Avengers: Armageddon #1 (Marvel Comics)

Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the FIRST issue of Avengers: Armageddon from Marvel Comics!

Marvel’s big summertime comic event is now here! After a tense build up, the world is in serious danger! Thaddeus Ross (aka Red Hulk) has claimed Latveria for himself and he isn’t stopping there! With the United Nations stepping in to try and stop him, along with the largest gathering of the Avengers in some time, will anyone be able to stop him? Let’s jump into it!

Credit: Marvel Comics // Avengers: Armageddon #1 by Chip Zdarsky (Writer), Delio Diaz & Frank Alpizar (Artists), Jesus Aburtov (Color Artist), VC’s Corey Petit (Letterer), Dike Ruan & Moreno Dinisio (Cover)

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

The Story

Marvel is promising major shake ups to the entire Marvel Universe once this event is all said and done. The pieces are all there and the potential is there. However will it actually deliver? I think it will by the time this is all over and let me explain why. Chip Zdarsky is leading into this with the fantastic work he’s done in the previous 11 issues of his Captain America run. The stakes for the world are as high as I can remember them in recent memory. You have all the ingredients for an incredible run, the only question is where will it all end? Let’s get into the issue!

Chip starts this issue off INCREDIBLY strong and sets the stakes for those who might not have read what’s been going on before this event started. Just to summarize quickly where things stand, Doctor Doom is dead. In the wake of his death a power vacuum opened up in his country of Latveria and in the midst of that power struggle you had several forces try to step in and try to take the mantle of leader. Captain America lead a team inside the country to try and help things, but at the same time Red Hulk saw things a different way. The proverbial powder keg has been lit and is ready to explode!

Just to recap you’ve got Captain America, Nick Fury and a contingent of super heroes inside Latveria trying to ease the tension rising on all sides. You’ve got two sides inside of Latveria that are fighting each other for control of the country in the wake of Doom’s death. Plus there’s the various countries around the world with a vested interest in what’s going on, including the United Nations. Oh by the way you’ve also got General Ross and his team that are acting on their own.

As I mentioned before, Thaddeus Ross is in control of Latveria and he’s publicly declared it to be known as New America. He’s also wasted no time in setting his plan into motion and is attempting to take over neighboring countries. In response you’ve got the United Nations meeting and coming up with a plan to take care of the situation. Surprisingly the UN does NOT want any outside interference from any super heroes and Reed Richards is told to stay out of the way.

The one point I haven’t mentioned is Captain America, and I won’t spoil what happens in the issue but it’s sure to be a talking point for fans. It’s a rallying point for the heroes as Iron Man uses it to call the Fantastic Four & the Avengers together to step in and help. You really get a sense of the size and scope of how big this is going to be with the heavy hitters brought in. There’s also a few surprises made to the team, and in the teams building. I’ll leave that surprise for you to read but I feel like it’s going to have some ripple effects for the larger Marvel universe that might not be directly involved with this event.

The Artwork

Delio Diaz, Frank Alpizar & Jesus Aburtov are in charge of the artwork for this issue and it is some of the best art you’ll see at the comic shop this week. The story being told is a massive one, and with a story so large in scope you need the art to step up as well and it does so in a big way. It is easily the most detailed issue I’ve read and you can tell a lot of care was taken when it comes to each panel.

Overall Grade: 9/10

Chip Zdarsky is penning an absolute masterpiece of a story. This issue and the whole series needs to be at the top of your reading list because it truly feels like the start of a can’t miss event.