All-Out Avengers #2 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Derek Landy, pencils by Greg Land, inks by Jay Leisten, colours by Frank D’Armata, and letters by Cory Petit. The Avengers team up with Doctor Doom in order to defeat… Doctor Doom?
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The action-oriented Avengers series returns with another fast-paced story. Like with the first issue, we are thrown into action immediately in a chaotic and brutal battle, with glimmers of a dark future ahead. The questions start to form as Doctor Doom is part of the Avengers for the first time. The answers come after that opening, but not in a way that may be seen in other books. The exposition comes quickly, not told like a recollection but a quick brief. It is purely there to understand the rules with which this issue is playing.
There is still this overarching story among these fast-paced issues that denote intelligence and a reason to keep reading. It is mysterious and very intriguing to delve deeper into. But the very unique circumstances within each issue are also really enticing incentives. The plot is fun and unique. The singular nature of these stories allows for tales that don’t have the legs for a longer arc, but they are still ridiculous enough that they are worth telling. The surprises of the issue come early with Doctor Doom’s involvement.
The characters in All-Out Avengers #2 are all enjoyable, with a large amount of the story focused on one of the Marvel Universe’s most notorious villains. Doctor Doom has often been constructed as the ultimate embodiment of evil, but his portrayal in this comic hints at something else. It shows that there are extremities on both ends of the character. He could be a remarkable force for good, but the darkness within him is truly black and terrifying. Some of the Avengers who weren’t in the spotlight in the last issue become the focal point in this one.
Both Iron Man and She-Hulk seem the figureheads of issue #2, spending most of their time with Doom as the others are either captured or elsewhere in Latveria. Then there is the most intriguing character of this book, the unknown narrator. An unseen figure commentates over the action, able to see everything the Avengers are doing and can manipulate them through their actions or their memories. Many possibilities can be guessed, which is part of the fun of the series.
Land’s art continues to reinforce the all-action premise of this book. The first pages have pieces that demand attention, from Doctor Doom wielding both Captain America’s shield and Thor’s hammer to the intense battle that sets the heroes on the back foot from the start. There are glimpses of a dark future in this issue that are dramatic and shocking to see. The monsters and machinery remain brilliant in their construction, but Land’s photorealistic style can become troublesome when an obscure angle is used. For example, Tony Stark’s face sometimes looks slightly awkward when viewed from the side due to a strange perspective. But there are also moments where the heroes look glorious and epic in their entrances.
The colours are terrific in this issue. Part of what makes the villain so imposing is the red symbols etched onto a pure black figure. D’Armata can add bright, unnatural colours to a realistic art style without it being unsettling or overbearing. The potential future part of the issue is filtered with an intense pink hue. The tones can be bright and rich, or they can be muted and understated, yet they both look brilliant. The lettering is also brilliant. There is a custom word balloon that could be hard to read, but the red text on a black background is bright enough that it is easily visible.
All-Out Avengers #2 is such a fun book to read. What is brilliant about this book is that there is a desire to be cool because anything is possible. The story almost comes second; it is the setup of the fights and the action itself that drives the comic forward. Those glimmers of mystery are very intriguing, and there is clearly a massive villain hiding behind the curtain. It is the random nature of not knowing what the next issue will bring that gives the comic its excitement.
All-Out Avengers #2 is available where comics are sold.
All-Out Avengers #2
TL;DR
All-Out Avengers #2 is such a fun book to read. What is brilliant about this book is that there is a desire to be cool because anything is possible. The story almost comes second; it is the setup of the fights and the action itself that drives the comic forward. Those glimmers of mystery are very intriguing, and there is clearly a massive villain hiding behind the curtain. It is the random nature of not knowing what the next issue will bring that gives the comic its excitement.
