Avengers #25

Writer Jonathan Hickman Artist Salvador Larroca

 

Introduction

 

Avengers recently hit a massive crescendo after Infinity, that many were worried the book would not recapture ever again. Thankfully, a New Avengers issue showed that the full scope of writer Jonathan Hickman’s run is not completely contained within one story arc. Black Swan was almost talking directly towards the camera as she explained that the Avengers were far from done dealing with the different ramifications of what happened in that story, and what was going to happen next. Nobody was expecting the anomaly that was Avengers #24, also known as Rogue Planet. This issue was seemingly self contained, but also fit into some of the larger aspects and themes that have been building within this story for years. It also put the Avengers on the course for some really interesting storytelling that could come into play in the distant future. Things are looking bright for this wildly innovative series that is breaking new ground with one of the most established franchises on planet Earth.

 

Writing

 

This comic book has an astounding 10 pages of content not featuring the Avengers at all. In fact, the issue opens like a crime procedural like C.S.I., then moves into X-Files territory. The tale introduces a fascinating set up teased right on the cover. There are a couple of good ideas in this issue, but the rest of the tale is devoted to the the surprise that happens halfway through the tale. There isn’t a ton of material in this installment which causes it to suffer from too much from story decompression, but at this point there is no reason not to trust Jonathan Hickman with the new plot point. This is another entry into the Marvel Now Avengers saga that asks a harrowing question; Do you trust the creative team to flesh out this story? Are you willing to follow them into deep rabbit holes for the insane journey that is about to ensue the universe? For me the answer is a definitive yes, but this comic is not for everyone.

 

Art

 

Salvador Larroca delivers pencils that are as obscure as they were on the worst days of Invincible Iron Man. The faces of each character look incredibly bizarre and inconsistent, to the point where it really starts to distract from reading the story. The penciller does a good job dialing up the more grim tone that suits the story contained within this book. The first splash page in particular is rendered with a dark sensibility that captures the urgency of that specific moment in time. Certain panels like the last one feature dramatic composition and a sense of urgency that really seem to suit the story being told in this title. Unfortunately, the thick shadows can also detract from inherent beauty that can be lacking from some of these images. Some features on characters look sloppy as well, like the way Thor’s helmet and wings are drawn at times. Larocca could really stand to define his style, so that the robot and action sequences, look as interesting as the talking heads weighing this issue down.

 

Conclusion

Jonathan Hickman continues to bend minds in his ongoing Avengers saga. Like minded readers will likely will be more than pleased with the result of the ensuing chaos.