New Avengers: IlluminatiI Special #1

By Kevin Scott
April 17, 2006 - 17:51

An explosive hidden story of Marvel's secret past, the secret history of Marvel's most secret team -- how they came together and how they are ripped apart. The events in this book act as a prologue to not one but two entirely different Marvel blockbuster summer events. The Marvel Universe is about to split down the middle and the line is drawn here!!! You will be asked: whose side are you on? Well... whose side are you on???

A book like this is hard to really surprise cats with, as you kinda know what the story is from the outset. The biggest problem is to fit the events into the tapestry of Marvel history without upsetting all the ………. Bendis manages to cover all the hurdles well, though. Having the group form after Kree/Skrull War seems to make perfect sense and it’s interesting to see the whole evolvement & mindset of the characters towards the group. The explanation of the Hulk exile makes sense and the book does a good job of setting up some things for Civil War. So the book manages to resonate in a way you’d think it could struggle in.

For so many years we’ve been seeing Maleev showcasing his skills on Daredevil, so it’s nice to see him be able to demonstrate his versatility. Maleev seems to have a nice grasp on all the characters….even though Xavier’s head is a little squarish at times. This isn’t an action packed story, (but the under water sequence is handled well) it’s more about convictions & emotion. Maleev manages to convey a lot with the body language of the characters. Sometimes the facial expressions don’t always mirror the dialogue, but that’s one of the only complaints of the issue. There are a few panels set at S.H.I.E.L.D, which look really good, so all bodes well for the Spider-women on-going series.
Oh, can’t not mention the good job Dell'otto did with the cover!

Rating: C+ /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12

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