Avengers Assemble #1

by Steve Orlando

Avengers Assemble #1

Illustrated by: Cory Smith

Cover Art by: Leinil Francis Yu & Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Written by: Steve Orlando

Release date: September 11th, 2024

Marvel Comics

*Minor Spoilers Ahead

RETURN TO AVENGERS MANSION! When vampires attacked, a ragtag group of volunteer Avengers changed the tide of battle. And in the aftermath, Captain America has formed the Avengers Emergency Response Squad! Steve’s handpicked team of veterans and newcomers live and train in Avengers Mansion, and when Captain America sounds the mission horn, whoever’s on base has seconds to pack up and deploy. When the Red Skull’s daughter discovers a dangerous artifact, Cap, Wasp, Photon and Shang-Chi set out to stop her – while Hawkeye hosts a poker game for the late arrivals. Will the AVENG.E.R.S. pass their first real test? And did someone say… jackets? Spinning out of Jed MacKay’s AVENGERS, comics powerhouses Steve Orlando (SCARLET WITCH, SPIDER-MAN 2099) and Cory Smith (WOLVERINE, GHOST RIDER) join forces to expand the world of the Avengers!

“Avengers Assemble #1,” written by Steve Orlando with art by Cory Smith and a cover by Leinil Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr., brings us back to Avengers Mansion. But instead of a major showdown right off the bat, we’re greeted by Captain America assembling a new Avengers Emergency Response Squad—an odd but promising mix of veterans and newcomers. The story kicks off after a vampire invasion, but honestly, it didn’t pack the punch I was hoping for.

The concept of the Avengers living and training in the mansion again should’ve had me more excited. And sure, the team roster is pretty great (Wasp, Photon, Shang-Chi, and Captain America), but the first issue didn’t quite hit home. The fight with Sin, the Red Skull’s daughter, fell a bit flat, and even Monica Rambeau (Photon) didn’t have the same energy we’ve seen from her in the past.

One of the big moments was Hawkeye hosting a poker game for the rest of the team, and while the banter between heroes during these poker games is usually fun, this time it felt like filler. It reminded me of those old Marvel issues where a poker game is thrown in for some light-hearted moments. Normally, it’s great background fun, but this time it felt like too much focus was on the cards and not enough on the action.

I did enjoy seeing the Serpent Society as the villains. They’ve always had a soft spot in my heart, so I’m curious to see how that plays out. But overall, this issue felt more like setup than a gripping start. There’s potential here, especially with such a solid lineup and the mansion returning as a base, but the limited series format (only four issues!) has me wondering if they’ll be able to give all these characters the spotlight they deserve.

Not a bad read, just not as exciting as I’d hoped for the start of a new Avengers series. Here’s to hoping the next few issues bring more action and depth. We’ve got time for this team to shine… I think.

Avengers Assemble #1 is available on our new comic book wall and can be placed on your weekly pull list.