Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. A tagline long attributed to the gathered heroes known as the Avengers (one they might have given themselves, who can say). Yet, how mighty can a team of heroes be when they routinely ignore some of the most powerful beings around? Who just happens to be mutants, by the way.
Don’t worry though, thanks to one Sam Wilson, Captain America, that slight might finally be over. (Sorry not sorry Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch, since, you know, your mutant status was retconned away). Too bad the issue it happens in — Avengers #17, marketed as part of the “From the Ashes” X-Men relaunch — is a very mixed bag.
Eternal night has been thwarted as the Avengers and others put an end to Varnae’s (ancient vampire within the body of Blade the vampire hunter) “Blood Hunt” event. Unfortunately, a lot of people suffered and died. So the Avengers are sitting around deciding whether they can or should live with these losses. Playing a whole numbers game of how many bodies they are or are not okay with letting be created on their watch.
You know, hero stuff.
To be fair, it’s a question that likely is asked in a lot of situations. Yes, the day was saved, and the majority was saved, but each life lost is still a blow. The soldier and the machine being the ones that predominantly err on the side of “Yeah those lives lost were not okay, we need to do better” is an effective touch.
Jed MacKay is known for great character work, and moments. What we’ve gotten in Avengers though is not the best showing of what the man normally does with lower-tier characters. No doubt part of that is the fact that books at this level are ones that have far more editorial fingers on them than the so called “B to D List” books. Do what you want with Black Cat, Taskmaster, and Doctor Strange…but with Avengers or Spider-Man, there are way more masters to be fed.
Storm being on the Avengers is one of those “really?” sort of situations. Especially since the Avengers have notoriously done nothing to actually help mutants in their time of need (which is always) outside of a few token team members or moments. Having Sam approach Ororo for counsel and then to (apparently) single-handedly recruit her was a good choice of messenger. Since I’d like to believe she’d tell Tony “I’m Suddenly A Friend To Mutants Because I Briefly Married One’” Stark to shove it (though she’d probably give Carol the time of day at least, what with Carol’s whole time with the X-Men and all).
Either way, Storm joining the Avengers kind of feels right but also like a demotion for someone on the level of Storm. Mostly because the seeming reason for it is that the editor and writers involved in the “From The Ashes X-Men” relaunch claimed that Storm is such the default X-Men leader that they formed numerous teams without her as the lead. Because of that they decided “Well let’s just ship her to the Avengers to be mighty with them.”
Yeah, can’t find room for Storm to lead the X-Men in one of a dozen different series, because all the poor white characters might not get to all be leaders. What a shame that would be. Anyway, there isn’t a ton to judge that decision on yet, despite the cover making a huge deal about her joining the team, as Storm only appears for a few pages in Avengers #17.
Oh, and there is some stuff about how Hyperion from the “Heroes Reborn“ event (remember that one? Don’t blame you if you don’t!) went mad and now wants to destroy the Earth. Real off the deep end “My world was fake, or you were fake, so I’m gonna just end all of us to find out!” stuff.
Valerio Schiti jumps on board with this new era of the title, delivering pretty solid artwork. It toes that line between whimsical and rough, with touches of house style peeking out here or there. Characters have presence and weight, and their movement and emotional ranges are pretty well established. It gets muddy in a few places, potentially because the color palette of Bryan Valenza leans towards the toned-down gray in some areas, but is otherwise fine. It fits a book like this.
Also, cannot forget (as much as I wish I could…) the moment where T’Challa gets semi-intimate with the sentient Impossible City the Avengers call home. The sentiment was understandable with the conversation topic. But artistically it sure seems like he almost wants to start making out with a wall. Can I just say, what is it with the Avengers and living within the bodies of things lately? Ditching a centrally-located rich man’s mansion/high rise was a good call. But the choices since Stark Tower have been more than a bit suspect.
All in all, Avengers #17 provides a middle of the road type of experience. Whether Storm dominates or becomes a fifth wheel within the Avengers as their token mutant remains to be seen. It at least earns the series another look with the following issue. Which is something that a few other books of the “From the Ashes” relaunch definitely have not earned.
That’s something, at least.
Scott Redmond
Scott Redmond is a freelance writer and educator fueled by coffee, sarcasm, his love for comic books and more "geeky" things than you can shake a lightsaber at. Probably seen around social media and remembered as "Oh yeah, that guy." An avid gamer, reader, photographer, amateur cook and solid human being.
