Comic Review: Avengers (2018-) #20

Avengers (2018-) #20

Marvel Comics

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Ed McGuiness

The War of the Realms is coming to an end. Thor is fighting Malekith, but there’s still a planet wide invasion going on. Trolls in Australia, the Queen of Fire Goblins in China, Frost Giants in New York. It’s a crazy time, and Earth’s mightiest are spread thin. This issue is using the War of the Realms as a background, but it’s not the main focus. No, the spotlight in this issue is shining right on Jennifer Walters, She-Hulk.

Avengers (2018-) #20 is a complete focus on She-Hulk, Jennifer Walters, and what I think is her coming to an acceptance of what she is. This is mostly done through inner dialogue, while She-Hulk fights Trolls, Roxxon goons, and other enemies. She goes back to her origin, the blood transfusion from “Cousin Bruce”. On top of that, she goes into some of the difficulties and struggles she faces as She-Hulk.

I gotta be honest, this issue isn’t what I was expecting, but I absolutely love it. The internal struggle between this new version of She-Hulk and her old, 4th wall breaking self. Then there’s some literal troll bashing, as She-Hulk fights Ulik in Australia. And props to Jason Aaron, for addressing anyone who didn’t like Jane Foster as Thor for dumb reasons. She-Hulk literally punches a literal troll as he’s in the middle of saying “Thor is his name, not a legacy to pass on”. Jason Aaron just hits the nail on the head perfectly.

Ed McGuiness does the art and it’s really great. She-Hulk is a Hulk, and Hulks have muscle and those are definitely on display here. The bolder, more pronounced style really suits the character. The colors, by Jason Keith, compliment the bolder art style from Ed McGuiness. There’s a couple of other characters who pop up for a page or two, and they also look good in this style. And the action is great. As much as comics aren’t just people in costumes punching other people in costumes… This issue is a lot of punching. But that’s what She-Hulk does.

About this time in 2018, Jason Aaron kind of reset a bunch of progress Jennifer Walters made as a character. She brought the “Gray She-Hulk” under control, and her series ended at a good spot. Reverting her to a kind of mindless Hulk again is something, I, along with others, didn’t really like. But I think this issue does a lot to progress the character again. At least for whatever Jason Aaron is planning for her. Plus, the art is fantastic. This is a War of the Realms tie-in, but it easily stands on its own as a fantastic issue people should read.