Comics / Comic Reviews / Marvel Comics

Avengers vs. X-Men #1

By Troy-Jeffrey Allen
April 3, 2012 - 18:24

Yes, comic books are stupid. However, with each new discovery, hopefully, we can end the cycle and find something all-new and all-different to justify our Wednesday spending habits. This is One Shot...

Avengers vs. X-Men #1
Marvel
$3.99

I want to point out that it is incredibly difficult (and probably foolhardy) to make a story by committee. That’s not to say that it doesn’t work, but that you need the storytelling equivalent of a military general to march all the ideas in one direction, creating a singular voice (Pixar does this with undeniable success). This brings me to Avengers vs. X-Men #1, a book so top heavy with exposition that it practically demands a universe-clearing conclusion.

The plot behind AvX is a convoluted one, but the formula is time-tested. The X-Men hold in their possession a potential host body for the cosmic, world-devouring entity called “Phoenix.” The Avengers recognize the threat and want to contain it. Cyclops is a dick and Captain America is a hard ass. Therefore, everyone fights. In the midst of all this conflict is a wild card named Scarlet Witch. She too posses the ability to destroy worlds. Rinse. Repeat.

Brian Michael Bendis is credited with the script for AvX #1, but he’s one cook in a kitchen of many. Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man), Jason Aaron (Wolverine and the X-Men), Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four), and Ed Brubaker (Captain America) are all recognized for mapping out the story. In theory, four other writers funneled through the “relaxed” dialogue of Brian Bendis could’ve worked perfectly. Unfortunately, Bendis’ script is rigid, as if the writer is trying to uncomfortably shimmy ideas through. It creates a plenty of awkwardness and distance during what should feel like important moments.  

Out of all the potential scenarios involving Phoenix’s arrival (there is a lot of maybes in this story), the most interesting is Wolverine’s dilemma. Who does he side with? After being booted from Cyclops’ X-Team while moonlighting on several others (including The Avengers), poor Wolvie may be feeling the same demanding pressures that Bendis is. Unfortunately, it is more likely that neither will find firm footing amidst all this garbled continuity.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12