Scan barcode
lunchlander's review
3.0
To be honest, a lot of this volume is in the "forgettable" or "just okay" spectrum of this run. Busiek's opening crossover with Thunderbolts is okay, but there's some wobbly decision-making involving moving Hawkeye over to that team. And the less said about the plodding Jerry Ordway written/drawn Wrecking Crew vs. Arkon story, the better.
However, it closes out with one of the best Ultron stories ever, at least until Annihilation Conquest came along. Ultron is creepy, powerful and scary, and the story managed to include darker, realistic elements like a countrywide slaughter by robots without losing its fun, action-packed superhero tone.
However, it closes out with one of the best Ultron stories ever, at least until Annihilation Conquest came along. Ultron is creepy, powerful and scary, and the story managed to include darker, realistic elements like a countrywide slaughter by robots without losing its fun, action-packed superhero tone.
standardman's review
4.0
Character-driven, spectacular and occasionally over-stuffed. Surprisingly full volume that begins unevenly but ends with one of the best Ultron comics ever. Also has a super villain stealing a pastry.
mark_cc's review
3.0
The Ultron story is really super awesome and gets the "overcoming" aspect of Marvel characterization really well. Triathlon, however, is a stupid boring face.
ekansthepokemon's review
4.0
this series gets better and better, but the ultron unlimited story arc was DEFINITELY a highlight
captwinghead's review
3.0
*sighs*
Okay, so, I enjoyed this a little less than the last volume. Not just because Iron Man and Hawkeye took a siesta for a bit there but the arcs just didn't entertain me as much and Janet van Dyne was used poorly. I don't understand how they continue to portray her relationship with Hank this way but we'll get to that.
This volume had arcs about the Triune of Understanding, Doomsday Man (yes, that is his name) and another Ultron arc.
The first could have been the most interesting one but they didn't do enough with it to bring it to the forefront. It literally took a backseat when Ordway popped in for 2 issues. This arc explains how Triathlon got his abilities and it's interesting to me because it's a new idea (for me anyway). A cult that gives people superpowers? Triathlon truly thinks he's on the right side and that he's a hero. He's saving people and had a love for the Avengers before they went up against the Triune. I also liked seeing Cap and Iron Man get shit because they spoke out against the "church". They were even accused of being anti-religion which was a doozy.
The Doomsday Man storyline bored me to tears. It was your typical angry, shouty, faceless bad guy and was more of an easy in to a story about Justice's self-esteem issues. Snooze. I liked the character just fine in the last one but they haven't done more beyond his struggle to believe he belongs on the team. That got old after a while. Im way more interested in Angel, to be honest.
The Ultron arc was just a bad time for me. The battle with Firestar, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America was very interesting. This was one of the first times in this series that the Avengers really struggled. Even Wanda couldn't just bail them out of it. However, the stuff going on with Hank, Jan and Ultron made me want to punch things.
I don't like Hank Pym. I've said this before and I'll say it again: even if you take out the panels where he hit Jan (and it's panels, people act like it only happened once), he's still a dick. He's been an asshole to her since the beginning. This book had like 2 whole pages wherein Jan takes the blame for Hank's breakdowns and him treating her like shit. Because she embraced him behaving a different way? On top of that, other writers have taken that same storyline and said Jan embraced him because he'd kidnapped her and she thought it would cause less trouble if she complied. So, what the hell are we doing here? Why have this at all? It's bad enough they're reconciling, why make Jan take all this guilt onto herself? Why can't Janet van Dyne catch a goddamn break?
The biggest love story in this book is the Wanda/Viz/Wonder Man love triangle which confuses me to no end and not just because Wanda slept with Simon when he was a force ghost. I never quite understood Vision having emotions but here they are having a love triangle because Vision (who was created from Simon's brainwaves) and Simon both love Wanda and she loves them both but broke up with Vision when his feelings for her were erased. We've all been there, amirite? Anyway, it's a storyline. I'm not that invested in it but I was surprised that Simon actually grew on me throughout this series.
So, this one is hard for me to recommend. There's some great stuff with Wanda (my goodness, I wish they would stop throwing the word g*psy around) and I liked seeing a little of the turmoil with the Avengers in the press. However, the stuff with Jan rubbed me entirely the wrong way, quite a few of the issues really bored me because the Big Bad was so generic and there just wasn't enough of the characters I love to keep me going.
3 stars.
Okay, so, I enjoyed this a little less than the last volume. Not just because Iron Man and Hawkeye took a siesta for a bit there but the arcs just didn't entertain me as much and Janet van Dyne was used poorly. I don't understand how they continue to portray her relationship with Hank this way but we'll get to that.
This volume had arcs about the Triune of Understanding, Doomsday Man (yes, that is his name) and another Ultron arc.
The first could have been the most interesting one but they didn't do enough with it to bring it to the forefront. It literally took a backseat when Ordway popped in for 2 issues. This arc explains how Triathlon got his abilities and it's interesting to me because it's a new idea (for me anyway). A cult that gives people superpowers? Triathlon truly thinks he's on the right side and that he's a hero. He's saving people and had a love for the Avengers before they went up against the Triune. I also liked seeing Cap and Iron Man get shit because they spoke out against the "church". They were even accused of being anti-religion which was a doozy.
The Doomsday Man storyline bored me to tears. It was your typical angry, shouty, faceless bad guy and was more of an easy in to a story about Justice's self-esteem issues. Snooze. I liked the character just fine in the last one but they haven't done more beyond his struggle to believe he belongs on the team. That got old after a while. Im way more interested in Angel, to be honest.
The Ultron arc was just a bad time for me. The battle with Firestar, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America was very interesting. This was one of the first times in this series that the Avengers really struggled. Even Wanda couldn't just bail them out of it. However, the stuff going on with Hank, Jan and Ultron made me want to punch things.
I don't like Hank Pym. I've said this before and I'll say it again: even if you take out the panels where he hit Jan (and it's panels, people act like it only happened once), he's still a dick. He's been an asshole to her since the beginning. This book had like 2 whole pages wherein Jan takes the blame for Hank's breakdowns and him treating her like shit. Because she embraced him behaving a different way? On top of that, other writers have taken that same storyline and said Jan embraced him because he'd kidnapped her and she thought it would cause less trouble if she complied. So, what the hell are we doing here? Why have this at all? It's bad enough they're reconciling, why make Jan take all this guilt onto herself? Why can't Janet van Dyne catch a goddamn break?
The biggest love story in this book is the Wanda/Viz/Wonder Man love triangle which confuses me to no end and not just because Wanda slept with Simon when he was a force ghost. I never quite understood Vision having emotions but here they are having a love triangle because Vision (who was created from Simon's brainwaves) and Simon both love Wanda and she loves them both but broke up with Vision when his feelings for her were erased. We've all been there, amirite? Anyway, it's a storyline. I'm not that invested in it but I was surprised that Simon actually grew on me throughout this series.
So, this one is hard for me to recommend. There's some great stuff with Wanda (my goodness, I wish they would stop throwing the word g*psy around) and I liked seeing a little of the turmoil with the Avengers in the press. However, the stuff with Jan rubbed me entirely the wrong way, quite a few of the issues really bored me because the Big Bad was so generic and there just wasn't enough of the characters I love to keep me going.
3 stars.
kamaria's review
3.0
I was expecting a lot more from this second volume of Avengers Assemble. While it's true that it contains a very good Ultron arc where the Avengers have to face a deadly foe who has no qualms about destroying full nations to increase his power and it forces them to accept and deal with their responsibility in creating Ultron, the heroes bounce back as soon as the big battle is over. There is no trace left of their internal struggles. The MCU is doing this far better. Apparently resolution seems to be a big problem for Busiek, since Vision's concerns about his own humanity, identity and uniqueness are quite valid and well-handled, but his fight against Wonderman is just childish and a bit stupid, to be honest.
And then there are the issues with the Wrecking Crew. They are very bad - I almost have no words. As a simple as the very first Avengers issues, but with none of the charm. I can't believe I read them with my own two eyes. If you are interested in this, skip these issues and get directly to Ultron.
And then there are the issues with the Wrecking Crew. They are very bad - I almost have no words. As a simple as the very first Avengers issues, but with none of the charm. I can't believe I read them with my own two eyes. If you are interested in this, skip these issues and get directly to Ultron.
More...