Stuff I Read This Week 4/30/14

Avengers #28: Avengers came off of having a really good run during and after Infinity. Jonathan Hickman's penchant for world building gave rise to some goddamn good superheroing in the past year. The latest story from the past few issues involving alternate universe Avengers coming into the 616 dimension has had some potential, but has also some weird pacing, making for a strange read. 

Fortunately, business starts to pick up again in this issue that mainly centers on Bruce Banner in an awkward sitdown with Tony Stark. This leads to some hard truths about the manner of the Avengers' new format as well as some of the threats the Illuminati has kept at bay from the shadows in Hickman's New Avengers series (which, by the way, has gotten so slow, I'm not sure it's actually moving anymore). This is awesome because a). it gets back to displaying the world building elements that Hickman does so well and b). because we get to see more of the cunning Bruce Banner that fans have really wanted to see over the years from Hulk lore. It's nice to see that his place in the Marvel Cineverse has inspired a more fleshed out presence from Green Goliath's more enlightened side. Salvador Larroca's pencils are as strong as they've ever been. He gives off a very clean, almost cinematic storyboard style that pulls off some truly engaging scenes. The look of Banner keeping his anger in check, holding back "the other guy" is compelling and ominous.

Bottom Line: Delightful art, coherent, nicely paced tie in to New Avengers....it's nice to see Hickman getting back on track. 8.5 out of 10

Silver Surfer #2: Dan Slott and Michael Allred got the new Silver Surfer off to a strong start. Slott borrows a lot from Doctor Who, but as any Whovian can tell you, there are certainly worse places to draw inspiration from. After all, while comics have the capacity to act as gospel and lead in parts of pop culture, they also have a history of, to their benefit, being very derivative as well. 

This issue picks up with the Surfer flying off under duress to combat the mysterious Never Queen that threatens the people of the Impericon. We gain some insight into exactly what makes our hero's foe such a threatening one. Meanwhile, Slott also gives us ample time with his accidental partner, Dawn Greenwood, displaying what makes her such an appropriate companion (see what I did there, Whovians?) for the Surfer. In many ways, she's reminiscent of Clara, the Doctor's latest traveling buddy. It's great to see a female character take herself out of the damsel in distress box for a change (looking at you, Laurel Lance from Arrow) and take charge of a situation. There's a page in particular where Slott teases readers with a few possibilities of things to come for this unconventional team-up of sorts. There is simply NOTHING complain about art-wise in this book. Some fans have complained about the more visually lighthearted it takes, but honestly, Marvel could use a little more of that. Dawn is portrayed in a way that's stylish but isn't oversexualized and the Surfer has very dynamic poses that jumps right out at you. 

Bottom Line: Another great installment that makes future adventures out to be very promising. Thus far, this is one of the best relaunches of the Marvel NOW initiative. 9.5 out of 10.