“Marvel Mangaverse: Arcane Avengers #1” Review –

The Run Down

Hot off of the heels of “Moonstar” and “Magik & Colossus” comes Ashley Allen with the fantastic “Marvel Mangaverse: Arcane Avengers”! Within just a few issues, including last week’s “Iron Knight“, this new Mangaverse has become stacked with not just writers, but characters as well. That doesn’t stop here as Allen introduces us to new versions of Bucky, Kate Bishop, Wiccan, Bloodline and Taskmaster. “But how does this tie into the overall story” you might ask. Well, I won’t spoil here, but I will entice you to find out for yourself!

Writer: Ashley Allen
Artist: Mirka Andolfo
Colorist: Federico Blee
Letterer: Ariana Maher

The Writing

Within this whole story, Ashley Allen makes sure to keep readers on their toes with their hearts full of emotion. Allen seems to have taken her experience of writing mutants and applied it here in a stellar way. Just like with mutants, there’s a strong sense of soap opera drama here that truly drives the story in multiple ways. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but feel every emotion. One moment, she’s giving you an exciting action sequence and the next, she gives you the most heartbreaking character moment.

As far as other things go, the pacing here is on par with the previous issues and I love how each of these characters were adapted. Being that this is a universe full of magic and the supernatural, Bucky and Kate in particular were retrofitted to fit the theme and it feels so seamless. While reading, I didn’t once think or feel like they felt out of place. That’s one way to know that you’re creating something truly amazing, when everything comes together perfectly.

The Art

Just like with the writers, the artist and colorist has changed each issue as well and that doesn’t stop here. This one gives us amazing work from Mirka Andolfo and Federico Blee! The way that Andolfo drew so many of these scenes felt like she was looking in Allen’s mind. While Allen was perfect for writing the emotion into the story, Andolfo brought it to life in a way I don’t think many others could. The characters here felt like real people with real emotions, and a lot of that is thanks to how they were drawn. Not only that, but she gave everything this truly spooky vibe and I absolutely loved it!

Adding to the spooky vibes were the colors of Blee. He seemingly perfectly understood the assignment all throughout, bringing the world to life in his own way. From the shaded reds to the fading purples and yellows, everything about the coloring and shading felt and looked perfect.

Finally, as always, is the amazing lettering work from Ariana Maher. Not only are the various styles crazy and fun to look at, but they keep the comic lively, even in the darker moments. However, when the moment truly calls for it, she tones it down and keeps the book easy to follow. Truly stellar stuff across the board.

Final Thoughts

Ashley Allen seriously worked wonders on this issue. In just twenty-five pages in this universe, she crafted a part of it that I want so much more of. I’m not ready to let go of these versions of these characters so soon, and I both love and hate that Allen and her team created a corner that’s this perfect.

Overall Rating: 10/10

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Comments

Have you been enjoying the Mangaverse anniversary event so far? What are some of your thoughts? Let’s discuss in the comments below!