Just to clarify things, my name on this site was previously "Fartman". I decided to change it, in order to create a more mature reputation for myself. I've been here since '08, so I was almost too scared to do it!
Again, SPOILER ALERT.
Well, it's finally begun. The "Marvel Now!" relaunch is here, and it starts with The Avengers. This time, we have a familiar mix of faces joining the team. With Captain America and Thor still having their usual pow-wows together, the rest of the world is picking up the pieces that are left in the aftermath of AvX.
While this issue's purpose is simply to bury Professor X and show us that the world is moving on, it also begins the origins of the new Avengers team. Havok, also known as Alex Summers, pays a visit to the now imprisoned Cyclops. There's definitely some tension between them, especially since Alex blatantly shows his brother the metaphorical mirror. Cyclops just won't see the truth though, no matter how screwed up the AvX storyline was. Regardless, Cyclops feels no remorse. If he does, he certainly doesn't know what to do with it. As a reader, I felt as if we were meant to say "goodbye" to Cyclops in this issue, if only for the moment. When Havok meets up with Cap'n and Thor afterwards, Captain makes his intention to recruit him known. Albeit Havok is initially hesitant, having mixed feelings about the entire ordeal, a mutant by the name of Avalanche starts a fight outside that instantly puts the half-full team into action. I was glad to see that this issue wasn't going to be all gloom and doom, but the fight did feel a little rushed.
Luckily, some heavy foreshadowing ends the issue. Scarlet Witch and Rogue have an argument at Xavier's memorial shortly before a band of villains blow them to smithereens. We're left wondering exactly how Scarlet Witch and Rogue will end up on the team. Admittedly, their a bit random, even though they are both heavy-hitters in the Marvel universe. Why Scarlet and Rogue both ended up at Xavier's memorial at the same time remains to be seen. Before their feud gains any momentum, and after Rogue pops the bejezzus out of Scarlet, a gang of shady looking ne'er do wells show up to crash the party. Right before the comic ends though, we find out via one random cutaway scene that the Red Skull has Xavier's brain. He plans to use it to eradicate the mutant menace. He cackles in a very villain-like fashion as you close the book. Umm....what?
I guess you could say that I was a little taken aback by the ending. While I'm very interested in who exactly attacked Scarlet and Rogue during their cat fight, it does seem a little out of place...but maybe that was the point. What we do know is that they obviously work for Red Skull, who wants to get rid of the mutants. Getting rid of the mutants feels a little like beating a dead horse, honestly, but at least Red Skull has the capability to be an interesting foe for the Avengers. Even more interesting is we currently do not know how exactly Wolverine will be joining the team, since he's on the cover of the issue. I'm expecting that Cap and the team will go a-huntin' for Logan for obvious reasons, since the X-Men are a wreck at the moment.
All in all, I have faith that this is going to be an excellent series. This issue definitely got me excited, even though it's plot mainly consisted of foreshadowing and echoes from the past. On a sidenote, John Cassaday's drawing of Wolverine looks a little pretty-boy at times, but it might just be me. Perhaps I love Hugh Jackman too much! My other complaints are minor, but should be noted. Thor makes a
really lame joke about coffee, and Avalanche felt more like cannon fodder than anything serious.
Rating: 4/5
Conclusion: Uncanny Avengers #1 is an exciting and well-written start for 'Marvel Now!', despite it's reliance on getting you revved up for a fresh start.