AVENGERS #5 story by the spectacular Jason Aaron, with art by Paco c, inks by the thorough Juan Vlasco, Mark Morales, and Karl Story, colors by David Curiel, and letters by Cory Petit arrives on shelves this week giving readers the answers they’ve wanted since MARVEL LEGACY. Readers will never guess this backstory or what the Ghost Rider can do now! Let’s jump in.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

AVENGERS #5 SPOILERS TOO!!

The FACTS of Life

Loki opens the issue with a new Marvel History lesson. Afterward, the Ghost Rider helps Captain America escape the Final Host and captures the evil trickster. Meanwhile, Black Panther and Captain Marvel altered their suits energy structures to take down the locust hordes while She-Hulk and Thor arrive back with the blood of Ymir. The two of them eat it to gain immense power growing as large as the Dark Celestials. Iron Man’s God Killer armor arrives from Mars, and the Avengers split up having Doctor Strange battle Loki while the Ghost Rider takes control of a dead Celestial possessing it like his car! Things just got real!


Perfect Strangers

Reading every issue to this point, confusion was starting to set in on the how, where, when, and why of this Avengers Fresh Start. However, this issue by Aaron did a phenomenal job answering all of those questions and more. It turns out, the First Celestial was infected by the cosmic locusts 4 billion years ago and fell to Earth by happenstance. Aaron gives new readers to Marvel, as well as old, an origin story to this universe that was indeed out of this world.

The First Celestial got sick and died on the planet, which was never going to amount to anything… until that day. It spewed out its diseased infection all over Earth. From that disease and sickness came the human race. This Celestial was called the Progenitor. Aaron‘s telling of our creation and being is so dang creative and impressive. This story completely blew me away. But it gets better!

Fraggle ROCK!

Aaron turns the start of our world into a love story gone wrong. Looking for his lost Celestial love, another Celestial named Zgreb came to Earth in One Million B.C. only to be defeated by Odin, his first Avengers, and the locust plague that took his beloved. This drew the attention of all the Celestials called the First Host. However, they withdrew from Earth fearing to become infected too. This is where my confusion subsided. Aaron pieced the story together so well and gave the story meaning, purpose, and new history. The time it must have taken him to create a story that connects the old and the new Marvel together is very inspiring for the future of Marvel. Lead the way, Aaron!

As impressive as the story is in this issue, the art by Medina and Mcguinness is terrific. As much detail as Aaron put into the story; this art team did the same with the layout, colors, and design of each panel. From the Celestial sickness of black ooze flowing from their mouth to the Ghost Rider fire billowing out from each freakin’ Celestial he touched, this team draws you into the story with realistic displays and bright, vibrant colors that make this issue come to life.

GOLDEN Girls

The intricate detail, time, and extensive thought to the story to weave Marvel Legacy, the ancient Avengers, Fresh Start, and the future of Marvel was thrown on Aaron‘s back. This issue showed readers that he’s the right person for the job. Aaron‘s experience shined throughout this issue in such an intelligent and mind blowing way, which got me excited for the future of Marvel Comics.

One of my favorite parts of the issue was finding out that Zgreb didn’t die. The locusts infection created a new breed of Dark Celestial and Zgreb went out to find more of his kind and create more Dark Celestials, which is why in earlier issues readers see them falling from the sky. This put a closed circuit on the story. Aaron answered all the big questions and set up readers for the showdown and gave our Avengers a chance. He didn’t trap his heroes in a corner and have them magically win in the end. With them all giant sized, we can see an epic showdown coming, and the conclusions and direction make sense.

Should readers be looking St. Elsewhere?

Absolutely! Questions are answered. Art is fantastic. And, Aaron is on fire guiding new and old readers back into Marvel again. This issue wasn’t filled with a ton of action, but it gave readers a ton of explanation that was drastically needed. Pick this issue up and get the answers you need moving forward.

Should you add this to your pull or do you have a FULL HOUSE?

Totally! Next issue will be an all-out melee battle to the extreme. Our heroes are Mega-Zorded up and ready to roll. The current cast of Avengers are working well together, and Aaron is giving all the heroes something to do. At first, I thought Ghost Rider was getting overlooked but not anymore. And I love the Thor/ She-Hulk team up as well as Doctor Strange and Iron Man. This issue was fun even with heavy explanations. Next issue should be epic. Add this to your pull!

What did you guys think of AVENGERS #5? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu