As part of the overhaul of the Marvel Universe, Jonathan Hickman has taken on an extremely ambitious project: He redistribute the cards in this universe by transforming the length of its run. In summer 2015, the US, the Marvel universe will thus sink into event "Secret Wars" and take with him the old continuity to rebuild a new one. It was these events, if I understand, who are preparing in the two series "Avengers" Jonathan Hickman.
Before that, the run Hickman will bring together its two series on "event" internal titled "Infinity". The casual reader should well know that everything is connected. And he will read, preferably in order: 1) NEW AVENGERS MARVEL NOW T01, 2) MARVEL AVENGERS NOW T01, 3) AVENGERS MARVEL NOW T02, 4) MARVEL AVENGERS NOW T03. Then, 5) NEW AVENGERS MARVEL NOW T02, T04 and AVENGERS MARVEL NOW INFINITY alternating episodes!
Jonathan Hickman and prepares its long saga destined to upset the Marvel universe in all its depth. As such, these six episodes only constitute a prologue shape.
The least one can say is that the narrative is dense and fully mastered the point of view of the formatting. There was little action and lots of dialogue, but the whole is made by a succession of intense frightening upheavals which press you on your chair and you snatch in the turmoil of events.
After a bunch of stories stamped "Avengers" by Brian M. Bendis inept, nags and often stupid, it's a real pleasure to see a writer who embraces this mythology with absolute respect of its material and its readership. Warning, these episodes will not please everyone, because they are dense and design (they require a little concentration and reflection on the part of the reader), and above all they are relatively dark and depressive. Here we find the atmosphere darker superhero comics and tortured "Dark Ages" such as, personally anyway, I like them. A serious story and demanding, well built, extremely well told and dialogued, which carves its way without concessions.
The drawing of Steve Epting is more academic and maybe more "mainstream" than usual. But here it is also bathed in a twilight atmosphere in tune with the disaster scenario concocted by Hickman.
Know that this is not just the Marvel Universe is threatened, but the "multiverse" whole! The Illuminati must therefore find a solution to save, at least, their own world and even their own land. And if, in order to achieve this, they had to sacrifice other parallel universes? It is on this premise that concludes this first intense and dark tome. At the time of this writing, it is unclear whether the draft Jonathan Hickman will keep its promises on the long term and if its entire run deserves its 5 stars. So we begin with and a half ...
