Available in print and digital formats now from Lenovations Press, Avenger (New Blood) is a hybrid of classic storytelling and something a little more modern…
Lenovations Press proudly revives The Avenger, a classic crime-fighting hero from the golden age of comics.
First appearing in 1955, The Avenger, Roger Wright, a wealthy scientist who invented the STARJET, a revolutionary airplane. When spies kidnap his brother to coerce Wright into handing over the plans, he chooses to fight back instead. Donning the mantle of The Avenger, he becomes a relentless opponent of evil, committed to thwarting criminal plots. Despite its brief run of only four issues, the original series exemplifies some of the best work from the atomic age.
Story, Lettering: Len Mihalovich, Pencils & Inks: Mano Ardal, Phil Miller, Jeff Austin, Colours: Periya Pillai, Len Mihalovich.
Most of this story is based on flashbacks, so we get some interesting golden-age adventures here.
But.
And this is a big but, there is an interesting modern twist. Not only with the bookending of the story at the beginning and the end (more on that later) but also with the story's framing. This adventure takes the golden age heroics we know and digs deeper after the final freezeframe. It’s a clever idea and looks at some of the issues that may cause the adventure and the fallout for those involved and surrounding the area.
For example, here, a nuclear missile is diverted into the sea. Yay! The city is saved, but the knock-on effect is that it kills or irradiates a number of fish, decimating the fishing in the area. These are things that are not considered in the main story.
The adventure itself is very good and has some of the classic tropes. Using the ‘normal’ partner adds to the storytelling and builds on it later.
The bookends take us to the modern day and look to be dealing with the character's legacy and history. Of course, there is a catch, and that is well dealt with and revealed in the end.
I loved the different art and colouring styles of this story. The different times add to this and break up the story well. Some excellent pacing and good action panels move around the story as it is being told.
I look forward to reading more.