Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are uncovering clues to a cosmic mystery and discovering the secrets of their newest member in this week’s Avengers #6 by Jonathan Hickman and Adam Kubert.
Here’s what you need to know if you haven’t been reading: Steve Rogers and Tony Stark realized the Avengers needed to get bigger to battle bigger threats on a global and galactic scale. The team confronted a mysterious trio of strangers on Mars who wanted to scorch and rebuild Earth. When the team is captured Steve “woke the world” and the new recruits (including Sunspot, Cannonball, Shang-Chi, Hyperion and a brand new Smasher) answered the call but it was the new Captain Universe that turned the tide.
Let’s talk about what I loved in this week’s chapter:
1. New kids on the block:
I’m excited that Cannonball and Sunspot have graduated from New Mutants to Avengers. There’s a classic showdown…in the Avengers’ kitchen! Hickman crafts a hilarious scene with Spider-Man, Roberto and Sam that carries over into a great scene with Spidey and Tony. It’s that pitch perfect dose of humor with an underlying sense of tension as this Spider-Man shows his “superiority” to the new kids on the team.
2. Shang-Chi will see you now in the zen den:
I was thrilled with the news that the Master of Martial Arts would be joining the roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. As much as I’m ready to see Shang-Chi kick some ass I was intrigued to see how Hickman uses him in this issue. Shang-Chi is a master of meditation and serves as a zen therapist to learn the tragic back story of Captain Universe.
3. Discovering the new Universe:
The new Captain Universe could be described as a cosmic version of Jekyll and Hyde – although neither personality is evil. Shang-Chi helps the heroine reveal her real name, the tragic circumstances before becoming the host for the Universe. What I love about Hickman’s writing is that he can take concepts so huge and awe-inspiring and make them personal, intimate and inspiring.
4. Oh —- it’s the New Universe:
Spoiler Alert! Big reveal ahead! You should be reading this book but don’t keep reading this post if you haven’t read Avengers #6 yet!
The origin of the new Captain Universe evolves as Tony Stark begins to decipher the alien language. You’ve probably seen the teasers but this is the issue that delivers the big reveal: The New Universe is making a comeback! The was a comic line introduced in the aftermath of Secret Wars II. It was a distinct world separate from the Marvel universe. Warren Ellis and Salvador Larroca explored those characters in 2006 in the excellent NewUniversal. Could this be the seeds of a Marvel Universe vs. New Universe showdown or could some of the N.U. characters like Nightmask make their way into the our world and become Avengers (like the new Hyperion?)
Avengers #6 continues to be big! Big concepts, several threads building to something huge but still very personal.
By Editor