New Avengers #19 Review

With the weight of the incursions baring down on the Illuminati, should we care if they sacrifice or save the 616? Read on to find out.

The official description from Marvel:

• It’s the battle you didn’t know you wanted to see—until now! As the New Avengers take on the combined power of the Great Society—and only a single parallel Earth can survive!

Since the opening issue of this volume fans have been challenged with a competent narrative that takes super-heroics to another place entirely. We see iconic players dance a fine line between honor and villainy, which in turn, gives up a feeding ground for exceptional scene building. This creative team continually proves the worth of this title as these mighty champions face the dire consequences of the worst-case scenario.

I have tremendous respect for the work that Jonathan Hickman has done with this franchise and its third volume. He’s taken the House of Idea’s brightest minds and put them to work doing questionable things for the right reasons. Mass murder with only the thought of survival for their Earth on their minds. But as the likes of Beast, Black Bolt, Namor, Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Black Panther take on the Great Society we’re faced with a difficult crossroads. There’s a weight to these festivities as our primaries rebel against their core by entertaining the notion of sacrificing others before themselves.

Beyond the text this comic is littered with exquisite illustrations handed in by Valerio Schiti. Each page is covered with detail, to the point that every single line ebbs and flows with a purpose. And even as the yarn jumps around a bit we never lose track of the characters involved and thanks should be awarded to the illustrator for that. Even beyond those pencil strokes are the colors done by Frank Martin, which perfectly encapsulates the experience with a vibrant visual component.

New Avengers #19 is a heavy release from a striking creative team that presents mature subject matter born from an insane situation to a very modern audience. For that reason it easily comes recommended.