The last work I read by Christos Gage was The First X-Men, a series I started reading and stopped after the second issue. I found the entire concept to be completely unnecessary. On the flip side, Gage's story in Avengers Assemble Annual #1 is a stunning example of how the writer can handle a story with a little more significance under its wings. The Vision is a fan-favorite character that's been absent for too long, and Gage brings him back in style while also forging an exciting new path for the android who has served everyone but himself since he was first switched on. Read Full Review

"Avengers Assemble Annual" #1 is a tidy character piece that's gorgeously presented by Tomm Coker and a giant art team. There's a fine line between soul-searching narrative and smash-'em-up action that makes this comic deliver in many ways. Vision fans will be incredibly happy with how Gage and Coker construct this story. Read Full Review

When it comes to the art, this issue is an utter mess. Tomm Coker is credited on the cover, but inside we have five artists listed. That's right, five! It's hard to say who is doing what, but in general the book looks very, very flat. It's stiff and lacks any movement. When the characters are just standing around talking, it looks fine, but once the action starts it becomes a disaster. The scenes are clunky and awkwardly staged. The colors are blocky and overdone. There are even a few moments where I swear the art is just copied and pasted from a previous panel. Avengers Assemble Annual #1 is an odd book and one that Avengers fans could, and should, probably skip. Read Full Review