Avengers #4 - The Death and Resurrection of Major Titans

I'm sure it's great and all, but why not use Blue Marvel instead of Hyperion? I just don't get it. I mean sure, their powersets are close, but I'm just typically not a fan of alternate reality characters, especially when unused 616 characters who fill the same function are lying around.

There were parts that I really didn't get about this book. It had plenty of redeeming qualities, but I just don't understand where Hickman is trying to go from here. Plus, what the hell was with that one AIM guy's dialogue where he was stuttering?

I also find it hard to believe that the Avengers would have missed something as important as another impact site. which AIM just happened to find without them knowing. And did Hickman really feel it was necessary to rehash exactly how Hyperion is a Superman clone?

@PrimeDirective said:

I'm sure it's great and all, but why not use Blue Marvel instead of Hyperion? I just don't get it. I mean sure, their powersets are close, but I'm just typically not a fan of alternate reality characters, especially when unused 616 characters who fill the same function are lying around.

Hyperion was used because his origin ties into the current arc of New Avengers. The plots of New Avengers and Avengers are going to be constantly overlapping. What was being described in New Avengers so far happens on panel in Avengers even though Avengers isn't covering the story, and it happens to Hyperion. That's why Hyperion is in the book. Why Hickman didn't just use the good Hyperions that have either visited or currently reside in the main 616 universe is the question worth asking, and it's probably because he wanted a Hyperion without the baggage.

@Zeeguy91 said:

There were parts that I really didn't get about this book. It had plenty of redeeming qualities, but I just don't understand where Hickman is trying to go from here. Plus, what the hell was with that one AIM guy's dialogue where he was stuttering?

I also find it hard to believe that the Avengers would have missed something as important as another impact site. which AIM just happened to find without them knowing. And did Hickman really feel it was necessary to rehash exactly how Hyperion is a Superman clone?

The AIM guy stuttered because he had a stutter. There's nothing more to it. Some people stutter, even mad scientists. Also, considering that the Avengers wouldn't have found the sixth impact site without Hyperion--him being there was a chance happening in and of itself--it's not hard to imagine that while they struggled to find the sixth, they missed one.

And yes he did, because not everyone reading Avengers is familiar with Hyperion.

@ThanosIsMad: You are correct, Hickman has been on record of stating he wanted a brand new Hyperion who does not come with any baggage at all. One that was fresh and did not require new and old readers to have to go and figure out who and what this ones back story or previous history was about. One he could give a voice to and make not seem so silly or stupid. I was glad at least that he tied in at least some of the threads from his New Avengers title as well.

I thought they were going to make Hyperion an Eternal rather than a pure Superman clone. The way he was written makes me think he is a temporary character or that he'll go bad.

The art was a distraction this issue. First page, tiny headed Cap, awful.

I haven't read a comic that was illustrated by Kubert in a while. Always been a fan of the team books when he's on board. I still want Opena back tho. The guy is sick, and I can't wait what they have him draw next. Still Kubert is a good guest artist. As for Hyperion. I like the idea of having Hyperion on the team. I know he's an homage of Superman that worked good in an alternate univers, but I'm intrigued to see just how much of a Superman clone he is. Will they make as powerful as Superman. Any time anyone tries, fan just hate the character. Plus just having a character named Hyperion is cool. A great super hero name. He needs a new costume tho. All the Huperion looks are just weak.

I still feel like Hickman is setting up all the pieces. And that's fine, I just hope to see a big pay off at some point. I like having Hyperion on the team. I'm a big fan of Mark Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme.

now im not normally a huge fan of Falcon,...i jus dont get it. but am i the only one liking his new costume?

@scuzz2.0: yep he's gonna go bad. not really too bad tho just sort of looking after the new species that has landed on earth...like magneto would

I've dropped this series after issue 3. I'm just not interested in buying loads of set up issues for a pay off later. It's unsatisfying NOW! Uncanny Avengers is the #1 Avengers title for me by far. Avengers Assemble is also a much more fun read then either Hickman books.

@PrimeDirective said:

I'm sure it's great and all, but why not use Blue Marvel instead of Hyperion? I just don't get it. I mean sure, their powersets are close, but I'm just typically not a fan of alternate reality characters, especially when unused 616 characters who fill the same function are lying around.

I think the question is more "Why would Hickman want to use Blue Marvel in the first place?" I just dont get the interest that some people have in the character - it was a pretty terrible mini IMO. To each their own though I suppose.

Anyway as others have pointed out Hyperion serves a couple of purposes.

1. He lets Hickman write Superman on the Avengers basically.
2. His backstory ties in with Hickman's larger plans.

@That60sGuy said:

I've dropped this series after issue 3.

I dropped it after issue 1

When i read this book I have the feeling as if I were watching a movie, thanks Hickman you are great.

This is my favorite Marvel Book at the moment. It has this great feeling of epic storyline to it and I can't wait to see it all unfold. I'm not normally a fan of all the double shipping Marvel does but I'm glad we get issue five next week already.

I hope that people who bought Bendis Avengers are digging this book. I'm fearful that this book would go over their heads.

@Fifthchild: For that matter, why would he use Hyperion? I mean really... Hyperion has about as many fans as Blue Marvel I'd say, and most of those are fans of King Hyperion from Exiles, of which this new Hickman version isn't. It just strikes me as a real waste of a potentially good character. I mean, if ANYONE could do Blue Marvel justice, it'd be Hickman. I think if we had a book that placed Blue Marvel in situations akin to Hickman's FF epic run and had him acting as the guardian of Earth against greater cosmic threats, I think we'd get one hell of a book. I mean really... Why keep pushing Luke Cage when you have Blue Marvel right there? Iron Fist was made super cool again, but Luke Cage? Dude doesn't even have a superhero name anymore... And as for the Superman bit, Blue Marvel went face-to-face with Sentry and later King Hyperion... And won. Yeah, Blue Marvel would have been waaaaaaay better.

@PrimeDirective: You know as well as I, that they aren't gonna put Blue Marvel in the lime light, because he way too powerful and he's black. Icon suffers the same fate at Dc! The way Blue Marvel handled the Sentry and King Hyperion (Killer of Heroes in Parallel Worlds), who wasn't infused with nanites to weaken him ,like when Juggernaut defeated him, was nice. On the Flip side I like the New Hyperion.

@evilvegeta74: I know... I got hopeful when they had that one shot with him from Horic Age, but since then they've done squat with him. I know some people think he's uninteresting, but he's a statement about the times and how they've changed. We as a country moved on from the darker times when civil rights were practically non-existant for anything other than American-born white non-jewish and non-irish, but we've forgotten about those who were left in a bad spot in the wake of it all. Blue Marvel is a great example of that. They needed a hero in his time, but they wanted him to hide the fact that he was black because it would upset some white folk of the day. When it came out, he was forced to go into retirement because the government didn't want to make waves. He could have been out of retirement doing good work with the rest of the superhero community a loooooong time ago, but no one came and attempted to make it right with him.

I love the character, I love what he stands for, and I really wish people would start being as pushy about him as Bendis is with Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. "Oh hurr durr multee ethnik cupelz r ejee herp derp! Luke Cage iz a prettee kewl gye cuz eh ponchez tings an dosent afriad ov aneeting an he iz black so don forget et cuz he iz black and i jsut wanna say he iz black if u didnt no! Jessica Jones iz so kewl cuz she dosent wnat 2 b teh herro but she totalee dose but cant cuz she haz reel life problemz! Gud charakterz liek n shaer plz n thx best evar no bad commnets plz!!1" Yeeeeup... Someone needs to take the Bendis approach with some of these forgotten characters that actually have potential.

.

@ThanosIsMad said:

The AIM guy stuttered because he had a stutter. There's nothing more to it. Some people stutter, even mad scientists. Also, considering that the Avengers wouldn't have found the sixth impact site without Hyperion--him being there was a chance happening in and of itself--it's not hard to imagine that while they struggled to find the sixth, they missed one.

And yes he did, because not everyone reading Avengers is familiar with Hyperion.

That's the thing, though. Not only did they not find it, they didn't even know of its existence. Before they even found the sixth one, they were still able to decipher that a sixth one did in fact exist because of some shadow on the video relay (or something like that). I find it hard to believe that if they could find the sixth one like that, that they'd overlook details that would lead them to the existence of a seventh impact site.

I was reading this just because Opeña and Dean White were doing it, are they coming back?

@tximinoman: there's a rotating art team of Opena, Kubert, Dustin Weaver and the Mike Deodato. They'll be back at the start of the next rotation.

@PrimeDirective: I ordered his mini-series and the Heroic Age one -shot and expected big things, as well but he didn't get the push that Luke Cage got, which is wrong. When Fear Itself was going on i expected him to play a major role, that didn't happen, they had him in the ocean in some kind of facility /retreat, doing virtually nothing.n I agree with you 100%.

I must be crazy, I found this (AND the series so far) quite boring

I saw that cover and thought "please say that's Hyperion." YES!!!!!

@PrimeDirective: Hickman said on CBR that he never heard of Blue Marvel until people started asking questions about him. He also said he liked the character, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

@windcaster: REALLY?!? That... seriously... makes me happy!!! Hickman is one of my favorite writers and I feel like he's just what Blue Marvel needs to get the right kind of boost. That and including him in things like the upcoming Marvel Heroes MMOARPG, the Avengers Alliance Facebook game, the upcoming Avengers Assemble cartoon, and their other forms of media. Exposure and solid writing will give him that established place in the Marvel universe as well as a fanbase. Besides, they didn't seem to have a problem doing just that with Sam Alexander, the new Nova.

Just one thing about the Hyperion origin. It seems that how his world was destroyed is exactly the same as what's going on in New Avengers right now... hmmm??

Proud that I understood the reference about A.I.M aquiring diplomatic immunity from way back in fantastic four. This is the moment that you realise your a true marvel fan. Nerd points +1.

I hated the first arc, the solution was just too convenient and easy. I do have hopes for this book though.

I became an instant fan of Hyperion after reading this issue. Never heard of the guy before (kinda new to comics) and I find him interesting. Hickman says he's a big part of a 3 year Avengers plan so we'll see what happens.

@PrimeDirective said:

@Fifthchild: For that matter, why would he use Hyperion? I mean really... Hyperion has about as many fans as Blue Marvel I'd say, and most of those are fans of King Hyperion from Exiles, of which this new Hickman version isn't. It just strikes me as a real waste of a potentially good character. I mean, if ANYONE could do Blue Marvel justice, it'd be Hickman.

It seems he just isn't someone Hickman is interested in writing about. Speaking for myself, as a character he was more or less summed as a powerlevel attached to a very predictable, cliched story. Just my opinion though.

I think if we had a book that placed Blue Marvel in situations akin to Hickman's FF epic run and had him acting as the guardian of Earth against greater cosmic threats, I think we'd get one hell of a book. I mean really... Why keep pushing Luke Cage when you have Blue Marvel right there?

What is that supposed to mean? Both are black but one is more powerful and thus better?

Luke Cage got pushed because Bendis loved the character. Nobody seems to be particularly interested in Blue Marvel so far.

Iron Fist was made super cool again, but Luke Cage? Dude doesn't even have a superhero name anymore...

This is a bad thing? Especially as compared to "Blue Marvel"?

And as for the Superman bit, Blue Marvel went face-to-face with Sentry and later King Hyperion... And won. Yeah, Blue Marvel would have been waaaaaaay better.

The Superman reference is about more than a powerlevel. And from Hickmans other comments Superman is one of his favourite characters in comics. It makes sense that he might want to include a Superman stand-in on the team.

@Fifthchild: Posted my problem with Luke Cage and the statement Bendis was using him to make in a later post, while also explaining how and why Blue Marvel does it a thousand times better and in a more realistic way.

ThIs is currently my favorite book. I have been a Hyperion fan since the 1970's. If you have been reading the book then you would know that there are Avengers team members that have not appeared in the book yet, and I would not be surprised to see Blue Marvel show up eventually, so stop your whining. And don't forget to catch me on the tv show Comic Book Men on AMC.

Loved this issue. Really digging Hyperion. Always liked his character, even if he was intended as a Superman ripoff.

I enjoyed this issue I liked the characterization of Hyperion also liked his backstory and his origin overall enjoyed this issue.

I couldn't disagree more with this review. This issue was not up to snuff with what I was expecting at all.

The first issue of Avengers had me very compelled, albeit completely confused, but nothing a few extra re-reads couldn't sort out. The second was a decent continuation, and the third seemed to race as fast as it could to avoid with the highest care any semblance of a compelling ending.

It was like blowing up a balloon expecting a great pop, but instead being greeted by the wallowing fart of escaping air as it fluttered around the room.

I was expecting a totally new direction in this issue, but had no problem with them picking up this farted-out balloon and blowing it up again. The problem is it all felt so bland. Focusing on Hyperion is an interesting angle, as I literally knew nothing at all of the character, but telling his backstory in such an "artistic" way just made following the whole thing all the more difficult.

Its odd, I find I really can't find much to complain about in this issue, because I barely remember what happened. I remember them fighting AIM in the Savage Land and zombie eggs and babies aliens, but that was only 1/3 of the issue and the rest was so obscure just for the sake of obscurity that I didn't take in any of the information. There's a difference between being artistic and being confusing and flowery just so you seem artistic.

IGN gave it 5/10. CV and IGN always have different tastes.

@MadeinBangladesh: I thought it was a good read, hardly a five star comic though. Maybe I'm just not generous dishing out full marks to everything I like though?

I thought this was a good issue but far from great. I'm a big fan of Hyperion so devoting the issue to this new version was interesting. I do feel like Hickman has bigger and better things in store to come.

It was not a bad Hyperion issue. I mean this is supposed to be about Avengers not just Hyperion.

@DMXN: Actually this issue was about the New Hyperions origin to be honest, and the next two issues will focus on the new Atom Smasher and Captain Universe. Even though this is an Avengers book, Hyperion will be the primary A kicker in the book!

@DarthLydia: My thoughts exactly! This cannot be a coincidence by any means. Hickman is up to something big..