Black Widow & Hawkeye #1 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW & HAWKEYE No. 1, May 2024

Announced in November 2023 by Marvel Comics Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski whilst at the Lucca Comics & Games festival in Italy, Stephanie Phillips’ opening instalment to this “action-packed” sixty-year celebration of Black Widow and Hawkeye certainly seems to have had a fairly solid storyline lurking within its twenty-four page plot. Yet due to some quite questionable decisions as to this book’s pacing and persistently changing time zones, many a bibliophile probably gave up looking before reaching its rather startling conclusion; “I was on the rooftop across from the ceremony. I am sorry, Nat. The Russian minister… I shot him.”

To begin with however, “Broken Arrow” certainly seems to start off well enough by depicting “a symbiote-equipped Natasha Romanoff” consigning a Soviet assassin to a truly-dreadful death in Siberia. This disturbing scene, which offers no explanation as to just how the Black Widow became a host for her new alien friend or just why Clint Barton is suddenly the target of an Eastern Bloc hitman, ensnares the reader with a hefty veil of murderous mystery, and should've caused a fair few within the mini-series’ audience to yearn to know precisely as what mischief the sharp-eyed archer has recently caused to warrant such terminal attention.

Unfortunately though, this is debatably where the “fan-favourite” creator makes something of a misstep, by insisting on telling her tale back-to-front. Such penmanship may well work for the adrenalin-fuelled action sequence involving the Avenger and aforementioned Cold War killer in Madripoor – especially when it is so energetically pencilled by Italian illustrator Paolo Villanelli. But subsequent head-spinning trips back thirty-six hours, forty-eight hours, forty hours and twenty-eight hours will surely make even the most ardent roller-coaster enthusiast both disorientated and dizzy.

Somewhat more successful is the oddly-placed four-page bolt-on yarn which strangely follows this comic’s “new chapter in the (titular) pair's storied legacy!” Set way back when the two super-heroes were first establishing themselves within the Marvel Universe, and resultantly featuring the Black Widow wearing her original 1965 Don Heck designed strapless unitard costume, this no-nonsense ‘short’ shows an infatuated Hawkeye risking all against Snapdragon so as to prevent “the Red Spy” from being forcibly returned to her Russian masters.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW & HAWKEYE" #1 by Stephen Sergovia & Jesus Aburtov

Moon Knight [2021] #22 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT No. 22, June 2023

Quite bravely putting the focus upon Greer Nelson rather than this comic’s titular character, Jed McKay certainly provides Issue Twenty Two of “Moon Knight” with a storyline which should have landed reasonably well with its audience in April 2023. True, the twenty-page plot lacks much in the way of pulse-pounding action. But in following the ex-West Coast Avenger’s instinctive investigation into the mysterious reappearance of the Midnight Man, the Canadian creator certainly seems to weave an intriguing tale about theft, puzzling calling cards, heart-breaking deceit and even unrecognised love; “And you lie to me? Make me feel like an idiot for trusting you?”

In addition, the author’s spotlight upon “the Were-Woman” and her adorable son, William Grant Nelson, provides the audience with an opportunity to actually see how the super-heroine is coping day-to-day having “flipped on the Avengers” for Marc Spector. This insight is genuinely well-penned, with such little details as the fur-covered pair’s claws ruining any chance of them ever getting their apartment deposit back making “the prominent member of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes” appear as credible as can arguably be expected for a humanoid cat.

Just as well written though has to be the momentary shift of the Fist of Khonshu as this book’s antagonist. Desperate for dosh following Zodiak stealing all his funds, the face-mask wearing vigilante’s initial plan to simply take money from the city’s various criminal organisations seems a reasonably acceptable vice – especially when the money is being used to “pay Reese, pay Soldier, pay for everything.” However, Moon Knight’s desire to keep this a secret from Tigra is clearly a betrayal of trust, and once again demonstrates just how good he is at hurting the people he cares deeply about.

Prodigiously pencilling so dialogue-driven a narrative is Alessandro Cappuccio, who somehow manages to make young William an incredibly cute little rascal. The Italian Illustrator is also extremely good at capturing the emotional pain running through Greer when she discovers just what her ‘new boyfriend’ has been hiding from her. This intensity really helps sell the woman’s strong thoughts and feelings to the reader, dynamically charging each panel she subsequently appears in whilst raging against Spector’s dishonesty.

Writer: Jed MacKay, Artist: Alessandro Cappuccio, and Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Black Widow #15 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 15, May 2022

Sadly bringing this ongoing series’ “legendary run” to an end, Kelly Thompson’s narrative for Issue Fifteen of “Black Widow” certainly seems to do a job good in both wrapping up the comic’s latest sense-shattering shenanigan, as well as leaving the book’s audience asking for more stories about Natasha Romanoff’s increasingly close super-heroic family. Indeed, towards the end of this twenty-page periodical’s plot, the “Eisner-winning” writer makes a remarkable habit of penning some the Soviet agent’s ongoing adversaries conducting a successful break for freedom so they can live to fight another day; “Your honour spared my life once before, and I do the same for you now.”

Foremost of these intriguing ‘open-ends’ is arguably the defeat of the Living Blade, after the mysterious swordsman is stopped short of slicing up a clearly battle-weary Yelena Belova. Perhaps somewhat disappointingly, the pair’s apparently epic confrontation isn’t actually covered by this publication due to the action following the titular Avenger first and foremost. However, considering that it is made somewhat clear that the injured “exemplar trainee in the Red Room Academy” wouldn’t have survived her duel for much longer if not for Natalia’s swashbuckling intervention, it doesn’t bode well for Romanoff’s future when she later grants the cold-blooded killer clemency.

Likewise, there’s the suggestion that the selfish Twins, Liv and Lars, plus Aldrich Lux Voss, will surely crop back up like a bad penny once the New York City-based publisher decides to produce another comic based upon the Black Widow’s exploits. The sudden departure of the odious platinum-blonde doppelgangers just as Spider-Girl needs their physical help to fend off a flurry of the Host’s pistol-toting henchmen is particularly perturbing, as their unappreciative abandonment comes just as Lucy Nguyen has literally brought one of them back from the brink of death with her “volatile electric” abilities.

Of course, alongside this book’s enthralling authorship are its eye-catching layouts by Elena Casagrande, Rafael T. Pimentel, Elisabetta D’Amico and Jordie Bellaire. The mix of pencilers, inkers and colour artist do an excellent job in conveying the rising tension of the superspy’s swansong by providing some genuinely pulse-poundings panels, such as those depicting the Winter Soldier single-handedly stopping a heavily-guarded Host from escaping aboard a helicopter, and Natasha’s awesomely-acrobatic final clash of swords against the Living Blade.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #15 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #12 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 12, December 2021

Restricted to just twenty pages, Kelly Thompson somehow manages to cover an incredible amount of ground with her script for Issue Twelve of “Black Widow”. Indeed, the Eisner Award-winner's technique of populating this periodical with a number of insights into the leading cast members’ motivations, followed by an increasingly fraught covert mission to infiltrate a mysterious “high society group” arguably allows her to pen the perfect mix of characterisation and action-packed super-heroic action; “Next time you wish to use me as a pommel horse, please ask.”

One such success is undoubtedly the sense of vulnerability the American author manages to imbue this comic’s titular character with straight from the start. It’s debatably difficult to imagine Natasha Romanoff having any sort of weakness, but the Avenger’s obsession as to how her infant son is developing whilst in hiding from her deadly foes is wonderfully written, as is her evident anger at the Winter Soldier when she chides him for letting her people find James and Stevie despite him supposedly protecting their identities from such enquiries.

Likewise, the unfurling of Romanova’s plan to discover just what is actually occurring at the Golden Gate Gala is equally as well delivered, with all the ex-Soviet spy’s numerous contingencies quickly failing during the time it takes for a single dance with the annual benefit’s glamorous host. Considering that a number of players within this game are Avengers, such as the smart-mouthed Hawkeye, the dread slowly creeping across Black Widow as she is increasingly outwitted by her unknown foe is actually quite palpable.

Adding enormously to the deepening sense of fear in the former KGB agent is Elena Casagrande’s pencilling, which goes a long way to show just how decadently opulent and disconcertingly violent San Francisco’s criminal world is. Natasha and Yelena Belova’s pulse-pounding battle with a corridor of animal mask-wearing goons is probably the highlight of this comic. Yet it is the Italian illustrator’s handling of Romanoff catching sight of the mythic Living Blade at this book’s end which will most likely remain within the reader’s mind, courtesy of some wonderful blurring of her line art so as to provide some forced perspective, and a truly haunted look in the defector’s piercing green eyes.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #12 by Adam Hughes

Black Widow #5 - Marvel Comics

BLACK WIDOW No. 5, April 2021

Featuring one of the most emotional incarnations of Natalia Alianovna Romanova arguably ever seen within the pages of a “Marvel Worldwide” publication, Kelly Thompson’s superbly enthralling narrative for Issue Five of “Black Widow” must surely have gone down well with its audience. For whilst it might be hard for some of the super-spy’s fans to reconcile the ex-K.G.B. agent's heartfelt grief at the sudden loss of both her beloved husband and infant son inside a horrendous fireball with that of the ordinarily cold-hearted killer, the sheer sense of deadliness these deaths bestow upon the black-suited assassin is truly palpable; “Natalia. People are coming to kill us. We must kill them instead. You must put aside your grief and move. There will be time for grief later. I promise you. It is not going anywhere anytime soon.”

This disconcerting sense that an Avenger may well kill if provoked strongly enough is additionally heightened by Hawkeye shooting the Weeping Lion straight through the head whilst the criminal is foolishly trying to set his sniper rifle’s sights upon the world famous archer. Perhaps somewhat disappointingly, this debatably defining moment loses some of its gravitas when it is later revealed by Yelena Belova that the crime-lord simply “lost his eye”, but it is the thought that counts, especially when Clint Barton later willingly sets off an explosive arrow within a warehouse crammed full of hapless Hydra goons.

Romanoff’s sister-in-arms, Clone 3, also makes a lasting impact within Thompson’s finale for “The Ties That Bind” story-arc, when she literally smacks a distraught Natasha to her senses one moment and then lays down a serious beating upon the Viper in the next. Indeed, Belova’s battle against an absolute horde of Madame Hydra’s seriously outfought henchmen is one of the highlights of this comic, and the notion of her subsequently accompanying the titular character as a partner-against-crime in future instalments will doubtless have proved an irresistible hook for many readers.

Pulling all this book’s numerous punches together into a visual treat for the eyes, is Elena Casagrande and her marvellous ability to interject the savage violence which Thompson’s narrative demands with some superbly endearing moments, such as when the Black Widow briefly cuddles her dead son’s toy duck. However, the Italian artist’s finest moment within this twenty-page periodical has to be her double splash of Hawkeye watching from a high roof rafter as both Romanoff and Yelena dispatch numerous goons with a variety of kicks, missiles and bullets.

The regular cover art of "BLACK WIDOW" #5 by Adam Hughes

Web Of Black Widow #5 - Marvel Comics

WEB OF BLACK WIDOW No. 5, March 2020

As conclusions go, Jody Houser’s revelation in Issue Five of “Web of Black Widow” that Natasha Romanoff knew right from the start of this mini-series that she was being watched by a woman who was somehow connected to her “missing memories”, must surely have been viewed by many of this comic’s readers as a horribly contrived anti-climax. Indeed, the very notion that the ex-KGB assassin had choreographed her confrontation with Iron Man, ferocious fist-fight with the Winter Soldier, and brutal battle against Hawkeye, all in order to simply elicit an account from her doppelgänger as to how “a special virus… made out of Epsilon Red’s own DNA” was blocking her implanted memories, makes a complete mockery of what had been a thoroughly enjoyable and suspenseful ‘spy-fi’ tale.

True, the rationalisation behind Clint Barton’s wholly unlikeable behaviour in the publication’s previous instalment when he appeared utterly convinced as to the “rumours of Widow’s villainy”, makes much more sense, especially his “actually shooting her with an arrow”. Yet such a horribly convoluted narrative undoubtedly diminishes the much-lauded clandestine abilities of the titular character, by having the Russian secret agent simply play the role of a Judas goat, rather than covertly investigate her mysterious enemy’s possible connection to her past using her tactical expertise in espionage and obtaining confidential information. In fact, this veteran hand-to-hand combatant (and mistress “of various other weapons”) is depicted as even needing the intervention of Captain America in order to defeat the Headmistress in a one-on-one rooftop confrontation; “But sometimes an old man likes to feel useful.”

Perhaps this book’s only saving grace is therefore Stephen Mooney’s dynamically-drawn fight sequences, which at least provide this twenty-page periodical’s audience with an occasional thrill. Considering that the Black Widow has an arrow shaft in her side and been shot in the leg, it is somewhat difficult to imagine her being quite so athletic in her impressive backflips and somersaults as the Irish artist would have any perusing bibliophiles believe. But that unrealism doesn’t notably detract from the sheer savagery of his pencilling once Romanoff and Anya finally come to trade vicious blows, and the blood starts to freely flow…

The regular cover art of "WEB OF BLACK WIDOW" No. 5 by Junggeun Yoon

Web Of Black Widow #4 - Marvel Comics

WEB OF BLACK WIDOW No. 4, February 2020

It’s not hard to envisage that some within this twenty page periodical’s audience were secretly wishing for someone to shoot Clint Barton well before this comic reached its cliff-hanger ending. For whilst the former chairman of Earth's Mightiest Heroes has arguably always been portrayed as being a somewhat imprudent and frustratingly headstrong individual, it’s difficult to imagine him ever disbelieving his ‘old flame’ Natasha Romanoff to the point where he’d actually straight-up shoot her with an arrow; “You know you’re supposed to stop when someone fire’s a warning shot, right?”

Sadly however, that is precisely what Jody Houser’s cocksure version of the “golden archer” does in Issue Four of “Web Of Black Widow”, having surreptitiously snuck up upon the ex-KGB assassin so as to blindside her on a deserted rooftop. Of course, those readers well-versed in Barton’s separation from his ex-wife, "Bobbi" Morse, following her role in the death of Lincoln Slade’s Phantom Rider, will know of his supposed ‘unswerving’ belief that heroes don’t ever kill in cold blood. Yet even so, it’s still disconcerting to watch the misinformed Avenger resort to such a catastrophic choice without at least a final warning or an attempt to fire a second disabling net arrow.

In addition, Romanoff makes it pretty clear to Hawkeye that she is being set-up by a woman who “was wearing my face”, and that her duplicate “has taken my list of targets and is pushing my mission further than I ever planned to.” Despite this ‘plausible’ explanation of events though, the non-super powered “dude with a bow” infuriatingly still decides he’s entirely in the right and therefore gets to tell the femme fatale precisely how she can (and can’t) behave, even after Stephen Mooney’s dynamic artwork makes it abundantly clear that Natasha could have eradicated him rather than simply knock him cold in their all-too brief fist-fight.  

Resultantly, Clint arguably comes across as an utterly arrogant and unlikeable individual, who despite having all the facts at his disposal, makes a disastrously dire decision which not only causes him to be shot in the stomach by the Black Widow’s murderous doppelganger, but momentarily also seems to place the ‘hapless’ Alla Zolotov in mortal danger. That’s hardly the sort of popular behaviour which made Barton be ranked by “Imagine Games Network” at number forty-four in their Top 100 Comic Book Heroes list…

Writer: Jody Houser, Artist: Stephen Mooney, and Color Artist: Triona Farrell

West Coast Avengers [2018] #1 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 1, October 2018

Whilst Kelly Thompson’s penmanship for Issue One of “West Coast Avengers” must have undeniably demonstrated to its readers her “love [for] team books… [and] that magic chemistry you can get” when the super-group assemble to thwart some villain’s diabolical scheme, the Eisner Award-nominee’s narrative also emphatically established her desire “to jam in all the jokes all the time” and disconcerting inability to employ the “certain amount of restraint you need” so as not to “quickly overwhelm everything” with humour. Indeed, straight from this oversized thirty-page periodical’s ‘get-go’ its entire proceedings appear to played for laughs, starting with its sense-shattering opening featuring Santa Monica being invaded by a rampaging shoal of fantastically-fanged land-sharks; “Look at the damnfutzing news, Clint! And get ready -- because America is gonna be there to teleport your butt right to me in about two seconds!”

Admittedly, despite the sequence’s utter silliness there must have been few within this new ongoing series’ audience who weren’t quickly enthralled by Kate Bishop and Hawkeye’s rodeo ride through the beachfront city atop a multi-legged man-eater, nor impressed with the pair’s athletic antics as they first lassoed the lead large fish with a rope arrow so as to “point it back toward the sea” and then successfully got the other monsters of the deep to follow it. However, once this pulse-pounding predicament has been overcome and Stefano Caselli’s proficient panels portray events back at Hawkeye Investigations on Venice Beach, this publication’s storyline sadly delves ever deeper into pure farce with its entire cast seemingly trying to be funny, facetious or downright juvenile, such as Gwendolyn Poole filling Kid Omega’s room with two hundred wet towels simply because the mutant powerhouse apparently leaves “your towels on the bathroom floor.”

Disappointingly, a lot of these jokes aren’t even all that original with one of the book’s main themes debatably being ‘borrowed’ from the December 1976 “Fantastic Four” story “Look Out For The Frightful Four”, where the Wizard attempts to recruit a much needed fourth member to his evil band from an array of no-hopers like Captain Ultra, Texas Twister and Osprey in a manner suspiciously similar to Bishop’s unsuccessful interviews with Bread, Doctor Mole, The Broken Watch and Surf Doctor. Whilst the amateur private eye’s agreement to have her team’s early days filmed for a television programme dishearteningly smacks of parallels to the truly tragic cause behind the "Marvel Worldwide" 2006-2007 crossover event "Civil War".

Writer: Kelly Thompson, Artist: Stefano Caselli, and Color Artist: Triona Farrell

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] #4.1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS No. 4.1, April 2017

Ordinarily this book’s 22,810 readers would probably have enjoyed a “Showdown With The Frightful Four” and Captain America’s “ragtag team” of Avengers. After all, Mark Waid’s twenty-page long narrative not only includes a wonderfully tense build-up which ultimately sees a rehabilitating Quicksilver petulantly turn his back upon his team-mates as ‘High Noon’ fast approaches, but also focuses upon the Wizard’s dastardly quartet in arguably their Silver Age prime, ruthlessly led by an always arrogant Bentley Wittman who cares little for the welfare of hapless civilians in his villainous ambition to destroy the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes; “Give in to it, Medusa, on this day, in this battle, the Frightful Four will take lives.”

Unfortunately however, this entire “frightful rematch” is utterly ruined by the Alabama-born author’s basic premise that (once again) the titular “group of untested [and] untried new recruits” have obtained a distinctly unfair advantage over their criminal opponents “by using the power-enhancing abilities of Cressida” to make the team “stronger -- and more popular -- than they ever could have imagined.” Indeed, apart from the potential break-up of the Avengers at the very start of this periodical, due entirely to the manipulative machinations of the group’s latest addition, the American writer’s narrative contains absolutely no suggestion of threat or physical menace to its leading characters until the book’s cliff-hanger, when Avenger X finally reveals her true traitorous colours and begins to leech the life out of Wanda and Hawkeye “in public!”

Up until this point, the most tense moment created by “Marvel’s Merry Living-End Lineup” is Steve Rogers wrongly accusing Clint Barton of robbing a jewellers and becoming unnecessarily irate when he feels the archer is lecturing him about the Flag whilst the former carnival showman ‘drags it through mud?!'. And even this flash of ‘family friction’ only lasts a single Barry Kitson-pencilled panel before the Sentinel of Liberty apologises to his seething colleague and gathers everyone in the Meeting Room to ‘save the World’ once again.

Perhaps the biggest problem with Waid’s script for Issue Four Point One of “Avengers” though is just how utterly illogical Cressida’s secret plan to “break the Avengers” actually appears. Considering that the Southeast Asian has already succeeded in manipulating the Ox to snap both of Pietro’s legs, and thereby reduced the super-team’s effectiveness by a quarter, why does she then almost immediately heal the mutant speedster’s useless limbs and permit him to potentially participate in “the most indescribably impossible battle in the history of the panelgraphic literature”? In addition, it would surely have made far more sense for Avenger X to just boost the Frightful Four’s powers and let them crush Captain America’s party, than her mystifyingly boost those of the heroes, and only then ‘work her power’ upon the Sandman once things were looking bad for Medusa, the Trapster and Wizard?

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS" No. 4.1 by Barry Kitson & Jordan Boyd

Avengers [2016] #3.1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS No. 3.1, March 2017

Selling a disappointing 29,833 copies in January 2017, a drop of almost eight thousand readers according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”, Issue Three Point One of “Avengers” must have caused quite a bit of consternation amongst its dwindling audience because of Mark Waid’s assertion that the super-group’s Silver Age line-up only managed to win over an unsupportive Manhattan public, by relying solely upon “Cressida’s dark secret” to “enhance the team’s powers.” Indeed, the book’s presumptuous plot, supposedly “never revealed… until now”, is arguably so disrespectful to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original vision of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes that it’s hard to take any of the Eisner Award-winner’s preposterous twenty-page narrative seriously post Captain America’s early victory over both the Thinker and his Awesome Android; “Their power levels have increased by a factor of at least 10.7 -- Thanks to an x-factor I’d not accounted for!”

Admittedly, such a disconcerting enhancement to the foursome’s special abilities does provide British artist Barry Kitson the chance to pencil Quicksilver bedazzling Daredevil with a demonstration of the mutant’s “near-invisible super-speed” and Hawkeye astonishing the amazing Spider-Man by firing “nine arrows in four seconds.” Yet such sequences are seemingly far better suited to the stage of a Vaudeville act than a supposedly sincere re-imagining of the Avengers Mid-Sixties metamorphosis, and it’s certainly doubtful that any of this publication’s followers thought the sequences were the “impeccable paragon of perfection” which reader Jimmy Morton felt the title’s original publication contained way back in June 1965.

Equally as unnerving is the Alabama-born author’s handling of Cap’s Kooky Quartet and their latest addition, Avenger X. Cressida clearly has an incredible super-power which if used wisely can be of enormous benefit to the titular characters and their fight against "the foes no single superhero can withstand." However, rather than treat such a game-changing ability with the reservation and respect it deserves, or at the very least question how the Southeast Asian came to wield such a formidable force, Waid would instead have this comic’s bibliophiles believe that the likes of Steve Rogers would simply accept them as a mysterious blessing and just go about his daily business as if nothing out of the ordinary was taking place?

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

Avengers [2016] #2.1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS No. 2.1, February 2017

On paper there’s probably a good dozen or so reasons as to why “Marvel Worldwide” believed that a mini-series focusing upon Captain America’s untold task of “turning the members of this ragtag team into Avengers” would prove to be a good seller. For starters “Cap's Kooky Quartet” would appear to hold a special nostalgic place within the hearts of those who can remember the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes during the mid-Sixties, whilst those too young to have lived through the Silver Age of Comics arguably might enjoy an opportunity to experience ‘first-hand’ the super-group (once again) going “through their first major membership change”.

Unfortunately for this particular issue of “Avengers” 37,746-strong audience though, Mark Waid’s script predominantly emphasizes the foursome’s lack of team-work and perturbing personality issues, rather than their desire to prove themselves as suitable replacements for Thor, Iron Man and the rest of the Old Order. In fact, two of this twenty-page periodical’s most aggravating elements is its constant obsession to dwell upon the heroes evident dislike for one another, and a disconcerting desire to belittle almost everything which they do; “Will you people shut up about Thor?”

Worse, predominantly because of this pervading thread of ill-placed humour, there’s never any real sense of “the mighty pretenders” being in danger, even when the Alabama-born author has Hawkeye, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and Captain America face the all-power Stranger. This “composite being who possessed the combined strength and intellect of the billions of humanoid beings who once lived on the planet Gigantus” is a far cry from the “Atlantean refugee” this book provides as an early adversary, and is so terrifying that even Professor Xavier refuses to have his X-Men overtly antagonise him for fear of repercussions. Yet, despite “the enormity of the danger he poses” Steve Rogers boastfully baits the cosmic being and rather cowardly has Clint Barton fire an explosive arrow into his back?

What “Death Is A Stranger” does do well however, is provide Barry Kitson with ample opportunity to show off both his admirable pencilling and engaging story-boarding. The British comics artist does a superb job of imbuing the Avengers battle against a deep-sea monster with plenty of pacey panache, such as Pietro’s mesmerizing speed-blur, and proves similarly successful in capturing the likenesses of the original X-Men, Angel, Cyclops, Beast, Marvel Girl and Ice Man.

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

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

West Coast Avengers #4 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 4, December 1984

Having initially started with Jim Rhodes ‘shellshocking’ his teammates by revealing that he’s replaced Tony Stark as Iron Man, Roger Stern’s script to Issue Four of “West Coast Avengers” subsequently transforms itself into an all-out action fest which not only sees the super-group rescue a truly waterlogged Wonder Man from the clutches of the formidably powerful Graviton. But also hand Franklin Hall a considerable ‘smackdown’ in the process. Indeed the Wackos' victory over “the Master of Gravity” is so compellingly conclusive that few readers must have shown surprise at the Vision’s ringing endorsement of the “…progress… made in just the first few weeks since the founding of our Western Division!”

However that doesn’t simply mean that the co-creator of the Hobgoblin has the heroes wade into the villain’s Santa Monica Retreat and just start throwing punches or firing repulsor rays. Instead the Noblesville-born writer pens a genuinely engaging plot packed full of intrigue and guile, as well as occasional bursts of raw power, that sees a fast-maturing Hawkeye using his brains as opposed to his team’s brawn in order to get the job done. In fact, up until the sudden appearance of the golden Avenger halfway through the twenty-three page periodical, it doesn’t appear as if the master archer's team have even yet arrived at the Canadian physicist’s lair. Let alone infiltrated it by disguising themselves as a barmaid, Maggia henchman and Madame Masque…

Such a well-devised cleverly-executed scheme really helps draw in the reader, and even provides a few stand-out moments such as an overconfident “amateur Iron Man” directly tapping into “the entire south-western power grid” and Tigra viciously slapping a moustached Clint Barton around the face when he momentarily gapes at the submerged ‘cadaver’ of Simon Williams in full view of Graviton; “Louis! What is the matter with you?! You’ve killed dozens of men! How dare you weaken at the sight of one corpse!” Is it any wonder that a year later in 1985, “Marvel Comics Group” launched a “second ongoing Avengers series” based upon the self-same line-up?

Bob Hall’s breakdowns are also nicely rendered throughout the majority of “Finale”. Finished by Brett Breeding and Peter Berardi, the American artist manages to pencil some incredibly expressive close-ups of the main cast, most notably Hawkeye, as well as draw some awesomely dynamic set-pieces like Wonder Man literally tearing down Hall’s lavish retreat just before “Phase Three” of the West Coast Avengers' plan takes effect.

Writer: Roger Stern, Breakdowns: Bob Hall, and Finishers: Brett Breeding & Peter Berardi

West Coast Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 3, November 1984

Fans of Wonder Man were probably in two minds about Roger Stern’s handling of the Ionic-energy empowered superhero in this penultimate issue of the “West Coast Avengers” Limited Series. For whilst Simon Williams is shown ruggedly clearing the Santa Monica Freeway of unseasonal snow at the start of the comic, and later provides an enjoyable plotted history of his origin, Don Heck’s co-creation is for the most-part depicted as little more than a sullen, brooding super-hero who is rather worryingly solely preoccupied with his public image and the perceived battering it has taken following “that Blank… getting away… a couple of weeks ago.”

Admittedly such a flawed personality trait as hubris does make “the son of rich industrialist Sandford Williams” a far more compelling character, especially when he quite touchingly confides in fellow ‘Wacko’ Tigra that he doesn’t feel much of an Avenger having let the force field generator-powered felon escape his custody. But any reader’s sympathy to his confidence-lacking plight is then soon dispelled by the Noblesville-born writer dressing him up with the most absurd-looking curly blond wig and shades imaginable, just so the ‘experienced stuntman’ isn’t recognisable when escorting the Shroud on a visit to “what was once the home of one “Lucky Man” Galeno…”

Fortunately the narrative to “Taking Care of Business!” also spends a considerable time focussing upon former gravity researcher Franklin Hall and his return from being “exiled to the interdimensional void” by Thor. Able to manipulate “the subatomic particles that carry the force of gravitational attraction”, Graviton proves as formidable a foe for Wonder Man, Maximillian Coleridge and Greer Nelson in this comic’s later stages as he is mentally deranged. Indeed the supervillain’s spiteful toying of Clyde, the man whose charging field actually helped rescue the Canadian physicist from his “state of suspended animation” shows a decidedly nasty streak to a criminal clearly capable of taking on “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”; “There is no room in my organisation for whiners, Blank!”

Equally as engrossing as Graviton’s determination to “organize California’s criminal element!” is Bob Hall’s wonderful artwork for a twenty-three page periodical that is rather dialogue-heavy in parts. In fact the University of Nebraska-Lincoln attendee’s drawings of the Shorud repeatedly stepping from out of his Darkforce is arguably worth the cost of this comic’s cover price alone, even if the ‘Master of Darkness’ is accompanied by a ludicrous-looking Williams.

Writer: Roger Stern, Penciler: Bob Hall, and Inker: Brett Breeding

West Coast Avengers #2 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 2, October 1984

Featuring the debut of Roger Stern and Bob Hall’s creation The Blank, Issue Two of “West Coast Avengers” disappointingly pits the ‘fledgling’ super-group’s rather formidable roster up against one of the New York publisher’s most uninspiring and frankly third-rate villains ever. Indeed, if the “unemployed drifter” hadn’t conveniently encountered a Stark International Research scientist whilst waiting for a bus and subsequently stolen the inventor’s force field generator, then the Wackos really would spend the entire length of this comic book battling nothing more than an ordinary, powerless, criminally-minded “disgruntled” nobody.

Presumably however, such a forgettable foe was actually devised in order to allow the American author to spend a considerable portion of this twenty-three page periodical concentrating upon the doubts and fears of this “expansion of the main Avengers team”. Something the Noblesville-born novelist does to a disconcerting depth as practically every single one of the super-heroes featured within the narrative inwardly demonstrates some considerable team angst; “I’m not anywhere near being in his league… Why did I let Hawkeye talk me into joining his new Avengers team?”

Foremost of these doubting Thomas’ is arguably Wonder Man, the son of a rich industrialist who is clearly not half as confident with his “personal performance” as his self-assured Simon ‘stunt man’ Williams alter ego would suggest. In fact having demonstrated his inability to “handle one gimmicky bank robber by myself” the angry “ionic” powerhouse becomes worryingly obsessed with “nabbing” the Blank by himself just to prove ‘what good he is to the Avengers’.

Equally as image-driven, and quite possibly power-mad as well, is Jim Rhodes’ Iron Man. Concerned that Hawkeye’s gruelling daily workout showed him up and that he may be trading “on another man’s rep” since replacing Tony Stark “inside this metal suit”, the armoured “amateur” admits to revelling in the power bestowed upon him because it “felt good… read good!”

Fortunately this magazine does feature some incredibly lively action-packed artwork by Bob Hall. Admittedly the one-time “Charlton Comics” inker isn’t as consistent with his illustrations as some readers may have hoped for, particularly when sketching the Blank’s origin flashback. But the former “Marvel Comics” editor’s drawings of Iron Man, Tigra, Mockingbird and Hawkeye during the Wackos ‘mock’ battle against “Shellhead” prove to be an incredibly dynamically-charged way to start an otherwise rather run-of-the-mill story.

Writer: Roger Stern, Penciler: Bob Hall, and Inker: Brett Breeding

West Coast Avengers #1 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 1, September 1984

Whilst Roger Stern’s somewhat pedestrian-paced script for Issue One of the “West Coast Avengers” limited series is nowhere near as frustratingly tedious a read as Stan Lee’s Silver Age story “The Old Order Changeth!” There is, perhaps understandably, a number of similarities between this “bold new chapter in the annals of Earth’s mightiest heroes” and the May 1965 “spectacular special issue” of “The Avengers” which heralded “the start of a great new Avengers line-up!”

In fact the narratives for “Avengers Assemble!” and its thirty year old predecessor are in some ways upsettingly undistinguishable from one another with both featuring a new team leader pulling together a fresh collection of hesitant, nervous and somewhat unproven super-heroes, and then housing them within an expensively lavish state-of-the-art compound. The Noblesville-born writer even goes so far as to include several ominous nods to the one-time publishing President’s original storyline by having 'his' Hawkeye once again refer to the Super-soldier serum enhanced Captain America as an Avenger who doesn’t have “any amazing powers” and then offer a perceived super-villain, in this case the anti-hero Maximillian Quincy, a place on the “Wackos” having been impressed with the Shoud’s skill in penetrating their Los Angeles-based estate's defences; “Besides, what you did reminds me a little of how I introduced myself to the Avengers -- I broke in too!”

Putting aside such potential plagiarism of a “classic Avengers” comic however, Stern’s twenty-three page periodical also proves to be something of an inauspicious experience due to its failure to live up to its initial concept’s promise. Bob Hall and Brett Breeding’s cover art genuinely gives the impression that this ‘new’ title could really be something innovatively different, and even suggests that diverse characters such as Rom the Space Knight, the diminutive acrobat Puck and “genius psychiatrist” Doc Samson may be permanent cast members. Disappointingly though, with the exception of Mockingbird, the American author instead simply regurgitates a number of arguably failed former “New York team” associates, and even portrays a couple of these “out of my league[rs]” as being somewhat displeased when awarded a “spot” on the line-up. Indeed Tigra is actually paid $1,000 by the Vision just to catch “the next shuttle flight” to California and “help the [West Coast] Avengers out.”

Fortunately Hall’s precise and detailed pencilling goes a long way to help make amends for the graphic novelist’s uninspiring storytelling. With the former “Charlton Comics” inker’s depictions of an overly enthusiastic, somewhat pushy Hawkeye and self-doubting "Jimmy Rhodes" Iron Man, resplendent in his shiny red and gold armour, looking as good as any bibliophile could ask for.

Writer: Roger Stern, Penciler: Bob Hall, and Inker: Brett Breeding

Avengers: Operation Hydra #1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: OPERATION HYDRA No. 1, June 2015

Firmly set within the “Marvel Cinematic Universe” as opposed to the New York-based publisher’s comic book shared cosmos, this one-shot could very easily be criticised as being little more than a ‘cash-in’ on the 2015 “Summer blockbuster film” “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”. Indeed not only was this “all-new adventure” by Will Corona Pilgrim blatantly advertised by “Marvel Worldwide” as being a forerunner to Joss Whedon’s ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ silver screen sequel. But, having firmly established the “terrorist-military organization bent on world domination” with the motion picture “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, this magazine also supposedly explores what happens just before the Sentinel of Liberty and his truly formidable team-mates cinematically confront Baron Wolfgang von Strucker at his Sokovian-based Hydra outpost.

Sadly, having established such a dubiously-motivated pedigree, the “Marvel Studios” Creative Research Manager’s narrative disappointingly lives up to its low expectations by delivering an extraordinarily simple tale of “a secret Hydra splinter cell”, led by the incredibly ‘over-the-top’ Doctor Jensen, being somewhat unceremoniously battered to pieces by the combined forces of the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Captain America. In fact, with the exception of a perturbing sub-plot which focuses upon Clint Barton’s insecurities over “someone else grabbing my seat on the Avengers” just because he doesn't have either Tony Stark's armour or Steve Rogers' "super serum-ness", this twenty-page periodical’s storyline arguably consists of very little else but heavily-armed Hydra operatives being severely trounced in a variety of ways by the handful of heroes; “Thank you for choosing air widow. We hope you’ve enjoyed your flight.”

Fortunately “Avengers: Operation Hydra” does have one saving grace, apart from being available sporting a Silver Age Jack Kirby “The Old Order Changeth!” variant cover and containing a reprint of Issue Sixteen of “The Avengers” from May 1965, in that it’s wonderfully drawn by former “The Thing” penciller , Andrea Di Vito. Admittedly the Italian comic book artist’s popular super-team don’t really resemble their celluloid counter-parts, with Doctor Bruce Banner and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s former archer agent proving particularly disappointing likenesses when compared to the actors who play them. But costume-wise the Rome-born illustrator is reasonably ‘spot-on’, even going so far as to having Natasha Romanova dressed in her “Tony Stark-designed high tech suit”.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS:OPERATION HYDRA" No. 1 by Michael Ryan