Most of my series has been concentrated on telling a story of one individual character, such as Wonder Woman and Iron Man.
However, it’s also great to be able to enjoy story that pertains to the whole group, and to witness the dynamics between characters that I have already come across.
One of my favorite groups that emerged from reading through these comic books (as well as watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe) has to be the Avengers.
In my quest for comics bringing forth the team, I decided to read the graphic novel Avengers: Endless Wartime this week.
I will be adding my usual disclaimer here:
This article will discuss the plot details of Avengers: Endless Wartime, and it is guaranteed that there will be spoilers for the story within this graphic novel.
You have been warned!
So, let’s get started with the visuals and artwork of the story.
Illustrator Mike McKone and color artists Jason Keith and Rain Beredo collaborated to bring the comic’s story to life within the art they created.
I thought the illustrations were incredible and it instantly drew me in.
From the soft shading, the dimensional figures, to the gentle and appropriate use of colors, to the differing implementations of light and dark images, I found the story to be all the more captivating to read as I followed along with the artwork.
Let’s move on to the story.
While, overall, Endless Wartime highlights the functions and communication of the Avengers, the story’s protagonist is clearly Steve Rogers, or Captain America.
The author of the graphic novel, Warren Ellis, does an excellent job in maintaining the theme of alienation when it comes to Steve.
The city he lives in is still New York, but it’s not the New York from his time, and Ellis really shines in illustrating Steve’s struggle to not only adapt to a new environment, but new comrades in battle.
Endless Wartime explores the trauma within Steve’s mind after his time in the ice, and of being wrenched away from his own time only to emerge in a completely foreign future.
But at the same time, not completely foreign. Something sinister that Steve encountered and battled back in 1944, back in World War II, has followed him through time, and has emerged in the new era alongside him.
Now, the modern-day Avengers find themselves fighting to stop a force that is only truly known by Steve and, interestingly enough, Thor.
Thor had fought against this creature before and managed to destroy it, but not before it reproduced numerous spawn, which are now ransacking the modern world.
His battle and Steve’s battle back in 1944 proves that the creature cannot be stopped by the force of one god or man alone.
The Avengers must work together and unite in power to defeat it.
Speaking of the team, the addition of Wolverine and Captain Marvel to the team (I’m used to the core six Avengers from the MCU) was an interesting spectacle that I enjoyed reading.
The team dynamics in general were intriguing to observe, especially when examined through Steve’s eyes.
Clint Barton is ridiculed on more than one occasion, and Tony Stark comes across as arrogant and brash, just to name a few examples.
While it is the team as a whole contribute to the readers’ understanding of the characters in this manner, it’s ultimately Steve’s vision and interpretation of these characters that sticks throughout the pages of the graphic novel.
Steve is the leader of the team and it’s apparent that he is on mostly good terms with them, but he isolates himself from them, unwilling to fully settle into this new future.
The ending leaves it ambiguous as to whether Steve allows himself to grow closer to the Avengers, since he has only ever really seen them as allies or teammates rather than friends, and even says so within certain panels.
But I thought Clint’s parting words for Steve, where he represents a hope for a better outcome to an everlasting war, left a nice sentiment.
While this graphic novel appears to be independent, this adds potential to the prospect of Steve finally settling into his second life, rather than cling to the ghosts of his past.
Overall, I thought this was a pretty decent read, and really enjoyed going back to a depiction of the Avengers team rather than a character stand-alone.
Gisselle Lopez
Features Editor