U.S.Avengers #2 - Marvel Comics

U.S.AVENGERS No. 2, March 2017

Shifting just 29,523 copies in January 2017, a staggering drop in sales of over eighty thousand editions within the space of just a few weeks, it would arguably be easy for critics of this title to claim that this second instalment of Al Ewing’s “Skullocracy” story-arc came as something of a major disappointment to Marvelites everywhere. However, whilst Issue Two of “U.S. Avengers” does predominantly contain plenty of lengthy, dialogue-heavy exposition in order to rationalise the sudden appearance of Captain America 20XX on Earth-616, the British writer’s narrative also comes packed full of action as the alternative version of “Danielle Cage from thirty years on” takes down a number of the Golden Skull’s henchmen in a failed attempt to stop “the son of an environmental activist” from entering a “doorway to a new world!”

Even more engaging though, has to be this twenty-page periodical’s enthralling coverage of Thanos ripping the skull off of Steve Rogers’ shoulders, and then invading Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. in order to “use their tech to build a pair of Cosmic Cube Iso-Gauntlets…” This ‘parallel Earth flashback’ sequence, sublimely pencilled by Paco Medina, comes chock-full of all manner of ‘Marvel Universe” super-heroes fatally falling before the Mad Titan, and only comes to an end when the Black Widow, using a mixture of science and magic, scythes Dione down with the help of the Black Knight and the Hulkling; “Thanos murdered half the heroes of Earth… Just to say he was back.”

In fact, even the comic’s later supposedly humorous infiltration of the Wyne International Hotel in Miami, Florida by the “America-themed team of Avengers” doesn’t actually fail to entertain, despite its depiction of Roberto Da Costa clumsily inviting his tuxedo-adorned colleagues to the location’s Penthouse Ballroom in a doomed effort to circumnavigate “the nephew of the notorious Parnival Plunder” by reaching the billionaires club first. True, the “schmooze” sequence potentially pads out a quarter of the publication and contains some unsubtle moments of absurdity, such as Squirrel Girl badgering a waiter to get her any hors d'oeuvres with nuts in. But the group’s subsequent encirclement by a room full of Golden Skull's Robots proves a chilling cliff-hanger, especially when it becomes clear that Citizen V is already too late to thwart the “super-criminal from a possible future” and his plan “to institute a global kleptocracy.”

Writer: Al Ewing, Penciler: Paco Medina, and Inker: Juan Vlasco

U.S.Avengers #1 - Marvel Comics

U.S.AVENGERS No. 1, March 2017

Described by author Al Ewing as a super-group who work “with S.H.I.E.L.D. while not being a part of it” and featuring a heavily-moustached Red Hulk, an alternative universe Captain America (who scarily resembles Bernie America) and the ever-effervescent Squirrel Girl, it’s easy to imagine that most of this comic’s 110,729 bibliophiles probably thought that they buying into some sort of tongue-in-cheek series similar to “Marvel Comics” Silver Age self-depreciating title “Not Brand Echh”. It’s certainly hard to understand just how this comic became the biggest selling book of January 2017, even if Rod Reis was commissioned to draw over fifty unique variant covers pairing an Avenger with either an American state, Canada, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or United Kingdom, in order to celebrate the launch of the new series…

Incredibly however, Issue One of “U.S. Avengers” actually contains plenty of action-packed suspense, and despite its narrative being repeatedly interrupted by “camera pieces” designed by Roberto Da Costa to “hopefully convince the S.H.I.E.L.D. sceptics that A.I.M. is just people… who want to help”, it also proves a thoroughly enthralling read. Indeed, considering that the British writer’s script introduces all seven lead cast members, highlights the new mantra of Advanced Idea Mechanics, resolves the very genuine threat of the Secret Empire’s volcano base helicarrier and showcases the villainous Golden Skull, it’s incredible that this twenty-page periodical isn’t just a hot garbled mess.

Of particular note has to be the gobsmackingly good entrance of Doreen Green and her Flying Squirrels air squadron, as well as General Robert L. Maverick’s stunning establishment as the (new) Red Hulk. Admittedly, a dozen rocket-propelled gliding rats attacking a zillion drone missiles and an over-muscled, shade-wearing Gamma monster ripping into a floating ‘lava lamp’ might not sound the most convincing of plot devices on bare paper, but they truly produce some astoundingly good open-mouthed moments on the printed page; “Hey! What’s he gonna do for the other fifty-nine minutes?”

Equally as engrossing as Ewing’s storyline, is Paco Medina’s outstanding pencils. Presumably “influenced by the designs worn by the Emperor's Royal Guard in Star Wars, specifically in the headpiece design and their habit of holding long ornate staves”, the Secret Empire appear regally dangerous, regardless of the absurdity of their molten-based machinations. Whilst the Venezuela-born artist’s sketch of “the Muscle” going “full Hulk” into the side of the subversive organisation’s gigantic helicarrier can actually be physically felt.

Writer: Al Ewing, Penciler: Paco Medina, and Inker: Juan Vlasco