When Jason Aaron’s Avengers story arc comes to a close, Webster’s may need to add it to their listing under the word “epic”. Encompassing endless multiverses, featuring the ultimate villainous team, and taking place in two Avengers books, the series has been huge in scope. In what might be my most anticipated series issue so far, we also get to learn all about the newly introduced Avenger Prime. Who is the ultimate Avenger? You may be surprised.
Avengers #65 is a good story within the story. Not progressing the plot of the larger story too much, we focus entirely on Avenger Prime. As we learned in the last chapter, that is none other than Loki. Not the 616 Loki, but a version of Loki that somehow found himself an Avenger. To say he somehow found himself is an understatement, as this issue can attest.
Essentially Aaron and artist Javier Garron reveal Loki’s journey from becoming the god of lies to the greatest Avenger started when his brother died at a young age. With Thor out of the picture, the creators explore what that means for Loki, and that includes all the threats and achievements he amounts over the years.
Largely the events that transpire here make sense, but at its core is an interesting idea of how logically Loki could ever see himself becoming an Avenger. He is usually the first threat the Avengers come together to defeat after all, yet he’s not their worst or most brutal enemy to defeat either. One can see this story shows without the proper barriers–in this case, the Avengers keeping Loki satisfied with his small wins–the sky is the limit.
That peacock cloak is amazing!
Credit: Marvel
The art is gorgeously rendered with great color by David Curiel. There’s something about Garron’s art that feels etched in stone and 3D in nature. Maybe it’s the slightly thicker line or the attention to detail in clothing, but there’s a lot to take in throughout this issue. Paired with Curiel, there’s a level of depth to the clothing that makes it realistic and dynamic.
I will add there is a handwave or two in this issue that is a little convenient, but that’s what you get with 20-page comics. Aaron and Garron tell a tale here that could span 100 issues, so a “somehow prevailed” can get a pass, but it does make you question the logistics of Loki being able to defeat all threats.
Avengers #65 continues to show that there isn’t a comic as epic today. In one issue, we see the rise of the Avenger Prime. That’s at first unbelievable, but once told, you realize it’s a natural development of the Avenger’s greatest villain. The famous phrase, “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain,” is at work here, only in reverse. How incredibly apt and cool.
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