Uncanny Avengers #1 - Help Me Understand This Please

This was a big week for comics, as Batman #13 hit the shelves as did Uncanny Avengers #1. I did my usual thing, went to my local shop, even recorded a vblog this time, and picked up my books. If you’ve read anything I’ve posted at comichype.com, you’ll notice I’m not much of a Marvel follower. DC has always been my primary pick, but Image and Dynamite are right up there now too. So many of my peers and pals buy multiple Marvel titles and enjoy them that I’ve been trying to convince myself to get into Marvel more. (I enjoyed the Battle Scars series and have read an Avengers title and a couple of Iron Man books too) I just want to find at least one title that I could learn a bit about the universe and be able to talk Marvel shop with someone and with Marvel NOW! arriving, perhaps Uncanny Avengers was my answer but… I was wrong. Bottom line, it didn’t work for me.

**Some Spoilers ahead** Stop if you haven’t read the book.

What’s good? Right, I’m not the type to ever bash a book, writer, publisher, artist, etc so let’s start by saying what I liked about this book. I’m a big fan of Marvel’s AR mobile app. How they have made paper-based comic panels interactive by using a smartphone is very cool. There were three AR panels in this book (unless I’m forgetting some) and the one that I really enjoyed, featured a bio on Havok. I enjoyed the narrated story about this character, while I was watching his pencil sketch on my cell phone screen, and listening to his potential and role in this series made me feel more connected. If AR has more references to the universe or bios in order to help Marvel newbs like me, I would really appreciate that sort of thing. I thought some of the writing was right on and I though the art was done well. I didn’t notice any two-page full spreads and saw a couple full single page scenes but overall, the panels were simple and straightforward.

On to some more good as the breakout action scene was well executed and I enjoyed reading Captain America the most, but the Havoc character is intriguing and might possibly be the only reason why I pick up issue #2. The Wolverine intro was written well too but I have no knowledge of this Scott and Alex relationship that it transitioned into and I didn’t really like reading their back and forth dialog.

I’m going downhill a bit here so hang on. This bad guy Avalanche comes out of nowhere and seemingly brings down skyscrapers while Thor rescues six people and an unknown amount die. Um, Thor doesn’t fly his hammer right into Avalanche to stop this? No, that would be too easy. Instead he rescues a few people… that’s it. Ok so, we’ll let the people die and get Captain America to fight Avalanche even though Cap can hardly reach him (good thing Havok was there to help). If you jumped in like I did, you’ll learn that Xavier is dead and eventually we end up seeing Rogue and Wanda (No clue who Wanda is but she’s dead now it appears so who cares) in a brief spat before the Goat-Faced Girl and her posse take over. Really? The Goat-Faced Girl? Then I get to see ‘living winds’ that attack, a guy who morphs into an insect, and then some blue elemental female who can do something to water? At this point I’m lost.

I was drawn in at the beginning, I thought the fight scene was good in the city, I don’t give a damn about Scott and Alex although I get that the are building up Alex as a leader, and then the crazy mutant stuff takes over. Why is all of this happening? I have no clue, and hold on… now Marvel throws Red Skull into the picture as he’s taking Professor X’s brain. Ok… That’s it. I don’t even know why Red Skull is even involved. Please tell me why I should buy issue #2? Maybe this book was NOT meant to be a jumping on point? If so, what Marvel book should I be reading? Mark Waid’s Daredevil Vol. 3 might be up my alley as I enjoyed the free preview on Comixology, maybe I’ll go pick that up. Feedback is really appreciated and please understand, I am not a hater! I just want to find a Marvel series that I can enjoy. Thanks!