Avengers of the Wasteland #1: Teenage Wasteland

After the surprising hit Dead Man Logan, writer Ed Brisson returns to the Wastelands two years later to explore the burgeoning Avengers (Bruce Banner Jr. and the new wielder of Mjolnir, Dani Cage) and their attempts to heal the world. In typical Brisson fashion, this opening issue hinges entirely on his sharp comedic timing and exceptional character work. Nobody—and I mean nobody—takes a side-character from the bench and puts them in the spotlight as well as Brisson in modern comics and Avengers of the Wastelands is no exception.

A perfect complement to Brisson’s strengths, the art here by Jonas Scharf is dynamic and expressive in a crucial way. The side-winks from Dani, the inquisitive looks on Bruce Jr.’s face, the pain on the face of Dwight (Ant-Man)—all of these small details carry the voice of the narrative through to the artwork harmoniously. Even the settings, a harsh wasteland being slowly transformed to a thriving landscape capable of sustaining life, feels perfectly represented as a reality, aided by the color work by Neeraj Menon.

Of interesting note, Brisson seems fixated on gathering a team of Avengers strongly reminiscent of the earliest lineups, uniting Thor, Hulk, and Ant-Man with the newly-arrived and mysterious Captain America by the end of the issue. The earlier sequence with Ultron being confronted by Dr. Doom could gesture towards the obvious confrontation between the Avengers and Ultron but given the lack of an Iron Man figure in the current lineup, might we see Ultron fill that role? Time will tell but whatever happens throughout the course of this series, there is no doubt that in the hands of a deft creative team that is thriving together, Avengers of the Wastelands promises to be worth your time and money.