West Coast Avengers is about to become a big book. It expects its own longevity.
In other words, the first few issues gathered in the Gospels of Ultron are that they have set up many plot threads that hope for long-term germination in a satisfying conclusion. From the book’s central conceit – Tony Stark and James Rhodes can finally bring together a team of heroes that is rehabilitating supervillains, including the former Gate Ultron version, and plan according to the book’s needs, personal growth arcs laid out for Firestar, including PTSD.
Amazing
It is a high effort for an industry that doesn’t exactly allow books to be made real on their own terms. Books with similar ambitions, like Mark Russell and Bob Quinn’s X-Factor, released around the same time as The West Coast Avengers, have consistently become shorter on themselves before they can make much from the simmering plot points. We are no longer in the market to reward long goals.
That may be fine for an exceptional book, a book with tight writing and superstar artists, but the West Coast isn’t exactly that. Artist Danny Kim is talented and consistent, but he doesn’t offer any work that feels innovative or trending here. Author Jerry Duggan – The business has far more “names” and hasn’t adjusted the industry’s now shocking paperback standard book at all. While there can be days and days of debate about whether it’s good to design a story around five easily collected arcs, it’s actually a model we’ve been working on for years. The Gospel of Ultron does little to resolve whether it is a long-term ambition.
Amazing
None of these will be bad books on the West Coast. There are many things I like here. The team has an interesting roster (not all of them have a lot to do in the first arc). And Ultron’s current state is deeply and convincing. Each has his own goals and philosophy. The setup deserves the long distance possibilities of the story. Whether the Ultron Gospel supports long distance is another question.
However, the most interesting hooks in the book don’t play much. The second Ultron creates religion, germinating the angel wings, and transfers the disenfranchised human head into the overlap of his body. These sequences are interrupted by incompatible plots featuring Hydra Caps. Neither storyline fits into this format. This is not a book failure, it is a bigger industry standard failure.
What Ultron’s Gospel leaves readers with its unsettling hope for the future of its completion. The comic has at least five issues to close these ambitious threads – the stands of next month’s issue #10 hits – but it may not be sensitive or satisfying within that space due to severe concerns like Firestar’s alcoholism. My fingers crossed.
‘West Coast Avengers Vol. 1: Ultron’s Gospel is ambitious, but suffers by industry standards
West Coast Avengers Vol. 1: The Gospel of Ultron
It’s packed with interesting ideas, but the Gospel of Ultron doesn’t have the space to fulfill its long-term narrative ambitions.
Interesting use of Ultron.
An emotional start to Firestar.
Unique team roster.
Disrupting the most interesting ideas with fewer competitions.
