New to Comics is a segment where I look at various comic books; explaining their background, reviewing them, and breaking them down for readers unfamiliar to the medium. The title is a reference to a former university project that I carried on as its own site for several years before laying it to rest.
Avengers: Endgame hits cinemas tomorrow night, and in our lead-up to the blockbuster, we’ve reached a comic that very heavily influenced the film’s precursor, Infinity War. Today, we’re looking at Infinity.
Published by: Marvel Comics Written by: Jonathan Hickman Art by: Jim Cheung, Leinil Francis Yu, Mike Deodato, Jerome Opeña & Dustin Weaver, Year: 2014 Pages: 592
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER:
THOR
Real Name: Thor Odinson Affiliation: The Avengers First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83 (August 1962)
Before Captain America, Spider-Man, or the Fantastic Four – the world had a different type of hero, the mighty Thor! Son of the almighty All-Father Odin and sworn enemy of his own half-brother, Loki, Thor – the Norse ‘God of Thunder’ – hailed from the Golden City of Asgard, and would often come to Earth seeking adventure and glorious combat. But when his arrogance proved too much, Thor was stripped of his power and his enchanted Uru hammer Mjölnir and cast down to Earth under the mortal guise of the handicapped doctor, Donald Blake. There, he was forced to learn humility, which he did so with the help of his love Jane Foster, and in turn, reclaimed his Godhood and thunder-casting weapon, becoming one of the greatest and most powerful heroes in the universe.
New to Comics is a segment where I look at various comic books, explaining their background, reviewing them, and breaking them down for readers unfamiliar to the medium. The title is a reference to a former university project that I carried on as its own site for several years before laying it to rest.
Today continues our run-through of Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers saga on the road to Endgame (two days to go!) with volume two of the main Avengers series, The Last White Event.
Published by: Marvel Comics Written by: Jonathan Hickman Art by: Dustin Weaver & Mike Deodato Year: 2014 Pages: 136
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER:
IRON MAN
Real Name: Anthony Edward Stark Affiliation: The Avengers First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)
Genius. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist. Former weapons designer Tony Stark often found himself at the centre of all heated conflicts across the globe, providing munitions to the military and more covert organisations like S.H.I.E.L.D., alike. But when that heat proved too extreme, and Stark was mortally wounded and kidnapped by terrorists, he teamed with fellow captive Dr. Ho Yinsen and used his genius to build himself a suit of armour that would keep him alive, and allow him to escape captivity. Returning to the western world a changed man, Tony Stark, aided by his butler Jarvis, his assistant Pepper Potts and his chauffeur Happy Hogan, started continually upgrading his armour, forgoing his former bloody path as an arms dealer, instead hoping to make the world a better place as the invincible Iron Man.
New to Comics is a segment where I look at various comic books, explaining their background, reviewing them, and breaking them down for readers unfamiliar to the medium. The title is a reference to a former university project that I carried on as its own site for several years before laying it to rest.
As part of the countdown to Endgame, alongside reading the main series of Hickman’s Avengers, I’ve also decided to dive into the companion series New Avengers for that much-needed context (you’ll see what I mean).
This is actually a picture from Avengers World, but it depicts events in this comic so it counts… right?
Published by: Marvel Comics Written by: Jonathan Hickman Art by: Steve Epting Year: 2014 Pages: 152
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER:
BLACK PANTHER
Real Name: T’Challa Affiliation: The Avengers First Appearance: Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966)
Hidden away in Africa lies the isolationist nation of Wakanda. Kissed by a meteor filled with Vibranium, Wakanda became the only source for the valuable, durable metal, and used this gift to become one of the most technologically advanced nations on Earth. At their head sits their King, the Black Panther, and after the murder of the reigning King T’Chaka by the outsider Ulysses Klaw, that mantle was passed down to his son and heir, T’Challa. Having consumed the heart-shaped herb, T’Challa is forever linked to the Panther Goddess Bast who grants him a superhuman physique. Now, as the Black Panther, T’Challa is usually prepared for any threat. His resources vast and his Kingdom nigh-impenetrable, T’Challa has always harboured a strong distrust for those from the outside world, but after a chance encounter with the Fantastic Four, the Black Panther has made efforts to open both himself and his nation up to the world, revealing their hidden glory and becoming one of the most popular superheroes on the planet. Read the rest of this entry »
New to Comics is a segment where I look at various comic books, explaining their background, reviewing them, and breaking them down for readers unfamiliar to the medium. The title is a reference to a former university project that I carried on as its own site for several years before laying it to rest.
Today, the countdown to Avengers: Endgame continues, and with the core roster of Avengers covered – I’ve decided to read through Jonathan Hickman’s epic Avengers run that has, no doubt in part, inspired the two blockbuster movies Infinity War and Endgame, starting with volume one: Avengers World.
Published by: Marvel Comics Written by: Jonathan Hickman Art by: Jerome Opeña & Adam Kubert Year: 2014 Pages: 152
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER:
CAPTAIN AMERICA
Real Name: Steven Grant Rogers Affiliation: The Avengers First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941)
As it became obvious America was destined to join the war that had consumed the world in the late 1930s, Steve Rogers became determined to do his part for the war effort. Continuously rejected due to his sickly stature, Steve was eventually found by Dr. Abraham Erskine, and enlisted into the army under ‘Project: Rebirth’. Injected with a serum of Erskine’s own design, Steve was transformed into a super-soldier; his body and mind enhanced to the peak of human potential. But tragedy struck, as Erskine was assassinated, leaving Steve the first and only in the proposed wave of super-soldiers. Fighting on the front lines as Captain America alongside his sidekick Bucky Barnes, Steve was eventually lost at sea, and frozen for several decades. Eventually awakening in the modern era, Captain America returned to the spotlight as a symbol of hope and American power; his new mission – to protect both America and the world, from any and all threats as the leader of the Mighty Avengers! Read the rest of this entry »
New to Comics is a segment where I look at various comic books, explaining their background, reviewing them, and breaking them down for readers unfamiliar to the medium. The title is a reference to a former university project that I carried on as its own site for several years before laying it to rest.
With less than a week until Avengers: Endgame, I’m taking some time to do an N2C review on some of the core cinematic Avengers that we’ve missed, and today it’s Hawkeye.
Published by: Marvel Comics Written by: Matt Fraction Art by: David Aja, Javier Pulido & Alan Davis Year: 2013 Pages: 137
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER:
HAWKEYE
Real Name: Clinton Francis Barton Affiliation: The Avengers First Appearance:Tales of Suspense #57 (September 1964)
After the death of their parents, Clint Barton and his brother Barney Barton ran away from their new foster home to experience a happier life by joining a travelling circus. There, Clint apprenticed under two ‘acts’ known as the Swordsman and Trick Shot. After discovering both men to be criminals, Clint also fell into a life of crime as Trick Shot’s brief partner, and later became the new partner of Black Widow. After clashing with Iron Man numerous times, Clint hoped to turn over a new leaf, and defected to the Avengers, confessing his crimes and asking for redemption. Armed with numerous trick arrows, unmatched skill in archery and a rebellious and determined nature, Clint became the stalwart Avenger Hawkeye. In later years, he would form strong bonds with his teammates, experience a doomed marriage to Mockingbird, and become a mentor figure to the younger Hawkeye, Kate Bishop.
New to Comics is a segment where I look at various comic books, explaining their background, reviewing them, and breaking them down for readers unfamiliar to the medium. The title is a reference to a former university project that I carried on as its own site for several years before laying it to rest.
With less than a week until Avengers: Endgame, I’m taking some time to do an N2C review on some of the core cinematic Avengers that we’ve missed, and today it’s Black Widow.
Published by: Marvel Comics Written by: Mark Waid & Chris Samnee Art by: Chris Samnee Year: 2016 Pages: 136
SPOTLIGHT CHARACTER:
BLACK WIDOW
Real Name: Natalia Alianovna Romanova Affiliation: The Avengers First Appearance:Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964)
In the early 1900s, the young Natasha Romanoff was taken to a covert operation called the ‘Red Room’. Here, the young girl would spend her childhood being brainwashed by the KGB, and trained to become a merciless killer by Russian operatives like the Winter Soldier. In this ‘Red Room’, Natasha had her biology enhanced, making her stronger and faster than the average human, while also extending her lifespan. Graduating from the ‘Red Room’ as one of their top agents, Natasha joined the KGB and was later assigned to infiltrate and bring down Stark Industries, which of course led her to clash with the American superhero Iron Man. Black Widow’s continued clashes with Iron Man would lead her to team up with a partner in crime; an archer named Hawkeye – whose love would lead her to fight off her brainwashing, and defect to the U.S.A. There, she was hired by Nick Fury as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., forging romantic entanglements with heroes such as Iron Man and Daredevil, as well as long-lasting friendships with heroes such as Captain America and Wolverine. However, for all her good intentions, her dark past his never far behind.
When I was younger, LEGO was my favourite toy. Star Wars LEGO was my personal favourite, but I’d mix and match different minifigures together to make Marvel Superheroes, because, at the time, MARVEL and LEGO weren’t in business together.
Jump forward some fifteen to twenty years and that’s finally changed. A bit too late for my LEGO playing, mind you, but that doesn’t matter right now. Because a few years ago, my girlfriend reignited my passion for LEGO when she bought me Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator for my birthday. Since then, I’ve picked up the occasional new set: an X-Wing here, a Batmobile there. I enjoy the building process, and they tend to make decent display items, and the collecting aspect gives me a hobby to pursue.
THOR
