Avengers: War Across Time #5 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 5, July 2023

Despite undeniably supplying this twenty-page periodical’s audience with an exhilarating “showdown in the future”, it is difficult to imagine that many of this comic’s older fans will be quite so filled with nostalgia as some were with the mini-series’ previous instalments. Indeed, some bibliophiles may well feel that Paul Levitz’s plot rather disappointingly runs out of steam halfway through the book and resultantly has to purely rely upon the prodigious pencilling of Alan Davis to help pad it out to the required length; “Focus -- I think to get out of this timestream, we have to stay together -- stay in touch with our own reality.”

To begin with however, the American author’s narrative proves pretty compelling with an over-confident Kang the Conqueror transporting “the original Avengers” to his formidable headquarters in the Thirty-First Century for a final reckoning. This confrontation smacks of the hubris which has helped make the obnoxious time-traveling entity the second-best Avengers villain of all time according to “Newsarama”, and initially appears to bode ill for the likes of Janet Van Dyne when she is forced to go one-on-one with the technologically advanced descendant of Reed Richards' father.

True, some readers might feel somewhat let-down by the supposedly genius-level intellect unexpectedly allowing Iron Man to suddenly fly off into his domain without giving a moment’s thought as to the damage Shell-head could (and ultimately does) cause to the “rare silicon isotopes” Kang uses to power his solar tower. But others will doubtless chalk up this massive oversight to the aforementioned arrogance which the former Pharaoh Rama-Tut displays throughout this tome. Furthermore, the future-based felon is already depicted as being on ‘the back foot’ by this point, having found himself on the wrong end of the Wasp’s sting.

Much more disappointing is arguably the subsequent sequence of panels showing this book’s titular characters falling through various multiverses. This series of sketches just goes on and on and on for a third of the publication, and even at the end never convincingly explains just how Captain America’s belief in knowing just “who I am” helps the Earth’s mightiest heroes escape “through the swirls of time!” In fact, the more cynical student of the Silver Age may well believe this stage of the story was solely an excuse for the comic’s British artist to once again demonstrate his penchant for reimagining many of Marvel Worldwide's more recognisable creations.

Writer: Paul Levitz, Artist: Alan Davis, and Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg

Avengers: War Across Time #4 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 4, June 2023

If Paul Levitz’s intention with his script for Issue Four of “Avengers: War Across Time” was to make the King of the Dwarfs one of the most hated opponents the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have ever faced, then he arguably succeeds. For whilst Sindri isn’t depicted as actually being evil, the self-righteous, holier than thou monarch is so sickeningly sanctimonious in his incorrect belief that he’s been terribly wronged by Thor, that it’s difficult to imagine any reader of this comic feeling anything but contempt for him, even after the Thunder God smacks Mjolnir’s thief into next Saturday.

Indeed, this entire twenty-page periodical’s plot seems entirely intent upon depicting Stan Lee’s co-creation from the Sixties as nothing more than a petty-minded ruler, who only thinks of manipulating the Lava Men into helping his planet-destroying revenge rather than searching for the actual truth behind his present predicament on Midgard. Sure, this book also portrays Kang the Conqueror as a leveller of civilisations and cold-hearted killer of his own subjects. But the time-travelling entity is in many ways simply a power-seeking super-villain who callously guns down one man for speaking to him with “impunity”. Whereas Sindri is willing to unjustly sentence an entire population to a "fiery doom" just because he mistakenly assumes Odinson has transported him from Nidavellir against his will.

Enjoyably, the American author also appears very good at showing his considerable cast of protagonists outthinking their foe as opposed to simply beating him around the head. This becomes particularly important once “the most powerful Avenger” departs before his vulnerable alter-ego is disastrously revealed, and the team must rely far more upon brains than brawn – most intriguingly Janet van Dyne’s; “Do you have some thermal-scanning doohickey in there? Follow the heat -- I’ll bet that leads us to Sindri and the hammer!”

Adding plenty pf “Thooom”, “Whoosh” and “Zzoooom” to this publication’s proceedings is Alan Davis, who provides all his well-drawn figures with plenty of dynamic life and beguiling emotion. In fact, alongside Thor’s evident concern at losing Mjolnir, the British artist also adds considerable weight to Giant-Man as Hank Pym visibly takes pride in both his lover’s intelligent reasoning, and then the Wasp’s physical help during their subsequent battle against an innumerable horde of relentless Lava Men.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #4 by Alan Davis & Carlos Lopez

Avengers: War Across Time #3 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 3, May 2023

Containing two pulse-pounding battles between this mini-series’ titular characters and the king of the dwarfs, as well as an intriguing look at the underground world of the Lava Men, it’s arguably easy to see just why this comic’s letters page is filled full of compliments congratulating Paul Levitz on capturing “the magic of the Silver Age.” Indeed, such is the sense of Sixties nostalgia generated by Issue Three of “Avengers: War Across Time”, that it’s quite clear the American author “learned much of my writing craft from The Avengers” and clearly wrote the storyline to “pay homage to my old friends Stan [Lee], Jack [Kirby] and Don [Heck].”

Quite possibly this comic’s biggest success though actually lies in the personality of the highly disagreeable and self-righteous Sindri, who despite all his claims of royalty is still perfectly happy to sink his teeth into Thor Odinson’s wrist when the diminutive miscreant wants to get his unworthy hands on Mjolnir. Astonishingly powerful, and clearly capable of causing the entire Earth to sink into “a fiery doom”, the Dwarf of Nidavellir grabs the attention in every panel in which he appears, even during the somewhat more dialogue-driven sequences whilst he energetically explores the caverns beneath New York City’s paved surface.

Furthermore, the former editor of “DC Comics” is able to remind this twenty-page-periodical’s audience that the true villain of the piece, Kang the Conqueror, is still very much a threat by occasionally visiting the time-obsessed tyrant in his future-housed headquarters. These brief interludes help establish just why Sindri’s accidental presence on the planet is so integral to the title’s overall plot, and actually helps keep the reader momentarily guessing as to just where the superheroes’ next threat will come from; “We barely stopped Kang’s robot Hulk -- Who knows what he’ll send to attack us next..?”

Helping smash the look and feel of Marvel Comics’ early era are Alan Davis’ layouts, which quite justifiably are acknowledged as calling back “to its roots in Kirby, Heck and [Dick] Ayers.” One particular success is debatably the initial battle between the God of Thunder and his lesser-sized adversary, with the British artist imbuing Thor’s opponent with all the feisty mannerisms of a scrapper who is facing a much more physically impressive antagonist.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #3 by Alan Davis

Avengers: War Across Time #2 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 2, April 2023

If capturing the almost adolescent simplicity of some of Stan Lee’s Silver Age storylines was Paul Levitz’s plan for Issue Two of "Avengers: War Across Time", then this twenty-page-periodical certainly does the job. But for those True Believers who like far fewer contrivances and (un)happy accidents in their comic books, such manufactured moments as the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes deciding to burgle the Baxter Building and an age-addled Postman accidentally activating Doctor Doom’s time machine might prove a bit too much; “Stark will have to square up with Richards for the damage. But I’m betting I can switch this off without our ripping it all apart.”

Happily however, any Marvelites willing to forgive such quibbles and simply enjoy the Eisner Hall of Famer’s channelling of the classic heroes’ adventures, should arguably still find that there’s plenty of sense-shattering shenanigans to enjoy once Willie Lumpkin has inadvertently teleported an irate Sindri into the heart of New York City. Indeed, the subsequent battle between the likes of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America against the angry king of the Dwarves of Nidavellir proves tremendously intriguing, especially as the diminutive forger of Mjolnir is able to resculpt Tony Stark’s armour like it was clay with the simple touch of his hand.

Furthermore, there’s plenty of pulse-pounding proceedings to be found beforehand following Shell-head’s ill-advised decision to pick the lock of the Fantastic Four’s residence and enter the skyscraper’s lift. The Golden Avenger demonstrates all the holier-than thou arrogance his character has become famous for, so many a reader will doubtless enjoy his discomfort at being manhandled by Reed Richard’s steel security tentacles and inability to manipulate Victor Von Doom’s machinery – at least without revealing his (then) secret identity to his team-mates.

Definitely helping the Avengers “break the barriers between worlds” are Alan Davis’ layouts, which seem to capture all the nuances of this narrative’s earlier era when the Wasp was wearing one of her more wildly wonderful costumes, and you could still see the rivets running around Iron Man’s face-plate. In addition, the “legendary X-artist” does an excellent job of imbuing Sindri with all the formidable physical power and fighting prowess a bibliophile might expect from an adversary who “once sent Thor as a prisoner to the Rock Trolls to be their slave.”

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #2 by Alan Davis

Avengers: War Across Time #1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 1, March 2023

Essentially consisting of a forty-page long punch-up between “the classic Avengers” and the incredible Hulk, there’s surely plenty for fans of pulse-pounding pugilism to enjoy with Paul Levitz’s “Marvel debut”. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a connoisseur of the Silver Age of Comics being able to resist this super-sized publication once they’ve seen Alan Davis’ sensational opening splash page depicting Thor, Captain America, Giant-Man and the Wasp falling to the ground through a wind vortex; “The rage of the storm is mine to command. A power beyond your mortal reckoning.”

Furthermore, the “Eisner Hall of Famer” still manages to enjoyably imbue each of this comic’s considerable cast with a little bit of personality in between them trading blows with Bruce Banner’s alter-ego, even when some of that spotlight does focus upon Janet van Dyne’s disconcerting crush upon “the Norse god of good looks!” Such moments really help break-up an otherwise potentially monotonous carousel of veiled threats and punches, whilst also helping establish the legitimate aura surrounding Steve Roger’s World War Two heroics and the super-team’s genuine concern for those innocent lives around them as they try to minimise any collateral damage caused by their actions.

Of course, this book’s biggest hook is witnessing the world’s mightiest heroes stoically strike against a creature who simply gets stronger the angrier he gets. This epic confrontation is quite nicely lengthened by fate compelling each Avenger to face-off against the Hulk single-handedly, and as a result there are some interesting duels involving Captain America, Thor, Giant-Man and an ultra-brave Wasp. In fact, one of this publication’s finest moments is debatably when Iron Man dons his infamous roller skates to repeatedly outfox an increasingly irate “Green Goliath” on a deserted public ice rink.

Issue One of “Avengers: War Across Time” also owes a lot of its success to its acclaimed British-born artist, whose prodigiously pencilled panels capture all the sense-shattering shenanigans this mini-series’ audience would expect from a comic attempting to capture the look and feel of the Sixties. Davis definitely attains some impressive images whilst drawing the various combatants slugging away at one another. But impressively, his layouts also contain a couple of notable nods to some of the other inhabitants of New York City, such as Betty Brant and Aunt May.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #1 by Alan Davis

Avengers [2016] #5.1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS No. 5.1, May 2017

Desperately hidden within the twenty-pages of “Death Be Not Proud!” is a somewhat fun Silver Age tale which certainly had the potential to encourage this mini-series’ remaining 21,614 readers to buy Issue Seventeen of “Avengers” in order to continue its adventure. Sadly however, Tom Brevoort’s decision to allow Mark Waid to completely undermine Cap’s Kooky Quartet by having the super-team’s original line-up actually save the day, as well as utilise the artistic talents of Mark Bagley, Sean Uzaakse and Ro Stein alongside regular Barry Kitson, arguably must have destroyed any faith the audience had that this adventure was supposedly a faithful recreation of the days when original creators Stan Lee and Jack “King” Kirby were at the helm.

Indeed, this comic’s “most nonsensical, non-costumed super-hero staff in comicdom” do such a good job of making Captain America, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver appear utterly impotent, that it’s a wonder the book sold as well as it did, and those bibliophiles who weren’t “emotionally enraptured by the contents within these palatial pages” should hardly have been stripped of their Merry Marvel Marching Society button as this publication’s opening editorial suggests. Certainly it's difficult not to embarrassingly grimace as Giant-Man effortlessly swats Cressida aside just moments after the Southeast Asian super-villain has so easily ‘killed’ the Sentinel of Liberty, the Golden Archer, and two of the Earth’s most formidable mutants single-handedly; “Pick on someone your own size -- or bigger!” 

To make matters worse, a revitalised Steve Rogers subsequently spells out his team’s total defeat even clearer, by admitting to Avenger X that she “almost had us” if not for “Giant-Man’s Bio-Lab skills” and his ‘uncanny’ scientific ability to rejuvenate the foursome using their “dying sparks of energy”. In fact, Hank Pym proves himself to be so formidable a chemist that he even manages to immunize the “also-rans” against their opponent’s “powers from here on in”, thereby permitting them to battle Cressida without requiring any additional support or fear of being soundly thrashed a second time…

Unfortunately, the illustrations for this notoriously undermining narrative are equally as sporadic as its storyline’s sensibilities, and was hardly likely to help this comic become “a tale destined to become a magnificent milestone in the Marvel Age of Comics” as its creative team would seemingly have wished. Admittedly, Barry Kitson’s opening pages are pencilled pleasantly enough, such as his recreation of the original grim-faced Giant-Man, but once the British artist is repeatedly replaced by his ‘helpers’ matters take a decidedly disconcerting turn for the worse, with Hawkeye’s initial capture of Avenger X at his mock-funeral appearing particularly poorly-sketched.

Writer: Mark Waid, and Pencilers: Barry Kitson with Mark Bagley, Sean Izaakse & Drew Hennessy

Avengers [2016] #1.1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS No. 1.1, January 2017

Featuring an infinitely more dynamic re-imagining of the classic Silver Age storyline “The Old Order Changeth!”, this opening instalment of “a new five-part story running alongside the highly anticipated Avengers ongoing series” must have garnered a few quizzical looks from its 41,258-strong audience. For whilst Mark Waid’s narrative somewhat follows the events established way back in May 1965 by having the “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” defeat the Masters of Evil in Midtown Manhattan, it subsequently ‘skips’ over Hawkeye’s abduction of the butler Jarvis by forty-eight hours and instead conjures up an all-too quick confrontation with The Frightful Four.

Admittedly, the appearance of the Fantastic Four’s arch-nemeses, fresh from annihilating “Doctor Richards’ team in the middle of the Pacific”, is wonderfully nostalgic as the “evil counterparts” understandably consist of their original roster: The Wizard, The Sandman, Paste-Pot Pete and Madame Medusa. But even Bentley Wittman imperiously commanding his team-mates “To the Grav-Sphere! You have three minutes!” can’t completely overshadow the appallingly contrived reasoning behind their unprecedented surprise attack upon the “dollar store Avengers”. It’s certainly hard to agree that, having just ‘secretly’ killed Mister Fantastic, The Human Torch, The Thing and Invisible Girl, the villains’ next logical step would be to murder the Avengers’ new line-up in front of numerous media cameras “for publicity”..?

Just as disconcerting is the Eisner Award-winner’s dubious motivation as to just why the likes of reformed criminal Hawkeye actually want to be an Avenger. Stan Lee’s “dazzling script” portrayed the “carny life” archer as someone determined to make amends for the death of his beloved Black Widow at the hands of the Communists. Yet Waid would rather have his readers believe that Clint Barton actually did it simply because Steve Rogers pointed out to him that he would have a butler if he resides within the mansion; “Jarvis, I feel like lobster tonight.”

Perhaps this comic’s strongest selling point is therefore the incredibly vibrant breakdowns of Barry Kitson. Whilst the British penciler is arguably no Jack “King” Kirby, his lively depictions of Iron Man blasting his way through the Masters of Evil, and Flint Marko later pulverising Captain America with his trademark sledgehammer fists is undoubtedly alone worth the cover price of this twenty-page periodical.

Writer: Mark Waid, Penciler: Barry Kitson, and Inker: Mark Farmer