the antagonist was not quite as compelling as the previous for them.
I love this series for the team dynamic and I'm sad that there's only one more volume left in this run.
March 18, 2018
As I have really enjoyed the things I have read by G. Willow Wilson up to this point, I was quite looking forward to reading A-Force, and since the local library had this first (and by Wilson only) proper volume of the series (there is a volume series which ties in with the big Marvel Secret Wars event from a few years ago (not to be mistaken for the original Secret Wars maxi-series from the '80s)), I picked it up with some anticipation.
However, while I thoroughly enjoyed the idea behind the series, as well as the characters included (She-Hulk, the current Captain Marvel, Medusa of the Inhumans, Dazzler, Nico Minoru, and the entity called Singularity) and the basic set-up where the latter knows all the character from the Battleworld adventures in Secret Wars, of which the other characters are oblivious, the series as executed sadly leaves me feeling a bit sad because it has not fully delivered on it own potential. Do not get me wrong, Wilson has crafted a good plot, the artists, Jorge Molina who has done the lion's share, have done a very good job, and the result is an enjoyable enough comic. But I was expecting more of Wilson's take on these characters and the material.
Also, the surrounding Secret Wars related stuff is mighty complicated in several places (plot- and character-wise), and on certain levels a little "off-putting" (rather than inviting).
At any rate, the volume collects "In the Beginning" (from Avengers #0), A-Force (2016) #1-4, Avengers #83 (as an old reference for a female Avengers) and A-Force (2015) #1 (which is the first issue from the Secret Wars tie-in mini-series).
However, while I thoroughly enjoyed the idea behind the series, as well as the characters included (She-Hulk, the current Captain Marvel, Medusa of the Inhumans, Dazzler, Nico Minoru, and the entity called Singularity) and the basic set-up where the latter knows all the character from the Battleworld adventures in Secret Wars, of which the other characters are oblivious, the series as executed sadly leaves me feeling a bit sad because it has not fully delivered on it own potential. Do not get me wrong, Wilson has crafted a good plot, the artists, Jorge Molina who has done the lion's share, have done a very good job, and the result is an enjoyable enough comic. But I was expecting more of Wilson's take on these characters and the material.
Also, the surrounding Secret Wars related stuff is mighty complicated in several places (plot- and character-wise), and on certain levels a little "off-putting" (rather than inviting).
At any rate, the volume collects "In the Beginning" (from Avengers #0), A-Force (2016) #1-4, Avengers #83 (as an old reference for a female Avengers) and A-Force (2015) #1 (which is the first issue from the Secret Wars tie-in mini-series).
July 2, 2016
[Read as single issues]
The A-Force Secret Wars series was pretty much perfect, and easily my favourite of the Secret Wars tie-ins. Beautiful art, great characters, and a good tie-in to the main series. In the wake of Secret Wars, that team is no more, and no one is more disappointed than Singularity, the adorable character that debuted in that mini-series and the only person who remembers Battleworld at all.
Her appearance in the Marvel Universe causes the creation of Antimatter, her antithesis, and only by assembling her old A-Force comrades who don't know her and have never worked together as a team, can she hope to stop it.
The storyline isn't quite as tight as it could be, with A-Force spending a lot of time on the back foot and reacting to Antimatter rather than going on the offensive, but considering they're all very wary of Singularity, it does make sense. The dialogue is pretty good, and the characters ring true; the arguments and alliances that they form feel natural - there's no way you could have three natural leaders like She-Hulk, Medusa, and Captain Marvel on the same team and not expect people to shout at each other. The resolution of the story gives the team a reason to stick together too, which is always a good thing.
Jorge Molina carries over from the Secret Wars mini to pencil these five issues, and they're just as gorgeous as before. His characters are all distinctive and never cheesecake-y, which could easily have been the case had a lesser artist been assigned to this book (I'm looking at you Greg Land. You stay far away from this book), and Laura Martin's colours are gorgeous, especially her star-fields inside Singularity and Antimatter.
The A-Force Secret Wars series was pretty much perfect, and easily my favourite of the Secret Wars tie-ins. Beautiful art, great characters, and a good tie-in to the main series. In the wake of Secret Wars, that team is no more, and no one is more disappointed than Singularity, the adorable character that debuted in that mini-series and the only person who remembers Battleworld at all.
Her appearance in the Marvel Universe causes the creation of Antimatter, her antithesis, and only by assembling her old A-Force comrades who don't know her and have never worked together as a team, can she hope to stop it.
The storyline isn't quite as tight as it could be, with A-Force spending a lot of time on the back foot and reacting to Antimatter rather than going on the offensive, but considering they're all very wary of Singularity, it does make sense. The dialogue is pretty good, and the characters ring true; the arguments and alliances that they form feel natural - there's no way you could have three natural leaders like She-Hulk, Medusa, and Captain Marvel on the same team and not expect people to shout at each other. The resolution of the story gives the team a reason to stick together too, which is always a good thing.
Jorge Molina carries over from the Secret Wars mini to pencil these five issues, and they're just as gorgeous as before. His characters are all distinctive and never cheesecake-y, which could easily have been the case had a lesser artist been assigned to this book (I'm looking at you Greg Land. You stay far away from this book), and Laura Martin's colours are gorgeous, especially her star-fields inside Singularity and Antimatter.
August 24, 2016
Yay, I liked this so much better than Warzones!
The main story is lots of fun -- Singularity comes to the newly established "normal" (whatever that means at this point) universe from the Battleworlds one, and is incredibly cute. Then there's just lots and lots of ladies being badasses alongside other ladies. Even the non-superhero scientists are ladies! I want to live in the alternate universe where this is the status quo. Eventually they can add one token guy to the team, and have him need to be rescued while in various states of undress all the time. (Hawkeye?)
Unfortunately, this is another collection padded out with old issues, in this case a borderline sexist Avengers comic from 1963 (I say borderline only because it turned out to be less bad than I originally thought it would be -- props to vintage Stan Lee for never being entirely terrible?) and the first issue of fucking Warzones! WHY WOULD YOU PUT AN ISSUE FROM THE PREVIOUS COLLECTION IN THIS COLLECTION? This "Vol. O"/"Vol. 1" crap is patently bullshit, so this is pretty much putting issue #1 of volume 1 at the end of volume 2. WE'VE READ THIS, DUH. Pull your head out of your ass, Marvel.
*deep breath*
Anyway: LADIES! Yay, superhero ladies! Let's focus on that.
No, seriously, let's focus on that. Many many more titles about that, please!
The main story is lots of fun -- Singularity comes to the newly established "normal" (whatever that means at this point) universe from the Battleworlds one, and is incredibly cute. Then there's just lots and lots of ladies being badasses alongside other ladies. Even the non-superhero scientists are ladies! I want to live in the alternate universe where this is the status quo. Eventually they can add one token guy to the team, and have him need to be rescued while in various states of undress all the time. (Hawkeye?)
Unfortunately, this is another collection padded out with old issues, in this case a borderline sexist Avengers comic from 1963 (I say borderline only because it turned out to be less bad than I originally thought it would be -- props to vintage Stan Lee for never being entirely terrible?) and the first issue of fucking Warzones! WHY WOULD YOU PUT AN ISSUE FROM THE PREVIOUS COLLECTION IN THIS COLLECTION? This "Vol. O"/"Vol. 1" crap is patently bullshit, so this is pretty much putting issue #1 of volume 1 at the end of volume 2. WE'VE READ THIS, DUH. Pull your head out of your ass, Marvel.
*deep breath*
Anyway: LADIES! Yay, superhero ladies! Let's focus on that.
No, seriously, let's focus on that. Many many more titles about that, please!
October 24, 2016
I loved A-Force. A-Force is made up of some really amazing characters. I did not expect to like She-Hulk as much as I do. She's so brave and just. She's wonderful.
The more of Medusa I see the more I like her. She's appeared in Mrs. Marvel a bit as well. She's kind of scary. Not a bad thing at all. She's powerful and not to be messed with.
I knew nothing about Nico Minoru because I still haven't read The Runaways yet but her abilities are so interesting to me. She's more than just a magic user. She has limitations that make her interesting. I want to read runaways to see more about her backstory. How she found out her parent was a villain. Her decision to branch away from them. It's interesting stuff.
I want to be best friends with Dazzler. She's an angry rocker girl with some really badass powers. I've never really seen a power like it in anything. I want to read more about Dazzler.
Dr. Bell isn't a part of the team directly but she works with Captain Marvel. She's a badass black female scientist in space. I loved her appearances in this issue. Then, of course, Captain Marvel is basically the boss of space so she's great.
I just loved this team so much. I loved seeing them come together in this really strange situation. Someone shows up claiming they know you and that in some other dimension you are a team. This team is different than the one Singularity knows of but it still works. They still come together. I really loved the progression of it all.
The more of Medusa I see the more I like her. She's appeared in Mrs. Marvel a bit as well. She's kind of scary. Not a bad thing at all. She's powerful and not to be messed with.
I knew nothing about Nico Minoru because I still haven't read The Runaways yet but her abilities are so interesting to me. She's more than just a magic user. She has limitations that make her interesting. I want to read runaways to see more about her backstory. How she found out her parent was a villain. Her decision to branch away from them. It's interesting stuff.
I want to be best friends with Dazzler. She's an angry rocker girl with some really badass powers. I've never really seen a power like it in anything. I want to read more about Dazzler.
Dr. Bell isn't a part of the team directly but she works with Captain Marvel. She's a badass black female scientist in space. I loved her appearances in this issue. Then, of course, Captain Marvel is basically the boss of space so she's great.
I just loved this team so much. I loved seeing them come together in this really strange situation. Someone shows up claiming they know you and that in some other dimension you are a team. This team is different than the one Singularity knows of but it still works. They still come together. I really loved the progression of it all.
October 17, 2016
I've been on a girl-power kick lately, and I've really been enjoying it.
Picking up in the aftermath of Battleworld, Singularity finds herself in our world and in need of help. She attempts to track down her old friends, only to find they don't remember her. What follows is a fun adventure of teamwork, clashing egos, and Adventures!In!Space, the latter of which usually isn't my cup of tea, but which makes for a pretty neat read here.
Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Medusa, Nico, Dazzler, and Singularity make a great team, and even though there's no life-changing storytelling going on here, it's an incredibly fun read.
I'm excited about the creative team change in Issue 5, especially the new art style which seems much more suited for the title. With a new Thor in town it has very close ties to one of the team members, and realm-crossing dragons, Volume 2 should be a blast.
Picking up in the aftermath of Battleworld, Singularity finds herself in our world and in need of help. She attempts to track down her old friends, only to find they don't remember her. What follows is a fun adventure of teamwork, clashing egos, and Adventures!In!Space, the latter of which usually isn't my cup of tea, but which makes for a pretty neat read here.
Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, Medusa, Nico, Dazzler, and Singularity make a great team, and even though there's no life-changing storytelling going on here, it's an incredibly fun read.
I'm excited about the creative team change in Issue 5, especially the new art style which seems much more suited for the title. With a new Thor in town it has very close ties to one of the team members, and realm-crossing dragons, Volume 2 should be a blast.
August 11, 2016
A-Force started in the middle of BattleWorld, and it's come very far since those first issues last year. Plus Kelly Thompson (JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS) is now also writing with Wilson, and the results are FAB. I love this all-lady team with all of my shriveled heart.
January 8, 2021
I picked up A-Force not realizing it comes straight out of the Secret Wars event. I can’t say how much one enjoys this with the context of the event, but as a standalone, I found A-Force lacking.
That’s not to say there isn’t a whole lot of good here. It’s always great to see a bunch of women superheroes working together, clashing together, without a whole lot of kitschy “look at us being women and stickin’ it to the man” – for that, you can flip to the back and read a very classic, very cringe “Lady Liberators” Avengers issue by Stan Lee. (I love ya, Stan, but…yeesh.) And they brought on two highly respected and prolific comic book women writers, G Willow Wilson (Ms Marvel) and Kelly Thompson (Rogue & Gambit), the latter of whom also wrote an excellent team book, West Coast Avengers, for two short arcs.
But I expected far more punchy dialogue and witty banter, especially between Wilson and Thompson’s respective writing skills; and for all these characters and their long histories (aside from Singularity), there isn’t much emotional investment in them becoming a team. (I’m still mystified by Dazzler.) The biggest disappointment is a one-note villain without any relatable motivation or anything interesting to say or do; and a quickly reversed death that fell flat.
Also….no Black superheroes on the team? Really? (And saying Dr. Bell counts…doesn’t count.) Nico Minoru is the team’s sole diversity add, and while it was fun to see her outside Runaways, some folks didn’t do their homework. Her incantation (“when blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge!”) is left out and it would have been great if the letterer copied how her word bubbles change with her magical commands. (Also annoying when the only POC character is also to my knowledge the only queer one, and that's left out too.)
When it comes to the art, the coloring for space, Antimatter and Singularity were gorgeous. But I wasn’t a fan of Molina’s art – I’ll never be a fan of any artist who relies on exaggerated eyes and lips – and inking job was too heavy. Also, a few moments lacked correct perspective: a character being operated on suddenly has a sheet over her in the next panel, and a touching moment of sisterhood barely has both women in the same frame.
A-Force was about as three stars as a three star book can get – not sure I’ll stick around for volume two.
That’s not to say there isn’t a whole lot of good here. It’s always great to see a bunch of women superheroes working together, clashing together, without a whole lot of kitschy “look at us being women and stickin’ it to the man” – for that, you can flip to the back and read a very classic, very cringe “Lady Liberators” Avengers issue by Stan Lee. (I love ya, Stan, but…yeesh.) And they brought on two highly respected and prolific comic book women writers, G Willow Wilson (Ms Marvel) and Kelly Thompson (Rogue & Gambit), the latter of whom also wrote an excellent team book, West Coast Avengers, for two short arcs.
But I expected far more punchy dialogue and witty banter, especially between Wilson and Thompson’s respective writing skills; and for all these characters and their long histories (aside from Singularity), there isn’t much emotional investment in them becoming a team. (I’m still mystified by Dazzler.) The biggest disappointment is a one-note villain without any relatable motivation or anything interesting to say or do; and a quickly reversed death that fell flat.
Also….no Black superheroes on the team? Really? (And saying Dr. Bell counts…doesn’t count.) Nico Minoru is the team’s sole diversity add, and while it was fun to see her outside Runaways, some folks didn’t do their homework. Her incantation (“when blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge!”) is left out and it would have been great if the letterer copied how her word bubbles change with her magical commands. (Also annoying when the only POC character is also to my knowledge the only queer one, and that's left out too.)
When it comes to the art, the coloring for space, Antimatter and Singularity were gorgeous. But I wasn’t a fan of Molina’s art – I’ll never be a fan of any artist who relies on exaggerated eyes and lips – and inking job was too heavy. Also, a few moments lacked correct perspective: a character being operated on suddenly has a sheet over her in the next panel, and a touching moment of sisterhood barely has both women in the same frame.
A-Force was about as three stars as a three star book can get – not sure I’ll stick around for volume two.
March 16, 2021
I had such high expectations for this and they were all shot to pieces. The arc with Antimatter was okay. It was disappointing to see our heroes argue so much while other people were getting hurt right behind them. And it happened at least three times within the story. I was really hoping that our heroes would have better chemistry than that, especially since they're all so amazing.
Then for only god knows why, they decided to add Avengers #83 from 1963 in this collection. And wow, it was bad. Not to mention completely irrelevant to the story that they just finished. I get that the issue is the first appearance of an all female superhero team, but still it didn't need to be in this volume. A version of Valkyrie gathers together some of the well known female superheroes to show them how they've been wronged by their male Avenger counterparts. And all of her points are incredibly valid and mirror real life things women face. So "The Lady Liberators" are formed and off they go to fight for equal rights or something, the entire plan is unclear. After saving the day and rescuing the all male Avengers team our Lady Liberators are laughed off and all of the valid problems that Valkyrie mentioned are swept under the rug.
The inclusion of #83 basically ruined this collection for me. Maybe if I had just read the A-Force issues individually it would have been better. I recommend just stopping after A-Force issue #4 and save yourself the headache.
Then for only god knows why, they decided to add Avengers #83 from 1963 in this collection. And wow, it was bad. Not to mention completely irrelevant to the story that they just finished. I get that the issue is the first appearance of an all female superhero team, but still it didn't need to be in this volume. A version of Valkyrie gathers together some of the well known female superheroes to show them how they've been wronged by their male Avenger counterparts. And all of her points are incredibly valid and mirror real life things women face. So "The Lady Liberators" are formed and off they go to fight for equal rights or something, the entire plan is unclear. After saving the day and rescuing the all male Avengers team our Lady Liberators are laughed off and all of the valid problems that Valkyrie mentioned are swept under the rug.
The inclusion of #83 basically ruined this collection for me. Maybe if I had just read the A-Force issues individually it would have been better. I recommend just stopping after A-Force issue #4 and save yourself the headache.
September 1, 2020
A fantastic new direction for some of Marvel’s most powerful female heroes. The dynamic between characters like She-Hulk and Medusa are fascinating to see unfold here, and the new hero Singularity is a great new character to include in the Marvel Universe. Beautiful artwork and a much deserved all-female heroic team make this a must-read comic.
March 26, 2017
There is a lot that I wish would have happened in this, but as volume one (volume zero basically doesn't count) it had a lot of set/up. I'm glad to see Allison, I want to see her character grow from the really terrible things that happened to her.
June 4, 2018
4.5
World- 8/10
Plot- 8/10
Characters-9/10
Writing-7/10
Art- 9/10
This is the first story that I have read in months!! And it was so awesome. I loved seeing all of these super-powered women working together. The art was lovely, especially for Singularity. Can't wait to read the next one.
World- 8/10
Plot- 8/10
Characters-9/10
Writing-7/10
Art- 9/10
This is the first story that I have read in months!! And it was so awesome. I loved seeing all of these super-powered women working together. The art was lovely, especially for Singularity. Can't wait to read the next one.
September 19, 2018
3.5 stars
I like this team, especially the team from the last issue from Battleworlds. I’m definitely going to read that.
I like this team, especially the team from the last issue from Battleworlds. I’m definitely going to read that.
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