DARK REIGN: DARK AVENGERS (ISSUE NO 2)
May 19th 2009 03:22
Category: Graphic Novels/Comics
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Production Team: Brian Michael Bendis – writer, Mike Deodato – art/cover art, Rain Beredo – colour art/cover art, VC’s Cory Petit – letterer.
Cost: AU $7.95/US $3.99
From what I can gather there have been some what could be called epochal shifting events within the Marvel universe as it currently stands. But then again when you look at the two major western comic publishers, DC and Marvel there isn’t a year go by when there isn’t some kind of epochal shifting event either in a major comic series or in the collective universe as a whole. Now such things as a whole are not bad but it seems to me that they are occurring in comics from both publishers on a regular frequency, it’s almost like not a month goes by when there isn’t a major catastrophe or near apocalyptic event taking place. In fact what is unusual is when there isn’t something like this happening on the pages. Be interesting seeing if either publisher could come up with a comic that doesn’t have an end of the world or civilization as we know it kind of story.
So what does all this have to do with Dark Avengers? Quite a bit actually as the Dark Avengers have emerged as a result of the major events that have swept the Marvel universe in the last two or so years. For those of you out there in the ordinary real world who have no idea what I’m rambling on about I’ll try and fill you in as best I can. It all starts out firstly with Civil War; this is as the name says a literal civil war between the various groups of superheroes in the Marvel universe. As a major initiative the US government decides to implement a superhuman registration act in order for the government to effectively police the superhuman community. Tony Stark, the current secretary of defence and the legendary hero Iron Man, is at the forefront of this legislation and its primary proponent. Of course there are those who are opposed to this legislation believing it to be a restriction of basic rights and the thin end of the wedge for even greater control. These individuals have as their leader the icon of America, the valiant war hero from the past, Captain America.
Civil War ends with the pro registration forces emerging triumphant and a defeated Captain America ending up being assassinated by mysterious forces before he can be taken into custody. Worse however is yet to come, in the wake of Civil War there is Secret Invasion. It seems that the evil Skrull, an alien species that are capable of changing shapes and assuming the abilities of various individuals be they normal people or superhumans, have established a considerable presence on Earth. So extensive is the Skrull influence on Earth that friends immediately become suspicious of their friends wondering whether or not they are exactly real humans or Skrull. Eventually though the Secret Invasion as its called is defeated although there are some significant casualties, one of them being Tony Stark, Secretary of Defence and Director of Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law enforcement Division (S.H.I.E.L.D) who is stripped of these roles and his leadership of the Mighty Avengers.
Enter Norman Osborn, now anyone who has either seen the first Spiderman movie or is a long time fan of the Spiderman comics will recognise that name. Osborn was the director of Oscorp as well as being the malevolent Green Goblin, the arch nemesis of Spiderman. In this current period Norman Osborn is a ‘reformed’ individual and he has been tasked with picking up the pieces that are left in the wake of the Secret Invasion and the Skrull, he has hit the deck running and managed to achieve significant gains. Gone is S.H.I.E.L.D, instead the new organisation that will protect the US and its various interests is HAMMER, a group comprised of former operatives of Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. Backing up HAMMER is the new Avengers team, the Dark Avengers.
Now this new team of Avengers has several new faces as well as several iconic characters to show that there is continuity between this team and Avenger teams of old. There is Hawkeye, Ms Marvel and an Iron Man like figure who provide the link between old and new teams. New faces amongst the group are Spider Man, Wolverine, Ares, Sentry and Captain Marvel. But all is not as it seems, many of these heroes are not who they seem to be, Hawkeye is actually the former assassin Bullseye, Ms Marvel is the reformed criminal Moonstone, Spider Man is actually Venom and the Iron Man look alike who calls himself Iron Patriot is Norman Osborn’s new identity whilst Captain Marvel was once known as Marvel Boy. So despite having a similar look and feel there is a sense that this new Avenger team are not a scratch on the originals.
The other significant difference between this Avenger team and those of yore is that Norman Osborn’s group is more interested in pursuing a very proactive agenda. Rather than wait for potential threats to emerge and take steps to counter them the Dark Avengers are seeking to pursue a more pre emptive course. They are going to find their enemies and do something about them before they can strike against the US, sound familiar? Its Bush administration policy writ large in the comic book arena, although this team find that they are up against it in trying to tackle Morgana Le Fay, a time travelling sorceress who can effectively eliminate her enemies at any point along the time stream with suitable effect.
This magazine was a very glossy affair, which probably explains the price and the artwork it has to be said is superlative but what is lacking in this whole affair is the story and the general vibe. As I read this magazine I just didn’t feel anything either for the ‘heroes’ or the drama that was unfolding – it just didn’t grab me at all. Perhaps rather than aiming for massive epic universe shifting events and the aftermaths Marvel should attempt to get back to basics both in team makeup and basic storylines. There is an interesting line from the team leader around somewhere in the middle of the story where he says he doesn’t want any testosterone macho bull taking place – strangely enough that seems to be what a lot of the storyline seems focused on, perhaps this is advice that the story could have heeded as much as the characters within it, less machismo and more depth than a toddlers wading pool. For nearly eight dollars I want something a bit more substantial and this ain’t it. Dark Reign: Dark Avengers should probably be consigned back into the darkness from whence it came…
Production Team: Brian Michael Bendis – writer, Mike Deodato – art/cover art, Rain Beredo – colour art/cover art, VC’s Cory Petit – letterer.
Cost: AU $7.95/US $3.99
From what I can gather there have been some what could be called epochal shifting events within the Marvel universe as it currently stands. But then again when you look at the two major western comic publishers, DC and Marvel there isn’t a year go by when there isn’t some kind of epochal shifting event either in a major comic series or in the collective universe as a whole. Now such things as a whole are not bad but it seems to me that they are occurring in comics from both publishers on a regular frequency, it’s almost like not a month goes by when there isn’t a major catastrophe or near apocalyptic event taking place. In fact what is unusual is when there isn’t something like this happening on the pages. Be interesting seeing if either publisher could come up with a comic that doesn’t have an end of the world or civilization as we know it kind of story.
Enter Norman Osborn, now anyone who has either seen the first Spiderman movie or is a long time fan of the Spiderman comics will recognise that name. Osborn was the director of Oscorp as well as being the malevolent Green Goblin, the arch nemesis of Spiderman. In this current period Norman Osborn is a ‘reformed’ individual and he has been tasked with picking up the pieces that are left in the wake of the Secret Invasion and the Skrull, he has hit the deck running and managed to achieve significant gains. Gone is S.H.I.E.L.D, instead the new organisation that will protect the US and its various interests is HAMMER, a group comprised of former operatives of Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. Backing up HAMMER is the new Avengers team, the Dark Avengers.
Now this new team of Avengers has several new faces as well as several iconic characters to show that there is continuity between this team and Avenger teams of old. There is Hawkeye, Ms Marvel and an Iron Man like figure who provide the link between old and new teams. New faces amongst the group are Spider Man, Wolverine, Ares, Sentry and Captain Marvel. But all is not as it seems, many of these heroes are not who they seem to be, Hawkeye is actually the former assassin Bullseye, Ms Marvel is the reformed criminal Moonstone, Spider Man is actually Venom and the Iron Man look alike who calls himself Iron Patriot is Norman Osborn’s new identity whilst Captain Marvel was once known as Marvel Boy. So despite having a similar look and feel there is a sense that this new Avenger team are not a scratch on the originals.
The other significant difference between this Avenger team and those of yore is that Norman Osborn’s group is more interested in pursuing a very proactive agenda. Rather than wait for potential threats to emerge and take steps to counter them the Dark Avengers are seeking to pursue a more pre emptive course. They are going to find their enemies and do something about them before they can strike against the US, sound familiar? Its Bush administration policy writ large in the comic book arena, although this team find that they are up against it in trying to tackle Morgana Le Fay, a time travelling sorceress who can effectively eliminate her enemies at any point along the time stream with suitable effect.
This magazine was a very glossy affair, which probably explains the price and the artwork it has to be said is superlative but what is lacking in this whole affair is the story and the general vibe. As I read this magazine I just didn’t feel anything either for the ‘heroes’ or the drama that was unfolding – it just didn’t grab me at all. Perhaps rather than aiming for massive epic universe shifting events and the aftermaths Marvel should attempt to get back to basics both in team makeup and basic storylines. There is an interesting line from the team leader around somewhere in the middle of the story where he says he doesn’t want any testosterone macho bull taking place – strangely enough that seems to be what a lot of the storyline seems focused on, perhaps this is advice that the story could have heeded as much as the characters within it, less machismo and more depth than a toddlers wading pool. For nearly eight dollars I want something a bit more substantial and this ain’t it. Dark Reign: Dark Avengers should probably be consigned back into the darkness from whence it came…
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