Avengers #11: The Butler Did It

Jed MacKay’s Avengers has felt like a return to form as the vice-like grip of brand synergy loosens around the franchise’s neck. The team’s domination of pop culture wanes in the aftermath of Endgame, and so does their obligation to mimic the style of their Hollywood counterparts. It will soon be the Fantastic Four and X-men’s turn to bear that burden. Now the Avengers are free to re-embrace the niche, geekier elements of their mythos that have long been forgotten.

The shift can be felt in several ways, like the emphasis on camaraderie and teamwork instead of the dramatic tension that has shadowed the past few volumes of this title. The return of once-inseparable duo Scarlet Witch and Vision has been and continues to be the most gratifying creative choice of MacKay’s run. The two converse with a  renewed sense of warmth and familiarity and just a hint of endearingly candid awkwardness. If the intention is to reignite their romance then the book is taking a slow-burn approach, which is the smartest method for two lovers who have endured so much trauma.

Avengers #11 brings the biggest blast from the past yet, as devoted butler Edwin Jarvis returns to tidy up the team’s latest base of operations. A sentient city floating in Earth’s atmosphere is a big jump from the old mansion, but Jarvis doesn’t miss a beat and falls right back into groove with his old employers. He’s not the only ghost of Marvel’s past summoned, as his new assistant, Mr. Sweeney a.k.a. Bruiser, is a deep cut reference to forty-year-old Avengers #201. In his sole appearance, the havoc-wreaking bully from the Bronx literally had some common sense knocked into him by Edwin and apparently became his protégé. They are an unlikely duo who bring light-hearted slapstick silliness absent since the end of Busiek’s era. Not only allies are pulled from the vault, as the dastardly Mad-Thinker and his abominable creation The Man-Slayer, not seen since the original volume of Captain Marvel, have snuck aboard the Impossible City to take their shot at the heroes.

The ensuing battle is dynamic and fluid thanks to Ivan Fiorelli’s heightened, cartoonish style. Characters’ faces and bodies are more angular, their eyes and mouths larger to allow easier display of emotion as they zip through the cityscape. The big finishing move in which four avengers torpedo themselves into the Man-Slayer excellently conveys speed and force. It’s complemented by a beautiful wide shot showing how far the killing machine has been flung into the void of space. In the end, it’s a triumphant, easy victory for the Avengers that plants seeds for a larger threat and proves that Edwin Jarvis still fits right in amongst Earth’s mightiest heroes.