Marvel Adventures Avengers #1

Background

Out of continuity Avenger team with Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Girl, Hulk, Storm and Wolverine. Aimed at all ages featuring the Avengers taking on classic foes in all kinds of situations.

Story 'The Replacements'

Well fortunately this first issue isn't an origin issue... even if it means this team of Avengers is entirely random... especially Hulk. The team are assembled at some sort of military base. A commander introduces them to the other staff around, and then announces he's firing them.

The startled Avengers listen as a General explains that the Avengers will age and get hurt, but using a new Ultron system invented means keeping a stable defence in the long run. The team look in amazement at a legion of Ultron troops march past with tanks. Cap and Iron Man try to explain that this won't work.

The military try to assure the Avengers that their plan is full proof. Of course in the next couple of seconds, the army of Ultrons turns on them, claming that the most sophisticated intellects are in service of inferior minds... in other words, they're too smart to be ruled by humans.

The Avengers rush into action, each taking their cocky little "kick butt" lines with them. They push the Ultrons outside and commence a huge battle, Cap of course shouting "Avengers Assemble!"... Hulk following with "If assemble mean smash... then Hulk assemble!" kind of clever for him I thought, but ah well.

Iron Man takes to the skies, managing to taking down an air-craft. One comes up behind him but Hulk is quick to launch a tank into it. Iron Man tells Hulk he could have handled it, but it did look pretty cool.

Another tank slams into Hulk's back, having already captured Storm and Cap in its robotic hands. Wolverine is quick to act, trashing the tank until it lets go of the two. Spider-man has taken care of the rest by putting them all into a huge web ball, which Giant-Girl slams into the ground.

A thankful General rushes to the Avengers, explaining that more Ultrons have gone wild at a West Coast base. Iron Man projects the base layout for planning while Storm comes in with the Quinjet. They leap in and head for the base.

Nearing the area, they come under heavy fire, Storm managing to evade the blasts. Giant-Girl explains to the crew that Dr. Banner's okay still. They've put him into a relaxing virtual reality scenario where he remains asleep, so as to not awaken the Hulk inside the Quinjet and damage it.

The team split up as the Quinjet lands. Iron Man and Cap head off and run into huge Ultron robots. They have long legs and a head, nothing else. Cap starts throwing his shield while Iron Man flies into the thick off it, eventually being hit.

Storm, Wolverine and Bruce head into an area of the base that Dr Banner has estimated there are many prototypes. Having found an empty room, an agitated Wolverine has a go at Bruce for wasting time; turns out there were Ultrons in the room though, just hiding on the ceiling, ready to attack.

Spidey and Giant-Girl are checking out the sea weapons. Most of the battle ships are still being built, but one still manages to find the two. The ship activates an wave machine, toppeling Spider-man and Giant-Girl over.

The battle sems to be going well for the Ultrons, who estimate it will take no more than 8 minutes to kill off the Avengers for good. They haven't however, predicted the arrival of the Hulk, who is starting to smash like there's no tomorrow.

He, Wolverine and Storm find themselves surrounded by even more eventually. Iron Man is still doing his bit to fight off the huge Ultron robots. Blasting one down, he reveals his plan to line them all up like dominos. It works as the wounded Ultron topples the others to the ground.

Then its back to Spidey and Giant-girl. Peter has managed to block the wave machine with webbing. Giant-Girl then pulls the ship over as Spidey floats to safety with a web parachute. Contacting Storm, Giant-Girl heres how they're outnumbered, but still okay. Cap and Iron Man burst in to help out.

Having destroyed a load, class 2 robots enter and shoot powerful beams. Cap blocks while the others are hit. Enter Giant-Girl, who steps on a few more. The remaining Ultrons calculate their odds of winning as impossible and surrender.

Iron Man immediately catches onto their trick and sends the Quinjet to retrieve them as the self destruct timer starts. Realising there isn't time to get on board, Spider-man webs his team mates and attaches the strings to his back. As the Quinjet flies off, Spidey attaches a web to the bottom and pulls the Avenghers to safety.

Back at the base, the military staff apologise for their foolishness. Cap doubts they'll ever be rid of ultron. When the military ask what they should do if it does return, Wolverine replies "Whatcha always do when things go wrong big-time. Call the AVENGERS!" cue final page of the team rushing forward.

General Comments

Well... mixed thoughts. I want to scream, "How childish is this?" But it's for all ages so it can be let off that one. And to be honest, I found it quite funny, some of Spider-man's lines were hilarious.

I guess it's the team that annoys me the most. Cap and Iron Man are fair game, and I know Wolverine and Spidey are in New Avengers but end of the day, its still for money making purposes. Being on the team... I don't know, I guess he knows he's one the team and so it kind of makes him a good guy in this universe. Storm is a bit random and Giant-Girl is just stupid. Why not Giant-Man?

Oh well, its not enough to mark it down as its understandably aimed at kids. Nicely done for a first issue, lets hope it keeps that way. Oh, and art is nice too

Overall Rating

A good, clean start to what should be a fun title.