My new year’s resolution has been to expand my Marvel Comics reading in 2014 beyond All-New X-Men. That is safe bit with writer James Robinson working on two new books for Marvel, but I also wanted to try something new from a voice I generally don’t read: enter Avengers World #1. The book is by writers Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer with Stefano Caselli on art.
I have always been intrigued by international superhero teams and was hoping that Avengers World would feature a geographically diverse cast fighting threats on a global scale with few or no adventures on the soil of North America (Marvel has “other” Avengers teams for those).
Spoilers.
While the teasers for Avengers World #1 were illuminating, including its reveal of the book’s eight covers including Deadpool and Skottie Young baby variants, my read of the actual issue revealed this team’s cast and their latest threat.
Sentient islands and cities are the threats that these Avengers must face! The A.I.M. Empire (I believed A.I.M. still stands for Advanced Idea Mechanics at Marvel) has risen. While we don’t know the identity of the humanoid A.I.M. agent in the above pages, the solicit for Avengers World #2 pegs him/her as A.I.M.’s Scientist Supreme.
As someone not that familiar with the nooks and crannies of the Marvel Universe, I didn’t find the book all that accessible and found the threats the team to face formidable, but not compelling enough to catch my interest. That said, I loved, loved, loved the art of Stefano Caselli on the book.
Where Avengers World #1 may not have hooked me story-wise, maybe James Robinson’s All-New Invaders will? I sure hope so. Excelsior!
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome. :)
