New Avengers #31
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Kev Walker
I remember all the back in New Avengers #12, when Black Swan mentioned the Ivory Kings and Rabum Alal. I was so intrigued by them and the fear that came with their names. Hickman further elaborated upon the Ivory Kings in New Avengers’ previous issue and here, he delves into Rabum Alal. With an insane plot-twist and a great focus on Doctor Strange, Rabum Alal’s debut greatly surpasses the lackluster debut of the Ivory Kings.
Doctor Strange is a beloved character and Hickman’s handle on him is as strong as ever. He’s been lacking a lot of focus in Time Runs Out as he was only allocated half an issue in November’s New Avengers #27. Strange leading the Black Priest is a compelling idea and speaks greatly of the character. Seeing him command these creatures was quite satisfying as a Strange fan and I hope we’ll get this once again before the series ends.
He leads the way through a short adventurous story that involves some fantastic fight scenes between Strange’s Black Priests and Alal’s Black Swans. All of Strange’s fighting leads to one moment where Hickman reveals the identity of Rabum Alal. Fans of this series will be extremely pleased with this reveal. I think this is the perfect identity for the character. It doesn’t feel forced or uninspired but a natural continuation of a storyline that Hickman has been building slowly and deliberately throughout this series.
Another aspect of this issue that pleased me is that Hickman doesn’t seem too concerned with having a lightning speed pace as this series nears its end. One could argue that it gets a little too slow at times without enough developments but the amount of character that Hickman is putting into this book is astounding. He’s taking the time to build up the myriad of big players in this story. Everything will feel so powerful once the book reaches its climax because Hickman gave us down time getting to know these wonderful characters.
There are a lot of people who don’t feel all the great about Kev Walker’s art but I’ve grown to like him. Marvel made a good choice by putting him on this issue because it could be his strongest work on this series to date. His Stephen looks fantastic and he depicts the mystical elements of this book very well. If this is Walker’s final issue, he has definitely gone out with a bang.
I’m very pleased with March’s weekly Avengers schedule. February wasn’t a strong month for the story and Hickman has returned this story to its former glory. New Avengers #31 was a great action-oriented issue staring the sorcerer supreme, a character who deserves the spotlight because he truly shines under Hickman’s pen. Though, every panel of this issue builds towards a huge reveal that felt perfect in every regard. Hickman is finally giving us answers and as expected, they’re fantastic.
Artist: Kev Walker
I remember all the back in New Avengers #12, when Black Swan mentioned the Ivory Kings and Rabum Alal. I was so intrigued by them and the fear that came with their names. Hickman further elaborated upon the Ivory Kings in New Avengers’ previous issue and here, he delves into Rabum Alal. With an insane plot-twist and a great focus on Doctor Strange, Rabum Alal’s debut greatly surpasses the lackluster debut of the Ivory Kings.
Doctor Strange is a beloved character and Hickman’s handle on him is as strong as ever. He’s been lacking a lot of focus in Time Runs Out as he was only allocated half an issue in November’s New Avengers #27. Strange leading the Black Priest is a compelling idea and speaks greatly of the character. Seeing him command these creatures was quite satisfying as a Strange fan and I hope we’ll get this once again before the series ends.
He leads the way through a short adventurous story that involves some fantastic fight scenes between Strange’s Black Priests and Alal’s Black Swans. All of Strange’s fighting leads to one moment where Hickman reveals the identity of Rabum Alal. Fans of this series will be extremely pleased with this reveal. I think this is the perfect identity for the character. It doesn’t feel forced or uninspired but a natural continuation of a storyline that Hickman has been building slowly and deliberately throughout this series.
Another aspect of this issue that pleased me is that Hickman doesn’t seem too concerned with having a lightning speed pace as this series nears its end. One could argue that it gets a little too slow at times without enough developments but the amount of character that Hickman is putting into this book is astounding. He’s taking the time to build up the myriad of big players in this story. Everything will feel so powerful once the book reaches its climax because Hickman gave us down time getting to know these wonderful characters.
There are a lot of people who don’t feel all the great about Kev Walker’s art but I’ve grown to like him. Marvel made a good choice by putting him on this issue because it could be his strongest work on this series to date. His Stephen looks fantastic and he depicts the mystical elements of this book very well. If this is Walker’s final issue, he has definitely gone out with a bang.
I’m very pleased with March’s weekly Avengers schedule. February wasn’t a strong month for the story and Hickman has returned this story to its former glory. New Avengers #31 was a great action-oriented issue staring the sorcerer supreme, a character who deserves the spotlight because he truly shines under Hickman’s pen. Though, every panel of this issue builds towards a huge reveal that felt perfect in every regard. Hickman is finally giving us answers and as expected, they’re fantastic.
A Look Inside
