Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales and Jason Keith
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 11, 2020

I need this book to start doing something a little more focused and meaningful than just setting up Marvel’s next announced book. Jason Aaron has a bunch of loose threads, and I am trying to remain patient as he gets back to them, but really, all I want is a little Avengers in the Avengers book. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s how I roll. The cover and preview for this issue don’t bode well for me or anyone who feels the same way, but I’m keeping an open mind going in. So, does this issue give me what I am looking for from this book? Let’s find out…

Well, we start with a good looking bunch of pages of Namor, but the over-the-top narration threw me off. I get what Aaron is trying to do here, but that didn’t help me like it and it ended up just setting up a trip to Ukraine to check in with Dracula and his vamps.

Dracula is busy dishing out tough love to the vampire nation until they are worthy to worship him, and even those closest to him are not seeing fang to fang with him. When the question of who the vampires can get to become allies with them versus the Avengers, the narrative of this issue becomes a bit more transparent, and the answer does point towards every team that Jason Aaron introduced in the series so far.

Well, I wanted things to get wrapped up, and this does point towards the quickest way possible. Does it feel forced and a bit out of nowhere after all this time? Yes, but I am not looking this gift horse in the mouth just yet.

We continue with the Winter Guard in Russia, and after forcefully reminded the reader how badass they are, we zip to Avengers Mountain to see Black Widow trying to convince Blade to remain an Avenger and surprise, it works. Again, though, it felt out of nowhere except to remind the reader that Blade was on the Avengers in the first place.

The recap continues with Baby Starbrand and Tony. This is the sort of thing that irritates me with this book. We get something like this new Starbrand and then leave it for a while, so when it does pop up again, Aaron needs to recap to get the reader up to speed.

We end with the Squadron Suprememe, but not really. They are there, but Aaron is more interested in setting up other things, and while one is so tired at this point that I laughed out loud, the second one is a bit more intriguing, but only a bit.

There is not much to this issue at all. We get some recap to remind us who else is hanging around in this run, and instead of actual story progression, Aaron lines up a couple of pieces on his board so that there may be a story to tell with them later. Whether you like it or not relies on if you care for the big bad behind the curtain, which I do not. Then we add another piece to the already overcrowded game, and I think I am out. Then, I turn the page and see that we will get another new character in the book next issue… Oh well, when Aaron does eventually get around to telling a story, I like this book enough, but this is just ridiculous by now.

Final Thoughts:

Avengers #32 is recap mixed with setup, and by the end, we add more elements to a story that is lacking progression and focus. I liked the art, but when I get excited to see a couple of Avengers in a couple of panels, something is off. Unfortunately, that something is this book off of my pull list.

4.5/10