So we’re now in full swing with Marvel’s ‘All New, All Different” launches and re-launches after Secret Wars.  Many Marvel fans, myself included, were probably very excited at the prospect at seeing our favourite characters coming back with new team ups to face new challenges.  After reading through a few titles, this one in particular, I’m starting to wonder if Marvel really meant ‘All Fluff, All Boring”.

I was very excited for The New Avengers; I loved the team roster (for the most part) and the idea of the Avengers taking the AIM name to mean a force of good for the world was a very interesting idea.  And if you read my review for issue #1, you’ll see that I wasn’t completely disappointed, but not totally satisfied…and sadly, that is the case with this issue #2, but the level of disappointment was much higher.

We open to The Maker, an evil version of Reed Richards, coming off as, well, just that…some mad scientist.  Four pages of him performing a convergence surgery, claiming his has just promoted his patient to ‘post-humanity’; Looks like he uses this procedure to ensure his underlings are truly at his command…and something we’ve seen in some shape or form time and time again.  I would think an evil version of Reed Richards would be far more sinister and interesting as a villain.  Which leads me to the threat he has unleashed on Paris and The New Avengers…a half gorilla/half scorpion hybrid with a crystal for a head.  Yes, you read that correctly.  This creation is rampaging through Paris, along with similar crystal headed/infected SHIELD agents, shouting off about “LIFE!MINUS!” along with the SHIELD agents, conveniently being equipped with tech that infuses them with gamma radiation.  It is exactly as silly as it sounds, and the agents are easily dispatched (a little too easy if you ask me) by White Tiger and *groan* Squirrel Girl.  Unfortunately the victory is short lived as White Tiger, Squirrel Girl and her sidekick Tippy Toe are turned into crystal headed zombies.

Songbird coordinates with Sunspot back at Avengers Island about the situation, and within seconds, a solution is found and executed, with the infected in Paris being restored to normal, and the ape/scorpion thing being defeated.  The Maker doesn’t seem at all disappointed with his loss…and The New Avengers have a win to chalk up.

Al Ewing gives us very little to be excited about in this issue.  Except some little tidbit with The Maker and his suspicions post Secret Wars, there is no characterization and a very basic story here that wraps up a little too quickly for me.  Apparently, White Tiger and Squirrel Girl were the only heroes fighting the crystal headed bad guys, with a brief look at Wiccan assisting and Songbird ending the battle.  So I’m assuming the rest of the team was just watching this go down?  For a second issue on a team book, there is nothing happening to develop this group as a team, though Songbird is given a few moments to show her capability as field leader.  Gerardo Sandoval once again delivers for me in the art department; his pages are bright and dynamic, and he really illustrates the action scenes very well; I just wish there was more of this action.  Too many cutaways to AIM and The Maker really made the action feel choppy, but that is fault in the script, not the artist.

Overall, I am disappointed with this title.  I don’t feel the team vibe I was hoping for in an Avengers title, and I see very little being done to bring out the characters and their personalities.  So much potential is here along with many characters I was excited to see back in action, I just hope this potential is realized soon, as I am really on the fence as to whether I want to continue with this book.

Story: Al Ewing Art: Gerardo Sandoval
Story: 3 Art: 7: Overall: 5 Recommendation: Read (barely; but I like the art)