Posted in: Avengers, Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: avengers, cyclops, hercules, Jesus Saiz, mark waid, Marvel Comics, marvel legacy, ms marvel, nova, spider-man, the champions, The Falcon, the hulk, the wasp, thor, ultimate spider-man, viv vision

Marvel Legacy Avengers #672 Review: It Just Doesn't Hold Together

The relationship between the Avengers and the Champions remains strained as the two reunite in the stopping of a massive meteor from colliding with the Earth.

All of this happens while space explorations attempt to locate the exact position of High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth on the other side of the sun, if it is truly there.

Matters worsen as the tallest buildings on Earth begin to suddenly and violently vibrate, and both teams have to evacuate the towers as quickly as possible.

While I thought Jesus Saiz taking over as artist (and doing some great work) would remedy my hang-ups with this iteration of the Avengers title—there's still just something about this book that doesn't gel for me.

As I've said before, I love the Avengers. They are my absolute favorite team after the Thunderbolts. If you are aware of my feelings on the Thunderbolts, you know that is still high praise.

I dig this line-up. I'm a huge fan of Falcon and Hercules. Vision and the new Thor are great. The new Wasp is endearing. Spider-Man is Spider-Man and hard to hate.

I like the Champions, and they're guest-starring in this arc. Nova, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Ms. Marvel are great too. Cyclops is cool. Viv is… alright, and the Totally Awesome Hulk…well I don't dislike him.

I really liked Amadeus Cho back when he was partners with Hercules in Greg Pak's Incredible Hercules. I don't know why I can't get behind this character anymore. He's just a bit too cocky, and, as someone who likes Sam Alexander and Clint Barton, it takes a lot of cocky for me to overdose on it.

There's something a bit lifeless to the team in this issue. They feel like they're mostly filling roles. Vision is the disapproving father to Viv. Falcon is the headstrong leader who overrules Ms. Marvel and Cyclops.

This goes back to the initial splintering of All-New, All-Different Avengers, a book I adored, into Avengers and Champions. While there was a story in the former title about Ms. Marvel being kicked off the team because of a plan by Kang the Conqueror, there wasn't all that much internal strife with the team. I get it Civil War II happened, and that was a story I frankly didn't read which was intended as a catalyst for the splitting teams. But, as someone who was consistently following the All-New, All-Different Avengers title, I shouldn't have to follow that much extra-comic material to follow why the book suddenly ended and split into two titles.

Champions, while I stopped following it during Secret Empire, did provide a charming and optimistic book that looked at real-world problems and social issues, making for a great book. Avengers just kind of felt like a hollowed-out title. That feeling continues here.

It kind of feels like writer Mark Waid doesn't know what he wants to do with this team. He built it, seems to like the characters, but doesn't know where to send them.

Last issue did have some good character moments, particularly in regards to Thor convincing Falcon that he should continue to lead the team. There was also some bonding between Vision and Hercules as well as Spider-Man and Wasp.

It's by no means a bad book, but it's not fulfilling. It doesn't have the ambition of Jonathan Hickman's Avengers or the personality of Brian Michael Bendis' Avengers and New Avengers.

In all honesty, Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse's Uncanny Avengers feels like the de facto main Avenger title right now. It has a lot of classic members mixed in with some relatively new faces. I'm stoked at the prospect of Beast and Wonder Man returning this month.

As previously stated, Jesus Saiz does bring a lot of power to the artistic end of things. There is a discernable texture and detail to his world. It looks great, and his color work is equally amazing.

I know this review turned into more of a "State of the Avengers" address than a specific review of Avengers #672. Last issue, I pinned a lot of the flaws on artist Mike del Mundo. Here, I realize the problems go beyond something that can be solved with a simple writer change.

#672 isn't a bad book, but I can't quite recommend it either, especially since you would need to follow Champions as well to get the full story (something which seems like a baffling move in what is supposed to be a new era of both books). Give this one a pass.

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