4 issue Test #20 - All-New All-Different Avengers

For the first time in a Marvel comic, I haven't been able to find a blank variant, so I had to edit the background out, apologies if it looks sh*t like my DC ones

I suppose this is really the flagship title of the Marvel comic universe at the moment. Featuring some of the big name characters, all be it their new incarnations in some cases and written by Mark Waid, writer of two of my favourite comic series. Can this live up to that potential? Let’s take a look.

Avengers #0 has a short story featuring the Vision. He had plagued by ghosts and decided the only step he could take is purging his body of emotions. He used the Scarlett witch, who was his wife at one point, to test out that this had worked, and it had (bare this in mind, I'll have a point to make about it later).

A generic group shot with weird background details, and likely some photo-realism to it, we're not starting well people

We open with Ms. Marvel calling Nova a jerk. This scene is pointless. We cut to 12 hours ago in New York, a car has been pushed off a bridge by a truck, with people and their dog inside, Cap rescues them and lands them back on the bridge, with Redwing, his falcon, returning him his shield (I don't think I've seen Redwing turn up since then). A few people comment on how he isn’t ‘their’ Captain America

He’s approached by some girls who all want him to buy their girlscout cookies, as everyone wonders which girl he’ll give it to, he spots Tony Stark in the background and asks the girls if they’d prefer a photo with him. After the photo, Tony offers Cap a lift, his car can fly because of course it can. Tony says he handled the press well

As Tony brings up his relationship with Steve, Cap changes the subject to Tony’s financial situation, he spent the last 8 months in space apparently and his company has plummeted while he was away (I'll get to this), especially since a fair bulk of his fortune was used to repair New York, presumably from Time Runs Out.

They see that Avengers tower is being sold. Cap tells Tony that despite all the Avengers groups running around, none of them are calling themselves the Avengers as of late. Inside the former Avengers tower the new owner instructs that all of Stark’s junk from inside is moved out. One of boxes begins to explode but this all the power has been cut, this is coming from outside. A chitauri warrior teleports into the building, declaring his teleportation method a success.

The businessman is able to understand him and offers a deal. Nova last fought this Chitauri and threw him into the sun. Neither of them like Nova much and they can work together to destroy humanity. (He claims not be human) he tells the warrior that he’s not the first of the Chaitauri race to invade earth. Millennia ago one invaded and left behind a powerful artefact broken into 3 pieces because of course they did.

He notices someone’s evesdropping. It’s Miles Morales, Spider-man. He’s there for… reasons, I guess. He’s blown out of the tower with some rubble, as the rubble prepares to injure a civilian, Cap arrives to save him. Tony catches Spider-man, asking why he had to double back. Spidey says he was investigating an electrical flare. OK…

He drops Spidey telling him they’ll check it out but don’t expect Tony Stark. The car transforms into a giant iron man suit because of course it does, that’s easy to do on the cheap. They crash into the building and disarm him. But spidey senses a massive hot shockwave which knocks them all out. The Chitauri warrior claims that the Earth will belong to him before the sun sets.

We now cut to a different story entirely Ms. Marvel’s friends Bruno and Nakia, who I’ll cover in a later review, are arguing over who’d be good in the Avengers. Kamala is being quiet about it, not wanting to accidentally compromise her secret identity. When she is approached she naturally goes for Captain Marvel. Bruno gets in-jokey from that as he knows her secret, annoying Kamala. Fortunately, the ground rumbles, a giant monster is attacking.

Out trying to stop is Sam Alexander aka Nova. He’s been chasing a band of beasts like this from Arizona and this is one of the worst. He tries to get the creature to focus on him, not the civilians. He passes Kamala saying she looks nice as she heads into an alleyway to change to become Ms. Marvel. Nova rescues some civilians and prepares to blast the creature but he sees Ms. Marvel grown giant and tackling the creature.

Unable to fire, he punches the creature at full speed, knocking him into a dry-cleaners, Ms. Marvel isn’t happy. That wasn’t necessary and is cruel to this creature. They get awkward around each other as Sam explains that this was a creature grown from the microverse. They drag it to an abandoned lot and sends it back to the microverse. As Nova continues to be awkward, Ms. Marvel runs off (can you blame her?)

She goes back to the alley to collect her clothes but Sam has followed her. He takes off his mask and reveals his name, flustering Kamala to make a rude response. Crushed, Sam is rude in response telling her he was just checking if she’d fall for it and his name isn’t Sam. He flies off and Kamala calls him a jerk, paralleling the opening scene.

Again, where's the f*cking background? And why has Cap got his wings out when he's clearly not in the air

Issue 2 opens with Spider-man helping Cap recover from his injuries. He’s webbed over the wounds but he may need treatment (watch them completely forget this in a minute) He doesn’t even know where to start with Iron Man though, his suit is more or less melted on now. Thankfully the Vision shows up, saying he regretted not getting here earlier (hard to do when you’ve purged any emotion), he interfaces with the suit, dismantling it.

Mr Gryphon, our businessman from earlier, who bought the tower isn’t happy with all the damage. Tony asks Spidey if his spider-sense got that. It did but too late. He briefly informs everyone about the powers he has but Parker doesn’t have. Tony calls upon a new suit and they fly off.

Nova flies into the city, knocking into a plane on his way through. He’s terrified of the idea of it being Warbringer back for revenge. But theorises that Warbringer would come to him if he were coming back. Oh and he bailed from a World History Class to do this. A news bulletin pinpoints an attack on a museum in Jersey City. 'Her' territory.

Ms. Marvel confronts Warbringer, getting civilians to safety and trying to get him out of the building to fight just as Nova crashes through a window. He takes the beast outside but is knocked back. Ms. Marvel tries to use a fire hydrant to take him down but Warbringer sets a building on fire, to Ms. Marvel’s horror. Nova destroys the building to contain the fire, to Ms. Marvel’s ire.

He says the creature doesn’t care about who he hurts and they have to deal with him quickly. Cap picks up Ms. Marvel as they fly after him. Ms. Marvel is flustered to be meeting them. Nova tells everyone about the threat, Vision asks if he’s encountered one before and Nova’s too nervous about their reaction to respond (Tony: Look, I once said nothing when Carol Danvers was pregnant with her own rapist, nothing you’ve got is worse than that)

Anyway, Spider-man, who is surfing on Iron Man’s back explains the situation, as Iron Man asks what Warbringer was after. We get the revelation of the 3 artefacts from Spidey but he doesn’t know what happens when the 3 are put together. Warbringer is attacking a subway. He needs doses of human carbon to keep his form together. I assume his form was damaged when Nova pushed him into the sun. Spidey, Cap and Ms. Marvel help bystanders whilst Iron Man, Vision and Nova attack head on. He wants immortality from the artefacts.

They crash into the sewer tunnels where Warbringer finds the second piece. Just as he’s about to end this Thor arrives to help, she’s here because reasons, I guess… Iron Man warns her not to use her lightning near the water, but her hammer should be more than enough. Except Mr Gryphon uses his abilties from the shadows to stop it, he leaves them, telling them to remember his name. As we finish with a massive blue explosion on a two-page spread that needs turning on its side as water begins to flood the tunnel.

Again with the lack of backgrounds and really having nothing to do with the story, although I do like the level of detail in the reflections

Issue 3 opens with Nova being batted around the water as the others berate him for not telling them that Warbinger was coming because of him. As Thor is about to punch him, he wakes up, spitting out some water. The tunnel was instantly flooded but the adults managed to get the kids out. Thor performed the resuscitation which Vision remarks is a “curious expertise for a God of Thunder to hold” (hint hint… hint)

Cap remarks that even in Asgard people drown, Nova says his helmet should’ve protected him but Cap tells him he was just caught off surprise. Ms. Marvel finds out his name really is Sam, but Iron Man interrupts before any drama can ensue. He tells the kids to let the adults handle this one but they all refuse. At the very least, remarks Spidey, they can help keep casualties down. Iron Man concurs and they head off.

We cut to Hart Island, Long Island Sound. A grave yard is the location of the final fragments, the others are pulling toward it like magnets. Gryphon congratulates him and tells him his name will be taught to Chitaurian schoolchildren. Once the fragments are brought together, it will open an interstellar portal and a massive army will come through. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before folks.

He says he’ll need the artifacts once the gate is open, and he’ll need his help guarding the troops. Warbringer answers that these Chitrauri soldiers do not wear any Chitauri uniform he recognises. Before he answers, Gryphon disappears as Thor’s hammer swings right at Warbringer. Thor brings down the lightning as Iron Man, Cap and Ms. Marvel grab the pieces of the artefact. Nova and Vision support as the others figure out that joining the artefacts together opens the portal.

Warbringer grabs vision and begins using him to bat Thor and Nova around, he was faking. Iron Man comes up with the new floor. Spider-man needs to join the artefacts together, then smash them within a second of the portal opening. He has the proportionate speed of a spider. But there’s a complication, hands begin rising from the graves thanks to Gryphon. The Avengers all fight except Spidey who stands ready. Nova angrily charges into Warbringer. Spidey joins the artefacts and shatters them as Warbringer is pushed through the portal by Nova. Gryphon is not happy.

The zombies disappear with Cap theorising it was just a side effect of the artefacts. Iron Man congratulates them but says they don’t know what brought him here. Thor adds that it seemed like he had a vendetta. As Nova is about to confess, Vision interrupts that it would be likely he has had encounters with the Nova corps and all members are addressed as such.

Iron Man brings up that Cap said there was no official Avengers team and that they worked well together. He’s willing to try out this team. They all agree to it. Warbringer is thrust through the portal and lands on his home. They address him as a primitive, that portal was also a portal through time. They kill him.

In a short epilogue Nova thanks Vision for concealing that it was Nova that likely drew Warbringer to Earth. It will remain a secret, so long as Nova remains aware that he is in Vision’s debt. (Blackmail, usually a form of greed, something I would not associate with someone who is purged of emotion)

Oh look, there's background in this one, shock value in the foreground

Issue 4 opens with Edwin Jarvis taking a shave ready to come to work. He arrives at a condemned Stark Industries airfield as Iron Man introduces him as a ‘butler of legend.’ The airfield is their new headquarters. Edwin asks about security and Iron Man assures him they have sensors in place. He asks where the actual equipment is and is disappointed that the kitchen is not the luxury he used to with stark. They no longer have ID card either but at least they use cellphones to make encrypted calls and a number of Stark Industries’ surveillance satellites are up and running, plus a Quinjet ready for them.

Jarvis is less than thrilled. Vision is busy working on the Quinjet and I’ve just noticed his lasers are coming from his eyes rather than his crystal. Body upgrade? Both Ms. Marvel and Spider-man comment on how creepy it is, and how it’d be difficult to imagine him and Scarlet Witch married. Nova surprises them by saying he likes him because blackmail. Jarvis says he isn’t needed: the children can make their own popcorn, mice could do the dusting and they certainly don’t need my services to locate a hurricane in Atlantic City.

Tony calls the Avengers to action. It’d take too long to set up the Quinjet so they’ll just fly. Thor goes ahead whilst the others take off after her. Thor arrives in the city and commands the maelstrom to start. Cap arrives and pushes her out of the way of the debris. It’s artificial and Iron Man has spotted someone in the epicentre. Seems like someone doesn’t know the difference between a hurricane and tornado. He’s Cyclone but his power’s been pushed up to 11. That’s not the priority, however, people didn’t have time to get out of their cars. 37 vehicles approximately are caught in the winds.

Nova passes Ms. Marvel off to Nova saying he’d be more affective unencumbered. He grabs people and increases his density so that they can descend unaffected by the winds. Nova sends Ms. Marvel and Spidey flying at Cyclone but they’re pushed back. Ms. Marvel asks why he’s doing this, he say he’s a hired gun, hired to destroy the nearby Casino by Dynasty. Spidey flings Ms. Marvel over to him, she punches him and they both begin to drop, Nova catches Ms. Marvel but Cyclone is fine and brings them both to the ground.

Vision tells him to tell all he can about Dynasty or face the consequences. Cyclone increases his strength but it’s no good against the Vision who knocks him out. As some of the bystanders complain about real Avengers, Cap and Thor relate over both having people question them in their roles. Thor decides to kiss him (yes, you read that correctly) she did it because she felt like it. Life is too short not to which Vision remarks to be an odd sentiment from a god (hint hint hint)

Iron Man begins to realise it to, her words make him nervous that she’s not who she claims to be.

So, that was All New All Different Avengers issues 1-4, what were the strengths and weaknesses of this book, let’s take a closer look

I think this was meant to be a story driven title. And for what it’s worth, the stories that are being told are largely not bad at all. But a good story needs good character writing to complement it and I’m very sad to report that the character work in these books is terrible.

For starters, Iron Man being poor, would be a good idea but literally nowhere in any other book am I finding evidence of it. Jarvis’ poor handling of their more modest headquarters was also head scratching to me

Then you have entire segment of the first issue dedicated to character work, that felt like a blatant attempt to extend the book to justify the $4.99 first issue. Add to that it was terrible in terms of character. Love at first sight between superheroes is not an avenue I’m happy exploring. These two are so awkward around each other you’d wonder if they’d ever met a superhero of the opposite gender before

Nova’s arc is frustrating for me because this ‘I feel guilty because he wants revenge on me’ isn’t really a big deal all things considered and he could’ve been forward with the truth without major consequences. I don’t think a single member of the team hasn’t had a villain that’s come back for revenge after a defeat. Which makes Vision’s blackmail seem all the more unnecessary

Speaking of the Vision, the idea that he’s free of emotions is a joke. He shows concern, he shows compassion, he shows pride, and he shows greed. To have someone free of emotions they had to go full on with it, but they hold back on it, making him cold but manipulative is not the way to go.

Thor appears in the plot seemingly at random because there’s no plot given explanation for her appearance. She provides some help in the fighting, they make ‘subtle’ references to the fact that she’s Jane Foster and she kisses Cap for reasons that I’m questioning. I get the angle Waid is going from this at. Jane Foster is dying of cancer. Being Thor is killing her so she should live for the moment at not hide passion but then it feels like this flies in the face in everything that’s been established about this version Thor up to this point.

Ms. Marvel cares about property damage and innocent lives, that’s literally all her character at the moment aside calling Nova a jerk, and this leads to really bad dialogue choices. Nova’s the awkward teen hothead of the group. Spidey is utilised well but lacking in character, although his relationship with Nova and Ms. Marvel may well help there.

The artwork is, for the most part, pretty good.

Ratings

#1 4/10

#2 7/10

#3 7/10

#4 5/10

Average: 5.75/10

Recommendation: This title has potential but it’s not well utilised, favouring shock value instead. I will read the next two issues to finish their current arc (I've read issue 5 now, and I'm sad to say the problems remain). I’ll probably end up dropping the title after that. So I can’t, sadly recommend this title

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Images/clips used in this review are from All New All-Different Avengers and belong to their respective owners. All images/clips in this review are subject to fair use