**AS ALWAYS BE MINDFUL THAT THERE WILL BE SLIGHT SPOILERS, READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL!!**

New Avengers #14

Writer:  Jonathan Hickman

Artist:  Simone Bianchi

Reviewer:  Aitch Cee

 

Truth.  I am a sucker for Simone Bianchi’s art; especially when stories have a fantastical approach to them.  I was exposed to his works way back in Astonishing X-men 25 and Thor: For Asgard. So when I heard he was doing New Avengers with Dr. Strange being the main character of this storyline, I already knew I was in.  Now the storyline on the other hand is still one I am trying to get my head around as Jonathan Hickman has still been hitting us with the stories about these incursions of multiple Earths and their destruction. In this issue Dr. Strange decides he is going to take action and come off the sidelines as with the powers that he has, he is resentful of the decisions others make without him. Thus he makes a trip to the Sinners’ Market and we find out  what price Strange will pay to be in the game. So, I still think that 14 issues into Hickman’s run, the idea of what’s going on is still murky and while we are still in need of some answers and to how and why these ‘incursions’ are happening as well as why characters just kind of pop in and out, it’s still a bit refreshing that Hickman is utilizing characters that we haven’t seen or haven’t seen a lot of in a spell. This is a good book that I hope eventually has a good payoff, but in the meantime, enjoy the ride. 

3 out of 5 stars

And also another look by Oz Longworth Jr

Jonathan Hickman has been killing it lately between his work on Image’s East of West, his run of the main Avengers titles and the major Marvel event, Infinity. New Avengers, however bring a very distinct feeling to the Avengers franchise that had been missing for some time. It maintains a very ominous tone, reminding on pretty much every page that this is the Avengers team that keeps the world-ending things that can’t be punched at bay.

This issue continues to look at the ongoing threat plaguing all Marvel universes, but from the perspective of an alternate universe’s heroes and their last ditch effort to save their world. This comes as no surprise since Marvel tends to have an affinity for alternate versions of well known heroes on the off chance that readers might think one is cool enough to make a toy or spinoff title. After all, Marvel will readily hang any of its characters upside down like a schoolyard bully and shake them for milk money. Anyway, this issue does a pretty good job of showing our heroes what they’re up against with the coming wrath of the “Mapmakers.” Although I wish we’d seen a little more focus on the main team, Hickman made this sufficient enough to hold us over. The other focus here is what looks like the beginning of Doctor Strange’s downward spiral while on a dangerous quest for power. It’s almost reminiscent of watching a soap opera character bottom out experimenting with drugs. This is easily the most interesting material in the issue, setting up for what could be a really game-changing take on the Sorcerer Supreme.

Simone Bianchi’s artwork is a sort of hit/miss scenario, depending on what kind of reader you are. One one hand, at it’s best, Bianchi’s style is utterly gorgeous and is well suited to the sort of high brow sci-fi story Hickman is best known for telling. On the other hand, there are also times when it gets hard to follow during the action beats almost like Michael Bay’s Transformers fight scenes (anytime your work can be compared to Michael Bay’s for any reason, there’s a problem). Still, there are a couple of amazing artistic moments in this issue like the scene where Alternate Doctor Doom makes his last stand against the Mapmakers. It’s a moment that leaves you wondering why Doom hasn’t been more of a boss in the Marvel Universe’s recent years. And GODDAMN Doctor Strange looks good and creepy this issue just like he should. All in all, since it still left us wanting to see more of where Hickman’s headed, this turned out to be a decent issue despite its flaws.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Turok Dinosaur Hunter #1

Writer: Greg Pak

Artist: Mirko Colak

Reviewer: Ray Willis

This issue was well crafted to me, its issue one which sets up the world and the characters. The story is about Turok, a loner who is shunned by the Native American tribe his parents were apart of before they tragically killed. I really enjoyed it this issue because you don’t know much about Turok other than he is a really good hunter and that he is a loner. He survives off the land by himself instead of living with the rest of tribe. The people in the tribe don’t like him and he’s fine with he just wants to be left alone to himself. The dialogue in this issue is really good showing how each character in the issue differ and how they view Turok. There is little action in this but toward the end you get to see some really nice creatures toward the end of the issue. The art is really good and really fits the series and coloring is top notch. There really isn’t anything bad about this issue but as the story goes on, I really want to see more action and dinosaurs. The end though is interesting because you never guess where the creatures toward the end would come from.

 4 out of 5 stars

 

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