New Avengers #8 Review
A review from Ruben Mendoza
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Colorist: Frank Martin Jr.
Letter: Joe Caramagna
Cover: Marte Garcia
Artist: Mike Deodato Jr.
This is the beginning of the End.
With Infinity upon us (I’ll have to wait a few more weeks, monthly shipping) I think it would be a good place for a review of New Avengers #8 which is a prelude to Infinity (with Avengers #14-15 also serving as Preludes). Jonathan Hickman has been known to write fully engrossing series (see his run on Fantastic Four) which may be a bit slow for some, but when it does kick into full gear it is a sight to see and a joy to read.
New Avengers starts off with the Inhumans, and how they are handling the Incursion events. Black Bolt’s brother Maximus has created two devices, one of which allows Black Bolt to travel to another dimension where his powers are nullified allowing him to speak, and another is a world breaker which does what it says. The events that follow are the aftermath of the decisions that the New Avengers made in time of crisis. Most of which were unknown to Medusa, Black Bolt’s wife who was none to please when she found out. While this plays out here, Tony Stark and Reed Richards are back on Earth trying to figure out what their next course of action will be, and trying to find a solution to a seemingly never ending problem. When the two smartest men on the planet are having trouble figuring out a problem it doesn’t look good for Earth.
Speaking of Earth, it is without its greatest heroes as the Avengers are in deep space fighting another battle. Maybe the biggest story line going on quietly in the back of this book is the threat of war between Atlantis and Wakanda. Issue #7 showed a more caring Namor (which if you have been reading since AVX, he has not been very apologetic or caring) who wants peace between the two kingdoms and approaches T’Challa who is no longer King to speak to his Sister. This peace talk doesn’t go anywhere and soon both Kingdoms are at war while the world around them begins to crumble. The Black Order has landed on Earth.
I would be hard pressed to recommend this single issue alone to someone who has not been following the entire series. Even for people who love the Inhumans may be a bit lost when it comes to Incursions and what are heroes have become. That is not to say that this book isn’t good. Far from it, this may be the best issue of New Avengers I have read from Marvel NOW! It is just very new reader friendly. Avengers and New Avengers have both been setting up Infinity since the beginning of NOW! So go back and pick up the trades. Mike Deodato provides great artwork; it really is a joy to see. The sequence between Black Bolt and Medusa is very well done.
This does serve as a good point to start off Infinity, so if you want a little primer before jumping in, pick this up and the other Avengers issues I mentioned. You will not be disappointed, this New Avenges book is truly one of the best on newsstands or comic stands…
5/5
Ruben is a contributing writer for Drunk On Comics. You can follow him on Twitter at @RubenMendoza.