Avengers #8 Review

Firstly I am just going to start off by stating that I really can't believe that this series has reached issue 8 already. Just, wow. Companies are desperate to release number 1 issues in order to get new readers, then seems desperate to get as many issues out as possibly; which by their logic would mean less people would want to read them due to the high numbering. Oh well. The good thing about this series, regardless of being bombarded by issues, it is still a cracking series. Things really started to unfold in this issue, and some characters are starting to show their true colours.

Three quarters of this issue focused on the confrontation between the Starbrand and the Avengers. For whatever reason, mainly due to not reading solicits, I believed that this would all be pretty friendly experience. I really could not have been more wrong. A big battle soon erupted which helped to showcase some of the abilities Starbrand possesses; which look pretty awesome by the way.
We also saw some pretty awesome team work by Captain Marvel and Hulk; which also looked absolutely stunning. It was not just this scene that looked awesome, but the book as a whole looked amazing. The facial expressions were awesome, and I did find myself looking quite deeply into a lot of the panels.

The remaining quarter of this issue focused on Nightmask showing Starbrand exactly who he was and why he was here. I am going to be honest, some of this did go slightly over my head. I did understand it, but it did seem like quite a bit to take in. That is not a compliant by the way, I am just hoping that Hickman does not expect everyone to remember everything that they have read in future issues. If they keep up their impressive "previously" section then all should be just fine.
What was awesome about this scene was how it ended. Is Nightmask going to turn out to be baddie after all? It certainly looks like it at the minute. We also saw the reappearance of some of Hickman's newest bad guys on the last page too. I was starting to forget about them even though this is all linked to them in some way, so I am happy to see these guys back in the pages of the Avengers.

I know this series is not for everone; which is evident due to a lot of peoples opinions on the internet relating to it. However, I am still loving this series. I have a feeling some of the events may become lost on me in the future due to it bordering on being quite complicated, but I am enjoying the ride nevertheless. Unlike Morrisons' Action Comics run, which has thankfully come to an end, this is still fun. Not only that, it is keeping me completely engaged issue after issue. Yeah, I am a big fan of what is happening here, and I really can not recommend it enough. It is a series that is not afraid to make you think, which is something I am sure many people were not expecting from the Marvel NOW! Avengers series, but I think it is doing a great job at being itself.

Rating: 8.2 / 10

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Avengers #7 Review

As you guys who read my blog on a regular basis, you will know that I am a big fan of Hickmans' Avengers. However, I read reviews on this issue saying it may put people off due to how big a scale it is working on. I had visions of Morrisons' current run on Action Comics and I got very scared indeed. I was hoping that this would not be the issue that put me off the series, and it turns out that instead of putting me off, it has actually got me even more behind this book.

A lot of this issue was laying the foundations for what feels like an absolutely HUGE story. We were told about Superflows, which I have got my head around just about, as well as a Starbrand; who is the protector of Earth. Looking at this issue, not too much really happened, but it is the way Hickman explains everything for the readers that is really impressive. The issue never felt like he was stretching the plot out to fill one issue, which shows just how much he has nailed the pace of this series.

Hickman also has a great feel for every single character in this series, which is massively impressive considering just how many Avengers are involved in this title. Every character feels exactly how they should do, and I especially like this version of Stark. We see a lot more intelligent Stark who is less interested in his clever one liners, and more interested in working his ass off for the team.

I am still a bit unclear as to what the "White Event" is exactly, but I am enjoying the ride that this arc seems to be taking me on. The way everything is recapped at the start of each issue is also going to be of massive use for this series. Instead of doing it the standard Marvel way, this book includes full panels that have been in previous issues. It feels more like a recap at the start of a TV show than a comic book.
The next issue seems to be going into more detail about who exactly the Starbrand for Earth is. We saw who he was at the end of this particular issue, but I cant wait for Hickman to give us a more in depth look at this guy.

I imagine a lot of younger readers who picked up this series due to the film last summer will probably have dropped this by now. Hickman and Marvel have grown a pair of balls in taking the series in the direction that it is going in, and I sure hope comic book fans around the world are enjoying this as much I am.

Rating: 9 / 10


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