Avengers #63 is a great chapter in a somewhat weak story. For great characterization and some absolutely classic super-hero moments, it's hard to go wrong with Avengers #63, and there are elements here that could have made this the best Thor, Captain America and/or Iron Man story of the year. But the central premise, the involvement of a villain who makes the whole thing feel a little less serious and the inability of a crossover to really enact change on the status quo leaves the end result of the story a little hollow. Still, the book is gorgeous, the action scenes phenomenal to look at and each Avenger that is focused on in this story gets one moment that should go in the list of their best moments in comics.
From reading his works, I've gotten the sense that Johns really loves these characters, and that love and understanding of them really shines through in his work. He also knows how to write them so that others can be infected by that enthusiasm for the characters, and I thought there were some absolutely terrific moments in this issue. Captain America's inspiration of loyalty in a group of American soldiers. Iron Man rising from the wreckage of his armor to take on Thor again. Thor hitting Captain America's shield, with surprising results. Each of these moments made me feel like the Avengers is supposed to, like these are the coolest characters on the planet.
It's in the central story that some of the weaknesses come through. There's nothing wrong with exploring serious issues in the super-hero genre, but there needs to be some effort to keep things a little more grounded. The politics of the situation in a fictional country and the involvement of a world leader actually named Doom makes the proceedings seem more than a little silly, and Johns's take on the state of Russian/American diplomacy seems based more on the height of the Cold War than the generally friendly relations that define us now. I had a hard time believing that this was a legitimate threat, especially as I compare it to current world events and U.S. actions that seem far more complex and dangerous.
Of course, the crossover has other effects beyond a somewhat shaky story, positive effects like the artwork of Alan Davis. Davis, Farmer and Kemp do an absolutely breathtaking job on the artwork this issue. The conflagration between Thor and Iron Man, begun in Iron Man two weeks ago, is spectacular to behold, and since much of this issue is spent on Thor fighting Captain America and Iron Man, it's good that these creators can handle the battle scenes so effectively.
The ending of this issue was a little shaky for me, focused on diplomacy from a guy named Doom and a broken relationship that really hadn't seemed so strong of late anyway. The ramifications are more for Thor than anything else, and they don't seem strong in light of the huge status quo changes he's been going through in his own book. But for sheer super-hero spectacle alone and a true understanding of Marvel's big guns, this issue is notable and very enjoyable.
