Avengers Assemble isn't really a "lighter" Avengers comic; it's just a different approach to telling the story of these beloved characters by focusing on the characters themselves. It has more in common with Hawkeye and Captain Marvel than Jonathan Hickman's Avengers, but that shouldn't come as a surprise as DeConnick writes Captain Marvel as well. And there's a lovely cameo by a Hawkeye fan favorite in Avengers Assemble #13 that should clue readers in to how the tone of all three of these books overlap. Read Full Review

While the over silliness of lizard people in the sewers of Siberia does beg for camp, DeConnick manages to counter it with a fair amount of thoughtfulness and earnest intent. The artwork is engaging, as Woods offers some nice design work and layouts in this action-heavy issue. That said, the lizard-human hybrid designs are a bit lackluster, with the added confusion of Galinas lizard-form coming off as almost cat-like. Nitpicks aside, this middle-child in the Avengers franchise is still proving to be a consistently fun read: Plenty of action and witty dialogue, without the cosmic melodrama of its sister books. Another enjoyable read, with strong characterizations to balance the action. Read Full Review

Where things really fall apart though is the art. This issue lists three artist, Pete Woods, Mark Bagley, and Scott Hanna. The first two pages look fantastic and then things quickly decline. Characters' heads look odd and misshapen, the action is muddled, and the backgrounds disappear every other panel. This issue just looks rushed, like it was hastily thrown together to meet a deadline. It's a real bummer, because the world needs a good, fun Avengers book. Read Full Review