Originally published on Set The Tape
The latest issue of Marvel Action: Avengers continues to follow the various members of the team as they try to have a relaxing day off from superhero work, yet keep ending up in strange little adventures. This time, the spotlight is given over to Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange.
Whilst the first issue of this new run was less than amazing, the second was a lot of fun, and getting to see Captain America and Squirrel Girl messing around against an ageing villain at a primary school was a lot of fun. As such, I had hoped that this issue would follow a similar vein and try to be another lighthearted and somewhat silly adventure. Whilst this does seem to be the attempt, the execution falls a little flat.
The story sees Captain Marvel having to step in and help Doctor Strange when the somewhat bumbling criminal White Rabbit, an Alice in Wonderland themed villain, steals Strange’s flying cloak. This set up isn’t too bad, as it sees the Sorcerer Supreme needing the aid of someone who can fly, like Captain Marvel, to catch up with the thief; but once the two of them team-up there’s very little chemistry between them.
Whilst other Avengers have really shone when put together in the previous issues there doesn’t seem to be much here for the characters to work with. Strange simply wants his cloak back, and grumbles about it most of the issue, whilst Marvel seems to only have a mind for food the entire comic, and comes away looking a bit like a cookie obsessed fool for the most part. With how popular the character has been over the years, and being one of the more popular members of the team in comics, and headlining her own books, I was really surprised to see her be treated more like a comedy sidekick than the headlining hero she can be.
Unfortunately, because of this lack of chemistry and weird shift in her character I just couldn’t get into the book, and found most of it to be quite dull, and the story dragged a lot. I know that these are comics designed for younger readers, but part of the great appeal of the Marvel Action line has always been the fact that they can appeal to readers of all ages; but this issue strikes me much more as designed for kids, and kids only. I struggle to see many adults finding it as charming as the series has been in the past.
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