Avengers Assemble #9
Story by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Art by Stefano Caselli
Review by Mara Whiteside
I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know what to comment on first. There’s the inclusion of Spider-Woman as a main character, Carol and Steve juicing, Bruce and Tony hypothesizing about the future, playful bets, Wolverine eating popcorn…Honestly, I loved every moment of this book.
Admittedly, I only picked up this book because of the influence of women. Shocker, I’m interested in books written by female creators featuring my favorite female heroes. THAT’S THE ONLY REASON I WAS INTERESTED IN READING THIS BOOK. I want that to be clear for a couple of reasons. First, I want the comic book companies to start capitalizing on the female market. I am an avid reader of comics, and I’ll be the first to let you know that I will buy a title solely because of a female creator. I want them to continue making great comics, and my money can help. Second, I want more Spider-Woman and Captain Marvel in my life. My dream book would be a buddy-comedy-drama between the two. How could you not love these two women who support each other through thick and thin? Take note, Marvel: this is a true power couple.
Besides capitalizing on female talent and characters, Avengers Assemble #9 is a fantastic read. Tony and Bruce, brilliant scientists with differing views, make a bet. Whichever team reaches Camp Vostok, a research base in the Antarctic possibly in trouble, wins. The bet is friendly (loser walks naked from the Baxter Building to the Avenger Tower), and the concentration is on discovering what happened at the base.
While Tony and Bruce hunt down Avengers to join their team, we learn an important tidbit. Spider-Woman’s pheromone powers can control and manipulate the Hulk. She cites this power as her main reason for joining up with Bruce: if there’s trouble, she may be able to help. Besides the good Samaritan reasons, I’m willing to bet that Jessica just wants to get out and about, no matter what the mission is. Tony convinces Thor to join him in his quest to squash Bruce, and the teams are off to Antarctica. The mission isn’t as simple as suiting up and flying to the base. There are more forces at work here than what meets the eye.
THE VERDICT
Buy! Buybuybuybuybuybuybuybuy! It is a great example of what superhero comic books is missing. There’s humor, science, banter, character development, and a healthy dose of action. DeConnick and Caselli are a great team that will keep me buying this book.
