I’ve always been a sucker for odd super hero team ups, and Secret Avengers is exactly that. The book is promoted as being a “black ops” group, and it features the usual suspects: Steve Rogers, Black Widow and War Machine.
Then writer Ed Brubaker finishes the roster with a bunch of, well, weirdos. Moon Knight, who is arguably insane. Nova, who is more fitting in space books. And Valkyrie, who runs around in a metal bikini.
So how did this first installment of the Secret Avengers read?
It was a fun book. The book mixes elements of espionage (Rogers leading a covert action team, the slow revelation of the Shadow Council) with some good ole’ Marvel whackiness (the Serpent Crown being used in a serious manner, Nick Fury’s old Life Model Decoy resurfacing as a villain).
Oh, and they wind up fighting with evil corporation bent on world domination Roxxon at a mining outpost on Mars, all the while befriending a big alien. The book has a definite old-school Marvel sensibility to it, but still has the feel of a modern comic book. It reminded me of the Kirby Captain America comics, and Brubaker confirms that in this quote which I dug up over on Newsarama.
“[This is ] definitely going to have a lot of the espionage plots and the Steranko influence, and the crazy Kirby technology, but I don’t think there’s going to be much soap opera. I hope it feels different than any Avengers team, ever.”
On the art side of the book, Mike Deodato is just awesome. I love the way his style has evolved over the years. Everything is dark and moody, which really works with a story like this.
The second collected volume, Secret Avengers, Vol. 2: Eyes of the Dragon, comes out on July 6.
Ridiculously Awesome 