Avengers Inc. #1: "Case Number 001: The Man Who Wasn't There"

[alliterator]

"This one's interesting and somewhat experimental, in a very genre way - it's basically an attempt to take another route into the whole "Avengers" concept, by starting with the word and building out. It feels like a pulp word, a title that promises something other than superfolks, something from a different branch of serial fiction's family tree - I didn't immediately think "what if the Avengers were the Avengers", although it makes a dandy elevator pitch, but I was definitely starting somewhere in that ballpark. It's gone through a lot of permutations and evolutions behind the scenes, and what's left is a kind of TV show format, with a Big Mystery simmering in the background and Little Mysteries solved on a monthly basis."
-- Al Ewing








After Janet visits the morgue, all of the dead supervillains come back life, confused and angry, and attack her. All of them...except for Whirlwind.

Comments

[starwolf_oakley]

Is Al Ewing trying to go for a Hawkgirl or Doctor Fate or something here? Someone else is "driving" David Cannon?

[alliterator]

Pretty much. All we know so far is his name or what he thinks is his name (Victor Shade).

[gnarll]

I like Lukes concern here. Fits well with his own history.

[sabertoothlotus]

Wasn't Victor Shade the human alias that Vision used at one point?

Also... resurrections with a red diamond on the forehead... what stupid thing did Mr. Sinister do now?

[blues32]

Hrm...David was shot dead center of his forehead, right where the diamond is now. I suspect the same can be said for the others?

[zylly]

I’m particularly interested in the last couple pages and the potential resurrection(s) there…

But this is absolutely fantastic. And the “no costumes”/“my god” exchange made me laugh out loud.

[cygnia]

And Whirlwind is/was a mutant, right?

[scorntx]

A strong start.
Interesting premise, unusual and intriguing mystery (and mysteries), good characterisation, use of continuity.
And the reveal of Who Dunnit... aww, dude, no...

(Given the individuals involved in the apparent murder, however, it is perhaps not a surprise something seems to have gone wrong along the way.)

[shakalooloo]

Funny how Cage mentions his Thunderbolts being public emergency-response, when in only three months we're getting a new TB series with Bucky leading a black-ops wetworks team!

[blues32]

Yes, but it seems they all have marks on their heads.

[starwolf_oakley]

Yes. David Cannon actually turned down joining Krakoa because he figured someone would nuke the island.

[full_metal_ox]

I seem to recall “I don’t like bullies” being another Marvel character’s rather famous topic sentence, and I’m wondering how intentional the echo is.

[icon_uk]

Okay, colour me intriguied by this whole set up.

I like the "no costumes" approach, especially with Jan, who has perhaps tended to use costumes more or less as a distraction. but here we see the smart , experienced hero we know her to be.

[remial]

and look how wrong he was on that!

[pyynk]

I am *really* digging this. Definitely need to check this out.

[zachbeacon]

Given the nature of her powers, it seems safer (and less potentially scandalous) to have a costume, though.

(It feels like Marvel has always been kind inconsistent in how Pym particles work with clothing. Objects you have on you grow/shrink with you...unless they don't.)

[zachbeacon]

"what if the Avengers were the Avengers"

Black Widow, Mockingbird, Hawkeye, the OTHER Wasp, ect are just sitting by their phones, waiting for them to ring.

[cygnia]

...and now I want a crossover set in the '60's with John Steed & Emma Peel.

[icon_uk]

I think they've been pretty consistent with Jan, over the years.

Her shrinking power doesn't automatically shrink her clothing, so unless her outfit is made from unstable molecules or, more usually for her, specially treated with Pym particles beforehand, it won't shrink with her.

I think she always has her underwear treated, as she's had at least one instance where her shrinking to handle a random supervillain attack meant that she was basically nude, and doesn't want to go through that again.

[zachbeacon]

But my point is it seems much easier to treat a handful of costumes than an entire wardrobe of civilian clothing. Especially Jan's wardrobe.

Getting caught naked in a fight is embarrassing but being lost inside your clothes in a fight is potentially lethal.

(I was wondering if she made use of unstable molecules too but that seems expensive even for her)

[superfangirl1]

This is a awesome idea of a premise.

[akodo_rokku]

Considering the current state of Sinister, I wouldn't be surprised if this was something he set in motion a lifetime ago and forgot about.

[raspberryrain]

Has Luke lost weight? I didn't recognise him at all in this art.

[alliterator]

He has been Mayor of NYC for a few months now.

[iamrman]

Disappointed we didn't get to see Janet in a natty suit like the cover suggested.