Ryan’s All-new, All-different Avengers #4 Review

The now assemble All-new, All-Different Avengers jump into their first mission against an old foe and Jarvis arrives to begin his duties of the team’s new “base of operation”. Meanwhile, the Vision starts creeping out the newer members even more and Thor and Captain America kiss. News at 10!
WRITER: Mark Waid
ARTIST: Mahmud Asraa
COLOR ARTIST: Dave McCaig
LETTERER: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER ARTIST: Alex Ross
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Bobby Rubio; Mark Brooks
EDITOR: Axel Alonso
STORY: Life is pretty hard for Edwin Jarvis the last few years. He has been replaced by a skrull who kidnapped and murdered people. He was arrested by SHIELD, then died and came back to life thanks to Secret Wars. Now, he is busy taking care of his ailing mother whose health has taken a major decline. However, things start looking up for Jarvis when he receives a call from Tony Stark to take back his old position as the Avengers butler, until he sees what there new base is. Meanwhile, the classic C-lister, Cyclone (the original not the French version) brings a hurricane to Atlantic City leading the Avengers to battle the hire gun. A battle ensues that leads us to the smooch that is featured on the cover.

THOUGHTS: After a rough start, this quieter issue was a welcome change of pace. Something I have always enjoyed about Mark Waid’s writing is his character moments and he reintroduces readers to Edwin Jarvis very nicely. In fact, you can’t help but feel sorry for old Jarvis. He has had a rough couple of years. Even more than when he was almost killed by the Masters of Evil during Roger Stern’s run in the 80s. Seeing his mother’s declining health (which hasn’t been touched on since the early 90s) is very heartbreaking. All Jarvis wants to do is go back to a life style he is comfortable with and enjoys. When he shows up at the old Stark Air Hanger and sees a run down shack and three teen heroes who know “how to microwave popcorn” as he puts it. It really kicks the guy while he is down. Even more important is how Waid highlights the long friendship between Tony and Jarvis. Jarvis has known Tony since he was a kid and has seen him through all the rough patches in life. Seeing that turned around and now having Tony seeing his former butler and family friend just wanting something good in his life is very well handled by Waid.

However, when we move to the battle between the “substitute” Avengers as one person puts it and Cyclone it is a kind of a mixed bag. Not with Asraa’s artwork, which is fantastic and since he was the original artist for Free Comic Book Day last year for ANAD Avengers. It’s very vibrant from Adam Kubert’s first three issues. The fight just seems to be paint by the numbers again like the first two issues. Super villain is hired by shadow villain, doesn’t care if other people get hurt. New heroes come in, get him on the ropes, but a more seasoned hero brings the takedown. With that said, Waid and Asraa do make it an enjoyable battle. Seeing Ms. Marvel and Miles take on Cyclone and generally worry about each other is really showing their budding friendship and Nova doesn’t come down as too forced. What I really enjoyed was everyone’s reaction to the Vision. While Nova, Miles and Ms. Marvel seeing how cold he can be. The other members such as Iron Man and Sam Wilson start to see there is something not quite right with old Vision.

The tables are even turned on the Vision when he notices how the Jane Foster Thor is much different from the use of her powers and her kissing Sam after the battle. The kiss isn’t forced and leading up to it makes plenty of sense. Especially given Jane’s current mind set in her own book. I also loved both Sam and Tony’s reactions to Thor kissing Sam and then Nova and Ms. Marvel’s replies afterwards. I was on the floor with their exchange. Overall, a very enjoyable issue and I am looking forward to the next issue.

The book gets a solid B+ from me and I hope we continue to go up after a lackluster opening story arc with the book that is suppose to be the frontrunner for All-new, All-different Marvel.