Ultimate Comics Avengers #1 Review
ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #1
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Carlos Pacheco
I liked this enough to want to come back for more. I found it very entertaining and cinematic in the way that Millar wrote and paced it and Pacheco illustrated it, reminding me of a good John Woo movie (or take your pick of action film directors). The centerpiece of the book is an awesomely portrayed skirmish in the air that takes place inside and out of two helicopters—and possibly the best action panels that I’m going to see, at least for this month.
I’ll summarize what occurs here without spoiling anything for you:
Issue #1 focuses mainly on the characters as shown on the front side of the wraparound cover; and if the future team will include all the others depicted here then things should get very interesting. Nick Fury as envisioned by Carlos Pacheco couldn’t possibly look any closer to Samuel L. Jackson than he does here. It’s three months after the events of Ultimatum and Fury has been disciplined for his actions with Carol Danvers replacing him as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hawkeye informs Fury that Captain America has gone rogue and Nick wants to lead a team to bring him in.
Judging by appearances, it looks more to me like Hawkeye has gone rogue. This masked mercenary bears little resemblance to the avenging archer except for the tufts of blond hair sticking out of his top-less mask. In place of a quiver, he’s wearing two mini-backpacks, one over each shoulder—and I don’t think they contain arrows, probably two very big guns instead. I wasn’t really crazy about the Ultimates 2 version of Hawkeye but I warmed up to the leather uniform and learned to tolerate it (but not so much the way his character was depicted). Here, Clint looks like an amalgam of Image’s Grifter and DC’s Deadshot. At least, so far, he seems to be likeable and not an arrogant hot-shot. What I do appreciate though, is the way Millar has him spring into action with both great courage and daring, especially when his pal Cap needs assistance.
I don’t want to spoil it for you and reveal why Cap has gone rogue, but he learns something that disturbs him and we learn it as well during the flashback sequence that details the in-air fighting. I just love Cap’s entrance into battle—you have to see this. Meanwhile, we never see Tony Stark in armor this issue as he is missing when needed and looks to be chasing that “demon in the bottle” again and avoiding his responsibilities at the most inopportune times.
I think this will be a great action title and lots of fun to read. I’m not expecting anything “break-through” here, just that Millar will write an engaging and entertaining tale. I really loved Ultimates [the original series], liked Ultimates 2 a little less, and actually avoided Ultimates 3 on the advice of friends who found it very disappointing. I’ll be hanging around here for the next several issues; and I expect to be happy.
Michael Clarke, CBH Member, kindly allowed us to run his review originally posted on http://bcrefugees.blogspot.com/.
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