Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another team of Avengers and the return of Ultron, May 31, 2008
This volume collects the first six issues of Marvel's 2007 "Mighty Avengers" launch. Tony Stark/Iron Man and Carol Danvers/Ms. Marvel assemble yet another new team of Avengers including Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Janet Van Dyne/Wasp, Simon Williams/Wonder Man, Ares and the Sentry. Having first appearing in 1968's Avengers #54, in this plotline the maniacal robot Ultron returns to Earth to destroy all organic life. Ultron assumes Iron Man's body before changing into another familar form and hastening Earth's demise. A helicarrier crash leaves Natasha as temporary head of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the heroes try to stop Ultron. Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho are the writer and penciler/inker, respectively. Though the story is above-average for this sort of six-issue superhero arc, Bendis' dialogue is marred by intermittent thought balloons that grow tiresome. Frank Cho's art is superb, most notably for a few characters.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pro-registration Avengers Assemble!, April 7, 2008
With the dust of Civil War settled, and new S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Tony "Iron Man" Stark starting his fifty state initiative, he sets his sights on creating a new team of pro-registration Avengers. Featuring some ultra-familiar faces, Tony's new team features himself, Ms. Marvel, Wonder Man, Wasp, Black Widow, Ares, and his former New Avengers team mate The Sentry. Things get kind of weird though as the Mighty Avengers embark in battle with the creatures of the Mole Man, especially when Tony morphs into an all-powerful female construct claiming to be the longtime classic Avengers foe Ultron. Were it not for the energy and surprising sense of wonder that writer Brian Michael Bendis manages to inject in Mighty Avengers, the book as a whole just wouldn't work. However, his lineup makes more sense than his original New Avengers lineup, and there are enough comedic moments sprinkled between the action pieces to keep you interested. One thing that should be mentioned though in regards to Bendis: what is with the thought bubbles? There are so many throughout this hardcover collection that you'll think you're back in the silver age, and they are quite annoying, especially when placed between the dialogue bubbles. Flaws aside, the real selling point of The Ultron Initiative is the gorgeous artwork of the great Frank Cho, who never disappoints. All in all, while Bendis' New Avengers is still a superior book, the Mighty Avengers get off to a pretty good start, and there is enough promise here for something really special to develop.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional, March 28, 2008
I want to preface this review by simply stating that I often don't give graphic novels these days 5 stars - so please know that I don't rate lightly.
Mighty Avengers Vol. I, I think, is probably the best graphic novel I've read in the past 2-3 years, and I buy quite a few. It combines all of the elements you'd want - great writing, superb artwork, spot-on dialogue, and that certain intangible quality you look for in a comic - the "fun" factor.
This volume starts off with Iron Man and Ms. Marvel starting to re-form the Avengers, a putting together a great crew - in addition to those two heroes, they choose Sentry, Ares, Wasp, Black Widow and Power Man. Almost immediately, however, the team is thrust into battling two foes at once: Mole Man and a resurrected, super-powerful Ultron. Add to this the fact that Iron Man is knocked out of commission, and you have something of a problem.
While this set-up sounds like common comic book fare, believe me when I say that this comic blows almost all comic books of the past few years out of the water. Writer Brian Michael Bendis (most famous, probably for his work on Powers) puts an extra spark in this title, letting us see the character's inner monologues and insecurities (by way of thought balloons) while they're talking and really making it feel as though we've known these characters for years - and that they themselves have tremendous history and group cohesion.
Famed penciler Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows and Shanna the She-Devil, to name but a few) shines brighter than ever in this title; he not only pencils but also inks this title, and his artistry is probably unmatched by anyone in the business today. He captures something essential in each of the characters, and his grasp and application of human anatomy makes them seem almost tangible. This comic reminds me of the halcyon days when Chris Claremont and Alan Davis did their run on Excalibur in the late 1980s and early 1990s - to my mind, the standard to which all superhero comics should be held. This is a fun, funny, thrilling and entertaining volume, and all comic book fans would be wise to pick it up, I can't recommend it enough.
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