1776 #1: Time Crisis

The fate of America lies in the hands of our beloved Avengers as they must travel back to the American Revolution to stop the British from winning the war. They must navigate British and Continental troops as well as an even bigger threat if they hope to succeed.

Creative Team: J. Michael Straczynski (WRITER), Jay Leisten (INKS), Sean Damien Hill (PENCILS), Roberto Poggi (INKS), Ron Liam (PENCILS), Alex Sinclair (COLORS), Joe Caramagna (LETTERS), and Pete Woods (COVER).

This has been a joint review by Matt from the Hops “Geek” News podcast and Derek Hoskins. Check Out More From Derek HERE

*Spoilers Ahead*

The Story:

Matt – Superheroes and history are the two things I love more than anything else, and Straczynski blends the two perfectly together in this time-traveling adventure. The issues of time travel are even addressed, and put you at ease instantly. I love the historical references, such as The Battle of Saratoga and Captain America discussing it. It is the little details within the story that stand out to me in this first issue, making it immensely fun!

Derek – Sending The Avengers to fight Morgan Le Fay alongside the Continental Army to save the United States before they really began is just such a great idea! This story feels so much like old school Marvel, a clear threat and a battle between good and evil. Straczynski masterfully weaves this story together, calling out Marvel history along the way. A time travel story well told is always worth a read and this one looks like it may end up being one of the greats.

The Art and Letters:

Matt – There is such a clash of time periods in this issue, and it comes together excellently. The art team captures the time period and the details within the uniforms and things like that in great detail. There are a bunch of excellent splash pages and panels that pop out to the eye and bring you into the story. The team adds their own flair of details to Hulk and each character’s costumes, bringing familiarity and distinctness to them at the same time. Visually, this issue is stunning and a lot of fun!

Derek – This art team works together to seamlessly bridge the two, vastly, different time periods in this book. The panel layout, especially when each member of The Avengers is being introduced, is fantastic throughout. The design of the Inner Sanctum feels like something straight out of a Jack Kirby book and to cut so quickly to the 1770’s with a complete art change is perfect. A change in artists half way through a book is not always an easy transition, but here it works exactly the way it needs to.

Final Thoughts:

Matt -10/10. 1776 #1 is a clash of heroes in a race against time that sets the stage for our heroes traveling to an unfamiliar period in the fight for America. We’re met with a collage of excellent team members and familiar historical names. The team lays everything out clearly setting us up for an amazing run ahead.

Derek – 10/10. There are few things better than modern heroes being transported back in time. 1776 #1 is doesn’t kick against that trend. With a great blend of magic, humor, and immanent doom… this is just an absolute win for an comic fan!

Overall Grade: 10/10

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