The second issue of Johns's run on Avengers is stronger than the first, and it suffers largely from some uneven art and coloring. Those looking for the same strong characterization and team dynamics that Johns has brought to JSA won't be disappointed, however, as Johns goes a little further into his take on these characters, as well as further developing the intriguing plot that has seen world capitals disappearing and the Avengers put in charge. Johns shows the same understanding of Marvel characters and continuity that he has of DC, and provides an interesting read that doesn't require the reader to share the same level of knowledge in order to enjoy it.
Though I'm a fan of the widescreen storytelling approach, it seems like Johns is taking a more traditional, character-oriented approach to this widescreen plot idea. We're seeing how the Avengers and the world deal with a catastrophic situation, and the stresses it puts on their relationships. In addition, as with any crisis, outside relationships and problems continue to boil as well, whether it's the jealousy of a new teammate, the difficult romance of a pair of Avengers or some strange physiological changes in one of the other Avengers. There's a lot of story material here, and it's clear that Johns is laying groundwork for the long haul.
What most impresses me about the issue is how much characterization Johns is able to work into the story while moving the main plot forward. We get a pretty good look inside the heads of Falcon, Captain America, She Hulk, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Vision and Warbird over the course of this issue. I particularly enjoyed Falcon's comment about Captain America, and how Johns is using the Falcon's power, making him more than just "a guy who flies." And his Ant-Man, an outsider rookie who still comes across as confident and likable, is rapidly becoming a favorite, even as Jack of Hearts becomes less of a favorite. In fact, though I don't know that much about Jack, it seems that he's Johns's only character misstep, having suddenly become unreasonably angry and defensive, but I'm waiting to see what the explanation for that one might be... if it's based on his own insecurities about his place on the team, I can see it.
Art-wise, the book remains uneven, spectacular in some places and thoroughly disappointing in others. Tom Smith's color effects when the Avengers are dealing with the voids are sloppy... I see the effect he was going for, but it doesn't work, and it just looks ugly. I also wasn't crazy about some of Kieron Dwyer's work in the issue, as the faces and bodies of the characters sometimes look a little too jaundiced and angular. On the other hand, he does one of the best depictions of Ant-Man that I've seen, his work on the backgrounds is solid and the last page is drop-dead gorgeous. It's never bad artwork, it's just inconsistent.
I'm still not sure that Avengers has really found its art groove since George Perez left, but I'm really enjoying Geoff Johns's storytelling so far. As always, Johns is blending traditional storytelling and attention to continuity that should please the old school fans with a fresh approach and strong characterization that should bring in those who are fans of the "new" Marvel as well.
