Comic Review: Avengers #10

Avengers #10

Marvel Comics

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artists: David Marquez, Ed McGuiness, Frazer Irving, Adam Kubert, Andrea Sorrentino

Technically, this is only Avengers #10. But, with the legacy numbering, its #700 and 700 is more exciting than 10. There’s a lot that happens in this issue, which is fitting for a big milestone issue like this.

At the start of the issue, we’re shown the assembling of a new Winter Guard, a Russian super team. The Avengers themselves are off in their own day to day lives when they get the call to come together. Namor is attacking a deep sea research station, and his Defenders of the Deep tangle with The Avengers, and the new Winter Guard. Namor gets away and we’re shown America’s newest super team, the Squadron Supreme of America. There are three extra backup stories in this issue as well. The first sees Odin attacking Robbie Reyes before the two sit and talk. The second deals with Loki and the Celestials. And the third shows a founding Avenger on a mission for a new member.

That’s a lot to take in. I mean, a lot. It’s all good though, as it’s all entertaining. The main story continues the Namor vs The Avengers plot and throws in a couple of wild cards. The Avengers are becoming more of a worldwide team, rather than strictly American. They’ve always been Earth’s mightiest, but it definitely feels more like it in this issue. My biggest issue throughout each story is the kind of obvious set up for future stories. The main story has more meat to it than the others, but we’re introduced to two new teams that we’ll see come into conflict with The Avengers. The Loki story is mainly setting up the War of the Realms more than anything (including a surprise character from Aaron’s Thor). And the third is more set up for future Avengers events.

There’s a good number of artists at work in this issue. The main story is from David Marquez and Ed McGuiness. The first few pages are Marquez, with his style more suited to the slow build that takes place before the main event. Once the Avengers Face off with Namor, McGuiness takes over and his style is very prominent. The characters jump in size a bit, but it wasn’t as noticeable the first time around. The art on the backup stories is good, for the most part. The Odin/Ghost Rider story is my least favorite. The style is a big departure from the others, and the faces look a little off and goofy.

For 700 issues, this is pretty good. The main story went in a direction I wasn’t expecting. But it’s a cool new direction. The backup stories are good, with the worst one still being okay. The art is mostly good with a few different styles having their moment to shine. There’s a little too much set up for future stories going on, but it’s not like it’s anything I don’t want to see. There are definitely worse ways this landmark issue could have gone.