Comic Review: Avengers (2018-) #6

Avengers #6

Marvel Comics

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Ed McGuiness

This is the third Avengers title in as many years. More, if you add in the New/Uncanny/US Avenger teams. But I’m only talking about main, “this is where stuff really happens” Avengers titles. This issue is the finale to the first arc, and while it has its problems, I think it’s good.

Certain Avengers are giants the size of the invading Celestials. Meanwhile, the ones that aren’t giant are fighting an army of bugs from inside the Earth. The world panics and screams. They’re winning until they aren’t, and the tide of the battle changes. Having no options, they figure out that they’re the cure to the bugs in the Earth, the “infection”, and have to defeat it to beat the first host. Combining their powers through the Uni-MInd (given to Iron Man by the Eternals) they purge the Earth of the bugs. One “Avengers Assemble!” later, and the world breathes a sigh of relief as the Avengers carry the fight forward.

I’ll say this before anything else, I really enjoyed this issue. I think it’s good, and a satisfactory conclusion to this first story arc. That being said I do have my problems with it. Mainly, it feels rushed, and the Uni-Mind seems like a deus ex machina. The reason they have it makes sense, but it feels a little out of nowhere. I also think this would’ve been better if they stretched it to one more issue. As it is, Ghost Rider (driving a dead Celestial) punches the ground and then they win. They’re winning for a good chunk of the issue, then suddenly they’re losing, and immediately they win again. Like I said, it feels really rushed.

With that out of the way, there are some really cool moments in here. The giant-size Avengers fighting the Celestials is really cool. I think the story itself, despite being rushed, is solid in how it’s structured. There are some jokes and lines that are funny. I think, besides She-Hulk, Jason Aaron has a good handle on the people on this team and their dynamic together.

The art in this series has never been a problem, and that continues to extend to this issue. The action come through well, and the character designs look great. There’s an “Avengers Assemble!” page that includes every member of this team, and will for sure become my phone wallpaper. The colors, by Mark Morales and Juan Vlasco, are fantastic. There’s a really nice contrast between the colors, and some pages look like they use almost the whole spectrum.

I have my problems with this issue, mainly the rushed feeling to the plot. The Uni-Mind feels like a deus ex machina, even though they gave it full context in previous issues. I think this would’ve been better if they spread it across another issue, but this is a solid comic issue. The jokes work, and the team works well as a team. This is a good ending to the first story arc, and I’m looking forward to seeing where Earth’s Mightiest Heroes go next.