Anghus Houvouras reviews Uncanny Avengers #1…
When I first started reading comics, superhero team up comics were my jam. And I’m not just talking about the obvious titles like Justice League or The Avengers. I’m talking about those team up books that defied convention: the ones that weren’t just about the most powerful (and popular) superheroes teaming up to take on whatever extinction level event was on tap each month. I’m talking about books like The Champions or The Defenders. Teams made up of weird and wonderful ensembles of heroes that, by all logic, have no right appearing together.
The Champions featured a line up that included Hercules, Ghost Rider, Iceman, Angel, and Black Widow. Seeing characters from other books like Avengers and X-Men forming their own superhero team seemed mind-blowing when I was eight. The novelty of heroes from other titles banding together and forming their own super-group. It was, and still is, an extremely interesting concept. The dynamic of cramming together unconventional allies fighting for the same cause.
Uncanny Avengers feels a lot like The Champions. It’s a team with an eclectic line up of heroes. A roster that leans heavily on friction and conflict pairing together heroes, mutants, and Inhumans into an abrasive but entertaining ensemble.
The team is led by Old Steve Rogers, who has turned into the old crusty war-horse that Nick Fury used to be after losing the super soldier serum that kept him young. A grizzled old curmudgeon still trying to save the world and fight the battles that need fighting. Rogers’ rapid aging has made him more interesting than he’s been in years, an editorial decision that has made the character feel fresh for the first time in decades.
Rogers has assembled his team which consists of fan favorites (Spider-Man, Deadpool), popular mainstays (Rogue, Quicksilver, and The Human Torch) along with lesser known supporting players (Synapse and Doctor Voodoo). Writer Gerry Duggan has an extremely diverse cast of characters to play with and does a stellar job of letting their personalities clash. Watching the infinitely quippy Spider-Man get fed up with Deadpool’s shenanigans was a moment of pure comic gold and highlights Duggan’s skills.
Ryan Stegman’s art is so damn expressive. Richard Isanove’s colors are lively and feel almost out of place in a day and age where so many comics go for a muted palette. Uncanny Avengers’ art feels like it’s about to leap off the printed page. It seems evident that the creative team isn’t striving for a grounded reality, but instead is embracing the exaggerated proportions and dynamic elements of the Marvel Universe. And can I just say ‘Thank God’.
After the abysmally dull Secret Wars, with its drab visuals and endless conversations, I find myself eager for the bright, shiny, fun Avengers’ titles which have seemed non-existent since Jonathan Hickman was given the reigns to Earth’s Mightiest Mortals. Uncanny Avengers is a fun, action packed title that perfectly captures the spirit of Marvel’s best team up books. This is the kind of ludicrously fun display that all mainstream comics should aspire.
Rating: 10/10
Anghus Houvouras
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=C_zu6XuI_g4
Originally published October 16, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
