A review by kamaria
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 3 by Kurt Busiek
1.0
So this is what happens when an all-white team is given freedom to deal with criticism about having a too-white roster in the Avengers. If you are interested in how badly comics used to deal with race issues, this is a must read but it'll also make you lose faith in humanity.
Protesters asking for representation are lumped in with anti-mutants bigots and it's heavily implied that all of them are planted by the shady Triune to deliver a PR blow to the Avengers. Because obviously no one in their right mind would ever think of criticising Earth's mightiest heroes. The whole arc culminates in Thor (a Nordic god, so no far-right connotations at all...) attacks a journalist for questioning whether the Avengers might be unconsciously biased against superheroes of color, so they have to accept Triathlon among their ranks, ridiculizing affirmative actions. It's really bad. Especially when the Thunderbolts of the same year ([b:Hawkeye & the Thunderbolts, Vol. 2|28016712|Hawkeye & the Thunderbolts, Vol. 2|Fabian Nicieza|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510854002l/28016712._SY75_.jpg|48027394]) are dealing with the same issues in a much, much better way.
Good things:
- the Hellcat Annual was different both in art style and story (very Archie-like!) and I enjoyed it, especially as a continuation of the Thunderbolts Annual from the same year
- the Count Nefaria crossover event with the Thunderbolts, mainly because of the Thunderbolts
Bad things:
- racism very badly handed
- the return of Yellowjacket after everything Janet went through during Avengers Forever
- Taskmaster and the Triune are not going anywhere, a big reveal is not going to save this arc
- Juggernaut, the Exemplars and the Eighth Day crisis plotline are just boring and blandly written
I did not mind Kulan Gath and Silverclaw's arc, but it felt like filler in the sense that it wasn't written with care or with any consequence in mind. It was merely a fun adventure for the Avengers that doesn't fit with the tone of the rest of the trade, but it was okay.
If the Avengers did not drive the story in the Marvel Universe I would stop reading them. They should be fun and thrilling but they feel like a chore in their best moments and are a constant source of second-hand embarrassment because of how they deal with delicate issues like feminism and racism. I'm really looking forward to not having to read more Busiek's Avengers.
Protesters asking for representation are lumped in with anti-mutants bigots and it's heavily implied that all of them are planted by the shady Triune to deliver a PR blow to the Avengers. Because obviously no one in their right mind would ever think of criticising Earth's mightiest heroes. The whole arc culminates in Thor (a Nordic god, so no far-right connotations at all...) attacks a journalist for questioning whether the Avengers might be unconsciously biased against superheroes of color, so they have to accept Triathlon among their ranks, ridiculizing affirmative actions. It's really bad. Especially when the Thunderbolts of the same year ([b:Hawkeye & the Thunderbolts, Vol. 2|28016712|Hawkeye & the Thunderbolts, Vol. 2|Fabian Nicieza|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510854002l/28016712._SY75_.jpg|48027394]) are dealing with the same issues in a much, much better way.
Good things:
- the Hellcat Annual was different both in art style and story (very Archie-like!) and I enjoyed it, especially as a continuation of the Thunderbolts Annual from the same year
- the Count Nefaria crossover event with the Thunderbolts, mainly because of the Thunderbolts
Bad things:
- racism very badly handed
- the return of Yellowjacket after everything Janet went through during Avengers Forever
- Taskmaster and the Triune are not going anywhere, a big reveal is not going to save this arc
- Juggernaut, the Exemplars and the Eighth Day crisis plotline are just boring and blandly written
I did not mind Kulan Gath and Silverclaw's arc, but it felt like filler in the sense that it wasn't written with care or with any consequence in mind. It was merely a fun adventure for the Avengers that doesn't fit with the tone of the rest of the trade, but it was okay.
If the Avengers did not drive the story in the Marvel Universe I would stop reading them. They should be fun and thrilling but they feel like a chore in their best moments and are a constant source of second-hand embarrassment because of how they deal with delicate issues like feminism and racism. I'm really looking forward to not having to read more Busiek's Avengers.