Review: Avengers A.I. #1

| July 3, 2013 | Comics | 3 Comments

Writer:  Sam Humphries
Artist:  Andre Lima Araujo
Color Artist:  Frank D’Armata
Letterer:  VC’s Clayton Cowles

The redemption of Hank Pym begins here!  In case you aren’t aware, Marvel Studios and Disney plan on launching an Ant-Man movie in their Phase 3 slate of films.  There has been no word on whether the person under the Ant-Man helmet/mask will be Hank Pym, but odds are it will be.  If so, now is the time for Marvel to start making future moviegoers aware of his presence in their comics.  One way of doing that is to feature him in a monthly comic.  Welcome to Avengers A.I.

Avengers A.I. #1 states that it takes place the day after the Age of Ultron.  Pym was able to save the world by uploading a self-generating artificial intelligence to Ultron.  Unfortunately, this A.I. (named Dimitrios) is now roaming free in the world.  Now Pym must assemble a special team of Avengers to combat this new technological threat.

What I Liked

Who knew a Doombot could have a personality?  Of course, its a condescending personality, but it works for him.  There is also a nice verbal exchange between Monica Chang (S.H.I.E.L.D.’s A.I. overseer) and Pym.

Sam Humphries wrote Pym with a lot of exuberance and energy that has been absent from previous appearances.  I can tell Humphries will enjoy writing our lead character.  I also like the choice of villain in “Dimitrios”.  It is a natural progression from what happened at the end of Age of Ultron.

The art team of Andre Lima Araujo and Frank D’Armata worked well together.  The panels and action were not difficult to follow, and the colors enhanced what I was seeing on each page.

What I Didn’t Like

Hank Pym can never gain any respect.  He’ sa founding member of the Avengers, yet Chang apprehends and interrogates him as if he’s a common criminal.  Some of that can be chalked up to her no-nonsense approach, but she sure doesn’t talk to another Avenger that way.

Plus, Pym defeats Ultron back in Age of Ultron, but all his method does is create another future threat.  This threat could end up being worse than Ultron ever was.  Another L for Pym.

Summary

I am not sure the premise of Avengers A.I. is enough to keep me reading it monthly.  That doesn’t necessarily make it a bad book; I just have no interest in the team members or artificial intelligence at the moment.  Perhaps when Dimitrios is properly introduced I will circle back around to give it another try.

Hey, at least Atlanta, GA got a shoutout in a Marvel comic book this week!

This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network.  They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE

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  • Shaun Martineau

    The biggest con I had with this book was just how far Humphries took Pym…. The inspired upbeat Hank Pym started last week with Avengers AI #1, but Mark Waid crafted this energetic Pym so well, balancing out the optimism with some serious looks into Pym’s head. Humphries was just pure joy and it got on my nerves; this character came off as really naive.

    • I just talked with someone online and he had almost the same reaction to the new “Pym” How Humphries has ignored the last four years of Hank Pym and turned him into a cocky asshole.

      I’ll say maybe the reasoning for his new attitude is because of what happened to him in Age of Ultron…..then again I didn’t enjoy AoU either.

      Thanks for reading the review & commenting!

  • Shaun Martineau

    But overall, I enjoyed the book.