Sunday Splash Page #53

"Beach Blanket Monster Fightin'" in Avengers: Four #2, by Mark Waid (writer), Barry Kitson (penciler), Mark Farmer (inker), Jordan Boyd (colorist), Ferran Delgado (letterer)

Something fairly recent this week, as this mini-series only came out two years ago. It wasn't presented exactly as a mini-series at the time, since Marvel did that stupid decimal point numbering system they use periodically to show this was tied in with the Mark Waid/Michael del Mundo Avengers. 

Which was what, two or three Avengers' books ago? I'm sure there's been an Avengers title in between this one and the current one by Jason Aaron. And I'm just talking about books with the title "Avengers". I know there have been tons of other books with some adjective slapped in front of that word.

The main book was doing something about Kang trying the old bit where you kill your enemies as children so they never present themselves as threats bit. I wasn't reading it, that's just what I vaguely remember. This story, though, was a modified version of the early days of Cap's Kooky Quartet, which is my favorite Avengers roster, so here we are. I'm guessing the character introduced in this mini-series played some major role in whatever the main book story was.

And since that character had the ability to boost the abilities of the Avengers, compensating for the roster's lack of raw power, it kind of took away from one of the major things I always enjoyed about the Quartet, that they did seem to be operating at such a disadvantage compared to most Avengers' lineups. This story focuses more on them trying to get the public to believe in them, and to believe in each other.

Which is fun enough. Hawkeye's pissing Captain America and Quicksilver off constantly, even torments Jarvis for a time (Jarvis gets revenge). Although Clint hits on Wanda less than I expected he would. Pietro acts like an impatient dick a lot, which is normal, but Waid uses it to good effect. A page or two after the image above, as someone in the crowd once again unfavorably compares them to Thor, Pietro dashes by and shouts, 'Will you people shut up about Thor?!' 

Kitson's work is solid, and mostly clean and easy to follow. He and Farmer do a good job of evoking an older feel, mostly. The problem is that the further into this story we get, the more the art team expands. Before it's all said and done, there are three other pencilers besides Kitson (all those on the last issue), five other inkers, and two more colorists. It doesn't help the flow of the story at all to be switching between styles so much. But otherwise, it's pretty fun.