AVENGERS #4 story by Jason Aaron, Paco Medina, and Ed McGuinness, inks by Juan Vlasco & Mark Morales, colors by David Curiel, and letters by Cory Petit infiltrates your comic shops this week as Aaron reshapes the very origin of humanity, Midgard, and the direction of the Marvel Universe.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
AVENGERS #4 SPOILERS TOO!
Aaron, Medina, and McGuinness open the issue with Odinson and She-Hulk getting a trip down memory lane from Odin. Odin reminisces about his time battling with the First Celestial and even hints at a little “brown-chicken-brown-cow” with Phoenix.
Thor & She-HULK
Odinson begs his father to tell him how to beat the Final Host and is led to a secret door holding the Blood of Ymir. We aren’t told how this will help or what it will do BUT Odin believes it will either destroy everyone or save everyone.
For Thor to survive the cold of the First Ice Colossi, who is the Father of all Frost Giants, She-Hulk warms Thor with one huge radiated kiss. Imagine that Marvel Team Up!
Also, take a look at the art above during that gamma powered kiss. Juan Vlasco, Mark Morales, and David Curiel do a fantastic job on this splash page showing so much detail to the moment they share.
Notice the lightning crackle in the background AND the steam of radiation coming from She-Hulk’s eyes. Lastly, look at the immense size of Jennifer Walters man-handling the God of Thunder. This art team painted the reader a picture that many will never forget. I loved this page, as well as the art throughout the issue. Great job team!
Doctor Strange & Iron Man
Next, Aaron’s and his crew show us the Avengers team up with Doctor Strange and Iron Man at Olympia; the home of the Eternals. For those that don’t know, the Eternals claimed they were chosen by the Celestials to watch over humanity.
Watch it burn more like it!!
However, when Doctor Strange and Iron Man arrive, they find them all deceased. We aren’t told how or why BUT they are all dead. It looks like some type of mass culling. Just replace the Kool-Aid with lots of stabbing and death.
Captain America & Ghost Rider
Our next group of Avengers places Captain America at the North Pole captured by Loki and surrounded by the Final Host and Celestials. It turns out; our story didn’t begin millions of years ago. It starts 4 BILLION years ago with the death of the very first Celestial; the Alpha Celestial.
Now again, look at the art above with the decaying Alpha Celestial. Vlasco, Morales, and Curiel do a phenomenal job showing how large these Celestials are compared to our First Avenger in Loki’s glowing orb.
It’s hard to put into words how huge of a threat this is until you see the gargantuan size of these unearthly beings. I also love the intricate detail of the decomposition on the Alpha Celestial’s face. The page was a bit wordy, but the bottom panel really hit home for me.
Ghost Rider uses his car, with a suped-up Celestial & Demonic engine, to track down Captain America and wait in the wings until the time is right. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers (Black Panther & Captain Marvel) are working in the Alpha Flight space station to figure out what this bug infestation is and how to exterminate them. It turns out; these giant cosmic locusts are also erupting from inside the Celestials that fell from the sky and are here to wipe out the Earth.
However, the part that stood out the most in the issue was that Loki clued Captain America into what I feel is the root of this entire opening arc. Loki screams at Cap calling the whole human race “a large cosmic mistake.” I understand that this means something but this part confused me.
How does the Alpha Celestial, the First Celestial, and the Final Host all connect? And, how does this make humans, as Sheryl Crow would say, “my favorite mistake”?
The Twist
Even though I left this issue feeling a bit confused, I still enjoyed the ride. I had a difficult time connecting all the pieces with the Celestials and how the human race was some type of cosmic mistake. But, the main confusion hit me, like a large mystical hammer, when I saw the cliffhanger.
When Odin fought the First Celestials 1 million years ago, everyone died but him. According to the freaking awesome splash page above, it looks like even the Phoenix died! So, I know we can’t get all the answers we want immediately but here are my big questions after seeing this final page:
1) Did Odin make a deal to save Midgard?
2) Otherwise, how did he stop the Celestials alone?
3) How are the bugs and Celestials connected?
4) Since we find out that these cosmic locusts are now erupting from inside the dead, fallen Celestials, are they working together or against them?
5) Which time is correct? Are the First Celestial and the Alpha Celestial the same?
6) If so, is Odin lying about the timeline? Odin says 1 million years ago he fought those Celestials, but Loki said 4 billion years ago. Are they different events? Are they the same events?
I could think of more, but my point is, I’m confused. Maybe someone else can make more sense of it than me, but I’m lost right now.
Should you pick up this issue?
YES….. BUT… I think it’s a bit confusing. You see; I sometimes need to have my handheld. If I’m left to overthink, I get lost and confused. But, the art was pretty good, and the story is creative and exciting. I genuinely think something big is about to happen. I just need some guidance more than anything.
Should you add this series to your pull?
I still think it’s worthy of being in your pull especially because I feel it’s definitely on the verge of changing the landscape of the Marvel Universe going forward. This means it will affect EVERY book. So, if you want to stay in the “know,” you’ll need this series.
Well, what did you guys think of AVENGERS #4? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu
