By Steve Baxi — Conan the Barbarian, Anti-Venom, Daredevil, Black Knight, Weapon H, Deathlok, Cloak and Dagger walk into downtown New York. I really don’t know what else there is to say but you should read it! 

Savage Avengers #1 starts a new volume with a new creative team consisting ofby David Pepose, Carlos Magno, and Espen Grudetjern, is a chaotic, fun adventure through a wide variety of Marvel properties. The original run of Savage Avengers by Gerry Duggan and Mike Deodato offered a similar roster but the landscape has shifted a great deal since 2019. Thus, instead of getting Eddie Brock’s Venom, we have Flash Thompson’s new Anti-Venom. Instead of Elektra in her normal attire, she’s on the team as Daredevil. Additionally, the lack of a heavy pop culture anchor like Wolverine in the previous team gives this make up much less structure or authority. This doesn’t feel like a book that wants to take advantage of the biggest names. Rather, it wants to create an eclectic group dynamic all its own.

This largely works well, albeit it's difficult to say with only a first issue. Team comics sometimes don’t demand an epic premise. This isn’t Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on a quest to fight Galactus. Instead, this is all about wrapping unlikely allies into a pulp hero adventure where nothing seems to come obviously. There’s no reason for anyone to trust anyone else, there’s no common threat that we’re aware of, outside of just general harm prevention. The dynamic is enough to sell the whole premise. Conan fighting Deathlok? Sure, I’ll bite! However, so far there isn’t much room to see where that goes. Instead, Pepose depends heavily on building a mood and hinting at the genre influences to get you in the right headspace for what you’re about to read in future issues.

Pepose spends much of this issue creating an atmosphere that takes advantage of the epic, weird characters in front of us. We’re watching a man of the past in Conan fighting a man of the future in Deathlok. We have a forever will they/won’t they with Cloak and Dagger. Black Knight is both the most gallant and most pathetic person in the universe, compared to Daredevil who is absolutely no nonsense and infinitely capable. You can feel the pulp melodrama in each of Pepose’s captions that focus on the eternal, defining traits of the cast. He gives them all larger than life pathos, and then whirls them into utter chaos. And the cliffhanger is something that takes full advantage of that writing style. There’s so much fun to be had with the premise and I think Pepose takes that seriously, allowing the book to never feel too bogged down by lore dumps or character histories. No one has any idea what’s happening, so you don’t need to spend a paragraph explaining why Elektra is Daredevil right now for those who aren’t reading the Zdarsky run. I appreciate that commitment, simply stating “trust me, this is gonna rule.” 

And it does indeed rule. 

Carlos Magno and Espen Grudetjern are given a difficult task, taking all these genres, styles and influences under one banner. Of course, this is superhero comics and so they are no stranger to making every character feel at home in a book that is all about how weird it is that these people are together. They create high octane action in a number of different locations. The book never feels like it's dragging, every small character interaction leads into an ever escalating punch-up through New York. This book lays its cards on the table very early one: there will be battles, there will be confusion, and if you’re up for the ride then hop on the train.

David Peopose is of course a prolific creator in his own right. Spence & Locke with co-creator Jorge Santiago, Jr. is a hilarious satire with an unexpected heart. Unlike that series which takes a slower, more methodical approach, Savage Avengers reads like it's throwing everything at the wall. I appreciate that dichotomy. I like that Peopose feels like a kid with a toy box on one end, and a genre critic with something to say on the other. With that said, I’m most looking forward to how this series will eventually meet him in the middle. 

Savage Avengers shows a lot of promise with this first issue. Daredevil and Conan are the heavy hitters here but that alone should tell you how strange this band of misfits is, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they bounce off each other. There isn’t much material here in terms of how those relationships play out, at least none that I could pick up on right away. But there is enough time devoted to each pairing that you get a sense of how they might function in the larger narrative. The art is bombastic and does an enviable job of making every corner of the Marvel universe feel cohesive. And in the end, what more could you want? 

Overall:. Savage Avengers is a fun, chaotic ride through the weirder parts of Marvel with an enticing cliffhanger that more than covers the price of admission. 8/10. 

Review: Savage Avengers #1

Savage Avengers #1
Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Carlos Magno
Colorist: Espen Grundetjern
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
AN ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT, ALL-DANGEROUS TEAM ASSEMBLES! Since his exile from the Hyborian Age, Conan the Barbarian has conquered the most dangerous foes the modern Marvel Universe has to offer — but what happens when this hard-edged Cimmerian finds himself on the run from the cybernetic soldier of the future known as Deathlok? Outgunned and outmatched, Conan must turn to an unlikely group of loners, berserkers and killers if he hopes to survive the night — but can these Savage Avengers defy Deathlok’s murderous manhunt, or will they become the next targets in the crosshairs of tomorrow? Don’t miss out on a bold new beginning for Marvel’s most savage super heroes, as Ringo Award-winning writer David Pepose (Spencer & Locke, Scout’s Honor) and superstar artist Carlos Magno (KANG THE CONQUEROR, RoboCop: Dead or Alive) introduce a sensational new lineup that will resonate across every era of the House of Ideas!
Buy It Here: Digital

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Steve Baxi has a Masters in Ethics and Applied Philosophy, with focuses in 20th Century Aesthetics and Politics. Steve creates video essays and operates a subscription based blog where he writes on pop culture through a philosophy lens. He tweets through @SteveSBaxi.