Avengers #1
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Art by Jerome Opena
Cover by Dustin Weaver
Marvel Comics
Release Date: December 5, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Perhaps the most exciting new entry on the Marvel Now! series of comics is Avengers. Jonathan Hickman has taken over this series from the very capable hands of Brian Michael Bendis. Hickman made a name for himself with his work on Ultimate Fantastic Four, then the regular FF bock, and then the Future Foundation series. Hickman brought a sense of science fiction to the Fantastic Four which fit that series perfectly. Fantastic Four has always been a sci-fi series, sort of Lost in Space, Star Trek, and a family dramedy all in one. He has big shoes to fill stepping into the Avengers and now with issue #1 of the series we get a look at what his big plans are.

Rather than step out of his science fiction comfort zone, Hickman has brought those sensibilities to what has been a fairly earthbound book. The initial reaction I had is, awesome! The new villains are very reminiscent of something you’d see in one of the cosmic books such as Silver Surfer or even Fantastic Four and in this first issue it was interesting to set Earth’s Mightiest Heroes up against them.