The Avengers #1 Review: A Marvel Relaunch Done Right

Marvel's flagship Avengers series hasn't been in the greatest shape for the past decade. Even with very talented creators like Jason Aaron and Jed MacKay steering the ship, the franchise has struggled and largely failed to recapture the appeal of the Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathan Hickman eras. With this latest relaunch, Marvel has pinned all of its hopes on writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Marco Checchetto, the team responsible for one of the best Daredevil runs of the 21st Century. It turns out that they may be just the team to put this book back on track at long last.

Given the Daredevil pedigree, there was no way I wasn't going to be checking out this new series. That said, I did have certain reservations coming in. The team roster is oddly similar to that of Bendis' New Avengers run (albeit with the recently revealed Miracleman joining the fray). Is this merely a quick-and-dirty attempt at hearkening back to a better era for the series? Fortunately, there's a logic to which characters are included here, and the execution is different enough that this doesn't simply read like a retread of New Avengers, even if it definitely shares elements in common.

The basic idea here is that Zdarsky and Checchetto's Avengers chronicles the formation of a very different team in the wake of Avengers: Armageddon. The old guard have all tapped out for one reason or another, leaving the likes of Spider-Man, Wolverine, the aforementioned Miracleman, and a battered and brooding Captain Marvel to fill the void when the world cries out to be saved again. Like the 2004 New Avengers, this is a team brought together by circumstance rather than one that's been actively recruited. That generally seems to be the way to go for this franchise.

While there's only so much team-building that can be done in a first issue, Zdarsky wastes no time in taking advantage of these intriguing character dynamics. Obviously, we know he can write a mean Matt Murdock. But this isn't simply a retread of his past run. Zdarsky instead focuses on immediately forging a bond between Matt and Carol Danvers, the latter of whom is still adjusting to a new world where her powers are a shadow of their former self. I don't know if Daredevil/Captain Marvel shippers were a thing before now, but they certainly will be.

The creators also wisely hinge a lot of this first issue on Spider-Man. Spidey is very much the moral center of the book, the one most agitated by the absence of the Avengers and the generally frosty response the public has toward superheroes at the moment. Obviously, this isn't Spidey's first go-round as an Avenger, but this feels like a turning point for the character. His mantra about power and responsibility becomes all the more critical in a time when there's no one else to be an Avenger. Zdarsky understands these characters and what motivates them, and he makes the most of that in bringing the new team together.

And, yes, the book looks fantastic. Though that's hardly a surprise. Checchetto is coming off an incredible run working with Hickman on Ultimate Spider-Man, and he brings all the same strengths to bear on this new assignment. His figure work is stunning, as always, marked by elegant line-work, sunbtloy expressive faces and that trademark lovely hair only Checchetto can pull off. The general storytelling is equally impressive. Zdarksy's script gives Checchetto a nice balance of intimate character moments and large-scale action, and he handles both very adeptly. Matt Wilson's colors seal the deal, creating a tone that's both inviting and just a bit eerie where needed.

It's also worth pointing out how well this first issue integrates itself into current Marvel continuity. Not only does the series build very neatly out of Zdarsky's recent work on Armageddon and Captain America, but it reflects the current statuses quo of the various Avengers as the characters come together (including Spidey's current Aunt May predicament). Not in a way that punishes readers for not following the various other titles, but simply in a way that makes the current Marvel Universe feel a little more cohesive and united.