Avengers Assemble was created with the goal of offering a fun, continuity-light comic that could appeal to fans of the movie. And even if the roster and other superficial trappings aren't quite as in line with Hollywood as they were in the first arc, Kelly Sue DeConnick succeeds on a more fundamental level. This series offers the same blend of big action, humorous banter, and unburdened storytelling that made the movie such a success in the first place.
If issue #9 was devoted to a lighthearted Avengers slumber party and issue #10 was a more action-driven follow-up, then issue #11 blends both approaches as DeConnick closes out her first arc. She doesn't drop the playful tone even when the battle against Yun Guang Han reaches its zenith. Frankly, as a villain Han is the least interesting aspect of this story. Nor does the scientist Sorokin wind up having much of a tangible impact on the conflict or its outcome. It's sort of a recurring problem in the Avengers franchise right now that the new villains are bland and redundant. Luckily, DeConnick doesn't force her heroes to take Han any more seriously than readers do, and the result is a textbook example of the Avengers punching evil in its big, dumb face and heading home to celebrate. Cue the slumber party shenanigans all over again.
The artwork perfectly complements the fun, unfettered tone of the script. Stefano Caselli delivers big, bold action when required, but he also excels at bringing ample life and enthusiasm to the various character interactions. Plus he draws the sexiest Tony Stark you'll ever see, so there's that. Caselli's work shines here especially, both because DeConnick allows him ample room to breathe and because Rain Beredo's colors complement Caselli's pencils better than many others.
That's not to say there's no deeper, emotional appeal in this issue. DeConnick offers some great material between Spider-Woman and Hulk as the two deepen their bond. This is really the first post-AvX comic to justify Hulk's return to the Avengers fold. In general the book is a celebration of the Avengers' family dynamic. It's cheerful in a way the franchise has so rarely been of late.
Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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