Avengers (Marvel)
Written by Al Ewing, Pencils by Dale Keown, Ink by Norman Lee
I picked up the latest issue of Avengers expecting more of the great Johnathan Hickman writing I’d come to love and expect, only to be surprised and a bit disappointed, with a different writer. Instead of advancing Hickman’s beautiful, high minded story, the book took a diversion into a character I’m not all that interested in to begin with.
It was a well written story. Al Ewing does a good job of getting through a very straight forward story while adding side details from Hyperion’s past that help explain his actions. The problem I have is that this doesn’t fit in with what’s going on in Avengers right now, and to be perfectly honest, this should have been a Superman story. Their back stories, while different, give the two heroes similar characterizations. The biggest difference comes in Hyperion’s inner monologue. While evaluating a situation, Hyperion recognizes that because he is still new and unfamiliar to the people of this Earth, his presence isn’t helping the situation. Ewing shows a lot of insight into the universe in which Hyperion lives. Yes, Hyperion and Superman have slightly different power sets, so some details would need to be changed, but the more of the story I read, the more I felt like this should have been in a DC book starring Superman.
Two separate pages, both is very “Superman” poses.
The writing is not the only thing in this book that makes me think that this should have starred Superman. While the art was good, there were several panels that looked as though they were stolen right from Action Comics at one point or another. Hyperion is generally broader than Superman, and while the artist does a good job of recognizing that, he still manages to put Hyperion in very Superman-like poses. Overall, the art isn’t anything super special (no pun intended). Is it bad? No. Is it really good? Also, no. It’s solid, middle of the road comic book work.
If you are a hardcore Hyperion fan, this issue might be worth checking out. If not, then don’t feel any serious urge to read it, since it’s a one and done and has no bearing on the last 34 issues. 3/5 Death Stars
Therefore I Geek 