Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Marcus To
Colourist: Donald Sánchez Almara
Editors: Tom Belvoort, Will Moss
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Price: $3.99

Continuing the Assault on Pleasant Hill cross-over story, New Avengers #8 finds Hawkeye, Hulkling, Pod, Power Man, Songbird, Squirrel Girl, Sunspot, White Tiger and Wiccan rescuing hacker Whisperer/Rick Jones from S.H.I.E.L.D.

Before the battle can begin New Avengers #8 abruptly switches gears when New Avengers and new A.I.M. leader Sunspot recreates the team as Hulkling, Squirrel Girl and Wiccan while the rest as A.I.M. attack the S.H.I.E.L.D. Battlecarrier. But unknown to Sunspot there’s a spy on his team.

Writer Al Ewing knows pacing and New Avengers #8 rushes by. A complicated plot is simply presented even as fists fly. There’s plenty of Marvel-style light-hearted dialogue, such as when Hawkeye shoots his winning arrow he channels his inner-John Stewart. “Here it is. Your moment of Zen,” he says.

Marcus To’s realistic art style for New Avengers #8 is clean and attractive. Also, we appreciate him not making Squirrel Girl look like a freak as in previous issues. Colourist Donald Sánchez Almara bathes everything in blues and purples, making all shots of light quite effective.

On one hand New Avengers #8 is just a turn of the Pleasant Hill storyline screw. But it still manages to provide high entertainment, and who could ask more from a comic book?

 

Reviewer: Joe Lovece
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker