Avengers #13

The Team
Written by Jonathan Hickman Drawn by Mike Deodato

Avengers is a series that has struggled to find it’s humanity. The series in most cases has operated like a machine sharing small bits of information and then clicking to the next issue. In most circumstances this would not make for a very satisfying reading experience, however Avengers has found it’s own humanity in this small two issue arc. Writer Jonathan Hickman shows in the span of this chapter that he does indeed understand each and every one of these character incredibly well. Every character is given a small chance to shine in this story. The plot here is thin, and revolves around the Avengers saving a group of kids. In the last issue we observed some of these super-powered characters as teachers. In this issue we simply see what they do best, save the day. It proves more effective than any other issue in this series so far.

Scenes between Thor and Hyperion are breathtaking. They find the dynamic between the characters, and are both comparing  and contrasting the two. In a lesser writers hands they would function as almost the same person. Here distinct differences are shown between the two characters. There is also Thor and Hyperion punching really large things here! Along with a new watcher like character being introduced. Even with all of these big moments going on this issue is still paced almost perfectly. Never cramming down too much insane information down your throat. The Superior Spider-Man is used so beautifully here. He is a complete jerk but having normal characters to bounce off of, him make him an adeptly strong character in a team book. He has never been handled better, even in his own title. Hickman also utilizes how the character would think like a dumb villain.

Art by Mike Deodato is also a bit better than usual. His characters are still heavily photo referenced and mechanical looking. The artist pulls out some of the most stellar page layouts attempted in comics here. This is a forward thinking trend in comics, and the 3d splash page is a sight to behold here. Deodato continually attempts to change his style throughout the years. Even though he can draw some great layouts, his storytelling sense is still lacking. The images here seem static, and do not flow from panel to panel. With a refined sense of style he still has the potential to be one of the greatest artists in comics. As it stands now he does not live up to the high standard of art previously seen in this title.

Even with art that is not perfect, this is still a high point for Avengers. Within playing such a long form narrative game fans should look forward too Hickman paying off this story in the future. The Hawkeye character is dialed up too a bit of a jerk here, yet it still works because the remaining characters of the team are so deadly serious. The team dynamic between the characters has been one of the best parts of the series so far. This issue also teases the big things coming for the title in Infinity. For now fans should simply enjoy a quieter Avengers story with a few beautiful moments.