Essential Avengers, Vol. 3

Volume 3 of Essential Avengers sees yet more roster changes. BIG SHOCK there. The King of Wakanda and the android Vision joins the ranks of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. With that last inclusion, that also means we're introduced to the robotic menace: Ultron!

This volume covers issues that first debuted from 1968-70. I knew that the Vision makes his debut during this period of time. But I thought we were at least 5 years, maybe more, away from Ultron coming into being. So having him pop up was a real surprise. Too bad that Ultron is probably my least favorite Marvel villain of all-time. Here's a character perfectly designed to destroy humanity and yet, Ultron always loses- seemingly destroyed. But no! Ultron keeps coming back in a new, bigger and badder upgraded body. Why won't he just die?! 

The addition of T'Challa adds a touch of royalty along with a heavy hitter to the ranks of the Avengers. Why the Black Panther doesn't use his political clout more during this time period is beyond me. Instead, T'Challa takes on the secret identity of Luke Charles, a inner city school teacher. Towards the end of this volume, we do experience the struggles of the Civil Rights movement through the Panther's eyes when those slimy racist goons of the Serpent Society rear their ugly heads back onto the seen. They're not as scary as the original version of the group seen in the previous volume. Still, it doesn't make their message of hatred and bigotry any less palatable. Beating DC Comics to the punch with relevant comics by almost a full year, I don't know if making the Black Panther the champion of the battle of inner city racism and inequality was Roy Thomas' idea or that of editor Stan Lee. Whomever it was, they were visionaries whose contribution should never be erased from bookshelves!

Another major character undergoes a change; although their metamorphosis is less internal and very much overt! Clint Barton hangs up his purple tights and arrows and takes on Dr. Henry Pym's mantle of Goliath, the giant Avenger. No, Hank hasn't retired from superheroing. But now a married man and operating as the schizophrenic superhero Yellow Jacket, Pym doesn't have time for seeing the sites of the Big Apple from 20 feet in height. After the death of his brother, Barton needs a change. Losing the love of his life, the Black Widow, to her career as a SHIELD operative may have something to do with the change in identity...

Compared to the last volume, there's a lot more of original members Thor and Iron Man as well as Captain America in this book. They're all still on reserve status. But it's nice to see them in action when things look their bleakest like in the alternate reality thriller of Avengers, Annual #2 in which the original Avengers killed off all of the other heroes in order to usher in a Golden Age of Peace and tranquility under the benevolence of the Scarlet Centurion. 

It seems that with the loss of new recruits balanced with the assistance of the Big Three, the more things change for the Avengers, the more things stay the same.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Vision and the Scarlet Witch #2

In West Coast Avengers #2, Ultron kidnapped his 'father', Dr. Hank Pym. Then as the Scarlet Witch joined up with the Avengers of the Pacific in their quinjet, Ultron unleashed an assault on the plane and it's going down!

Now in Vision and the Scarlet Witch #2, as the plane is crashing, Hawkeye is contacted by his wife, Mockingbird who has been away from the team, assisting SHIELD in a mission. This is fortuitous because when Grim Reaper's minions kidnap the crash's survivors, it's Mockingbird who saves the day.

Look, this book is over 30 years old. If you haven't read it now, you're probably not going to read it later. Although, if you're wanting to read the inspirations behind Disney+'s WandaVision, maybe you will read this book. Don't worry, I've not really spoiled anything. If anything, the big revelations that could spoil this issue involve Vision, Wonder Man and Grim Reaper. Let's just say that what transpires explains a lot of the villain's motives and why Simon Williams went from being Baron Zemo's lackey to an Avenger. However, I think in the past 30 years of Avengers stories, what happens to the trio has been retconned and distorted to the point that any spoiler I were to reveal wouldn't have any long-term repercussions to your knowledge of this corner of the Marvel universe.

A bit of a mess. Steve Englehart does manage to keep me from being lost in the material that was covered in the West Coast Avengers issue I've not read. Nor own. A lot of the action on the Quinjet seemed unnecessary. It's almost like Englehart needed to add that scene as filler in order for this issue of Vision and the Scarlet Witch to meet minimum page count requirements.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1

The second miniseries to star Vision and the Scarlet Witch begins with quite a few changes. What do you expect? 3 years have elapsed since then. Here's a small rundown of important things that have some impact of the current plot:

• The American Government has decreed that there are too many Avengers. The team has been trimmed down to 7 members with Hawkeye and Iron Man going to California to start the West Coast Avengers. 
• Since revealing that he is the father of the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, Magneto has pledged to repent of his past sins against humanity and is currently on trial for his past crimes as the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants.
• Ultron, acting through a super-computer, turned Vision temporarily evil. Just inches away from taking over the world, the Avenger reclaimed his synthetic humanity and is awaiting being cleared of any dark influences on him...

Issue #1 opens with Wanda and Vision quitting the Avengers due to how Vision has been held by the government without due process. But the heroes' freedom is short-lived when the biological brother of Simon Williams, the Grim Reaper, sends an army of zombies to capture Vision and Scarlet Witch. Meanwhile on the West Coast, Ultron has tracked down Wonder Woman and kidnapped him, leading Hawkeye and his team on a search for their missing comrade.

One of my greatest pet peeves about comic books takes place at the closure of this issue. It ended on a cliffhanger. But instead of being resolved by reading issue #2 of this mini, you have to read issue #2 of West Coast Avengers. Normally, I would have held off on reading any further. But I really want to get to a certain issue of this series before Turkey Day. As I've been waiting almost all year to read these books, I said 'screw it' and went on ahead to the next issue. 

If you are someone who has to have all the correlating issues in your possession before reading the whole story, take note. Otherwise, trust that the team of Steve Englehart and Richard Powell will keep readers abreast of what was missed out if you decide like me to forgo reading West Coast Avengers #2 first.

Worth Consuming! -but losing points for the cliffhanger pet peeve.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Vision and the Scarlet Witch #3

While an attack on the life of Nuklo resulted in the mutant being cured of his radioactivity, the results of last issue's battle have let the family of Wanda Maximoff and the Vision in tatters. Robert Frank, the Whizzer, is dead while Vision is left mangled, minus an arm and in a sort of coma. As the Vision's brain patterns were taken from that of Wonder Man, the Hollywood Avenger is called to the Big Apple to help restore the synthezoid hero's mind.

This was a trippy issue as the majority of the story takes place in the mind of the Vision. The level of action is upped by the addition of the Grim Reaper who blames both Viz and Wonder Man for the death of Simon Williams, which confuses me because I thought Wonder Man was Simon Williams. Internally, both Vision and Wonder Man must battle Ultron, as a small part of the Vision's creator still lingers in the Avenger's brain and has been trying to kill him ever since the hero rejected the influence of his creator!

I've figured out the theme of this miniseries. It's family and its many facets on people. Family sometimes is who you are born into. Other times, family is who you care about the most. It's that latter version of family that is sometimes the closest and the most meaniful. 

Being that so much of this story is based on symbolism and the exploration of the deepest recesses of the psyche, this is the kind of tale that my wife would be a fan of. As for me, it's just a little too metaphysical. Not the worst story. Just not my taste.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Tsum Tsum: Takeover!

I love crossovers and team-ups. I don't think this book can be classified as a team-up. I think since two universes converge, this is more of a crossover. But I'm not really sure.

When a package belonging to the Collector is lost in transit, this spells mayhem for the Big Apple. The package crashes and a group of Tsum Tsums are unleashed on the world. As these creatures assume the form of their friends, some Tsum Tsums become heroes while a few fall under the influence of Ultron! Of all of the villains they could run afoul of, they pick the one most evil and most able to adapt to any situation. 

This miniseries is from 2016. It's yet another bargain find at Ollie's. My big question is- are Tsum Tsums still a thing? 

Tsum Tsums are a Japanese toy property based on Disney licenses. They are supposed to be rectangular in shape. But they look more like a tube or a pill capsule to me. These toys are designed to be stackable and apparently kids created a party game where you try to knock over as many of the stacked up figures as possible. The Tsum Tsums eventually became the stars of a video game or two.

If you ask me, Tsum Tsums are a fad similar to POGs. Which essentially means, I get the gist of them. But I still don't fully understand them. Thankfully, you don't have to understand the toys or the games to enjoy the book. Kudos to writer Jacob Chabot (The Mighty Skullboy Army) who made this story fun to read and enjoy without having much of a knowledge of the Tsum Tsum property. 

If the Tsum Tsums are why you are buying this book, you might need a little bit of knowledge about Marvel Comics. But you should do okay reading this if you don't.

Not a bad expenditure of $2.99.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Avengers: First to Last

     An interesting mix of never before told behind-the-scenes stories of the original line-up of Earth's Mightiest Heroes and as well as the team's swan song.

     The first group of stories appeared in the back pages of Avengers Classic. Featuring such greats as Dwayne McDuffie (Damage Control) and the Man himself, Stan Lee, these shorts reveal what happened between the issues, like how Marvel obtained the licensing rights to the Avengers and the first ever meeting between Captain America and Spider-Man.

      It's always been my pet peeve with the Marvel Classic books that they never contain any original material. But with Avengers Classic, that wasn't case. Of note, if you already have issues 1-12 of the Avengers in some sort of collected form and you have this volume, you'll have all the original material and covers contained in Avengers Classic. You will not need to scour the bargain bins for the individual issues of Avengers classic.

      The second feature was a completely new story. The Last Avengers Story reveals what could happen in a final stand off between Hank Pym and Ultron. Written by Marvel mage Peter David, this book was dark, bloody, and a wild read. It was also a little naughty. That's all thanks to the painted pages of Aliens Vs. Predator's Ariel Olivetti.

       If you are trying to collect Avengers stories, you'll need this collection. It's the perfect combination of funny, serious, and adventure. But due to the level of blood and gore in The Last Avengers Story, this is not a book for all readers- especially kids- as some images can be quite unsettling.

     Worth Consuming

     Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Age of Confusion

   

   I feel like this merits some clarification. When I found the 'AGE OF ULTRON' hardcover I saw the companion right next to it. Wanting to read the entire collection of this storyline, I grabbed them both. (I literally shouted "Score!" While doing a fist pump. I was that excited.)                                  
 
    Much to my chagrin, after reading the entire hardcover edition, I found that the companion didn't have any new material in it. If you own that volume then there is no reason to own the AOU Companion. So why did Marvel publish it in the first place?          

    Obvious answer aside (to get more of your money) I did some research to find out. According to stashmycomics.com, there have only been two reprintings of AOU; the hardcover edition and a trade paperback. The hardcover, published in 2013, retailed for $75! The 2014 trade retailed for only $35, but it doesn't include the supplement issues like the hardcover does. The Companion which contains the supplemental issues was published at the same time as the trade and sells for $30 and was published in trade paperback form only. So, Marvel thought they were doing it's fans a favor by publishing the two works in a cheaper for format with the whopping discount price of $65! (Wow Marvel, thanks for the price break!)

   Another option for readers could be to just buy all of the issues in the miniseries and supplementals individually. But if you can't find the issues in a bargain bin, you'll likely pay more than the price of the hardcover. Another option is to get just the 10 issues of the AOU mini and then get the companion. It can be found on Amazon for as low as $21.45 new ($16 used.)

   So, now you've got some options. More importantly, you've been warned so that you don't spend your hard earned money on duplicate titles.

Now go read some comics!

Age of Ultron Companion

  This trade contains the companion issues devoted to the age of Ultron. These issues explore events such as how Black Widow and Moon Knight teamed up in San Francisco during the Ultron invasion, how the U.K's magical heroes were scraping by during the Age of Ultron occupation of Britain, as well as a few glimpses into the pocket parallel universe created by the actions of Wolverine. To finish the set (and segue into the Avenger AI storyline), there's a great origin story about Henry Pym, set during the aftermath of the AOU miniseries.  

    With dozens of writers, artists, inkers, and editors involved in this work, I can't judge the work as a whole. It would not really be fair since these issues are supposed to provide glimpses into the corners of the Marvel Universe left untouched by the AOU mini.

Below is a list of the issues found in this book:

Avengers Assemble 14AU -15AU 
 Fantastic Four 5AU 
Fearless Defenders 4AU
 Superior Spider-Man 6AU 
 Ultron 1AU 
 Uncanny Avengers 8AU 
 Wolverine & the X-Men 27AU 
 Age of Ultron 10AI

The best art is found in the Age of Ultron #10AI and it's a pretty good story about the childhood and early career of Dr. Pym. The Superior Spider-Man  was also very well written. Not only that but it left me intrigued to read the rest of that series. (Note to self: add to wish list immediately.)

   My least favorite issue takes place in the pocket universe caused by Wolverine murdering Henry Pym before he could create Ultron. That issue is Fearless Defenders #4AU. It involves a character named Hippolyta going to Latveria to fight her father Ares. What is this? Wonder Woman? It's a complete rip-off! I could not stand it. 

   Other than that, this was a great collection of stories that supplement the AOU miniseries. It was an enjoyable read and required reading for anyone looking to understand the root of the collapse of the Marvel Universe and it's forthcoming reboot later this year.

Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Age of Ultron

Some of you may be saying "'Age of Ultron,' where have I heard that before?" Well, it's the subtitle of the next Avengers film due out this summer. Though the villain Ultron is the film's main villain, I doubt that the plot will be as wide scale and sweeping as in this miniseries.

   In 'Age of Ultron' the dastardly artificial intelligence has created a vast army of robots and drones with the sole purpose of destroying all organic life from the earth. The attack takes just minutes and now only a handful of survivors are the only hope for humanity.

   Several small groups make their way to the Savage Land, seeing it's Antarctic locale as the ultimate protection from Ultron's forces. There they find Nick Fury and discover that the reason why Ultron can't be touched is that he's controlling all of the pieces his chess board from the future. Fury just happens to have Doctor Doom's time travelling platform and assembles a team to strike at Ultron from his distant safe haven.  However, Wolverine has other plans and along with the Invisible Woman, the mutant decides to go back in time and kill Ultron's creator, Hank Pym!

   If you've been reading the reviews of the Marvel Now! Avengers series on my blog, you've probably realized that crazy things are going on with the space-time continuum in the Marvel Universe. Alternate earths are being destroyed and the Illuminati are at odds with the rest of the Avengers over the use of a planet killing device to save our earth (earth-616.)

   The events that occur in this miniseries are the spark that lights the fire of the death of the multiverse. With the upcoming 'Secret Wars' series that will result in the first ever reboot of Marvel Comics, the time to read this miniseries has never been more timely.
 
With a great plot, dynamic art, and some very unique takes on the philosophical question "If you could go back in time and kill Hitler, would ya?" this is one of the best sweeping crossover events that I've ever read.
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.