Secret Avengers #1

CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top

• 9.0

  A Comic Book Blog - Geoff Arbuckle

  Feb 13, 2013

  This is a great start to a new series and a new direction for Secret Avengers. It's off to a great start an I can't wait to see what comes next! Read Full Review

• 9.0

  AIPT - David

  Feb 13, 2013

  Let's face it, writer Nick Spencer has delivered a fresh take on a team book that's been more of the same for too long. Artist Luke Ross delivers a dark and shady book that has some Steve Epting flare but dare I say better flow. If Spencer can continue surprising me I'll be reading this to the day he gets shifted off the book. Read Full Review

• 9.0

  One Quest - Chris Cobb

  Feb 14, 2013

  The book has a very secret agent feel to it which helps with this being undercover ops and all and a lot of the dialogue was fun with a lot of comparisons and such. Not to mention a great twist at the end. This is exactly the kind of Avengers book I want to read and I hope as time goes on other heroes are brought in, but not the big guys like Cap or Thor. Read Full Review

• 9.0

  Super Hero Hype - Spencer Perry

  Feb 14, 2013

  It's quite obvious from the cover art, the title design, and the team's roster that this comic is catering toward the film audience, but that doesn't mean it's trying to pander to an unfamiliar crowd. Secret Avengers is a wild ride that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Spencer has a clear grasp on his team and how they react to almost anything, and it sticks out from everything else Marvel is doing because it's no generic superhero comic. If you like your Marvel characters well written and drawn with a piping cup of espionage thriller, this is the comic for you. Read Full Review

• 8.6

  Geek Smash - Andrea Shockling

  Feb 13, 2013

  I have been looking forward to "Secret Avengers" #1 since last fall. Nick Spencer's first issue was solid, fun and funny. This title is in good hands going forward. But what did you think? Comment below, or hit me up on Twitter as usual. Read Full Review

• 8.4

  Weekly Comic Book Review - Hugo Robberts Lariviere

  Feb 13, 2013

  Secret Avengers starts quite well with an issue that mixes espionage, action and bureaucracy quite well, thanks to the good work of Luke Ross and Matthew Wilson on the art department and Nick Spencer's smart dialogue. Read Full Review

• 8.4

  Entertainment Fuse - Sean Elks

  Feb 18, 2013

  Secret Avengers with Spencer and Ross gets us back to the espionage themes that I've always felt got lost during Rick Remender's run with the series. It may become the next best thing to having a S.H.I.E.L.D. series as well. Best of all, it's a Marvel series where Spencer can finally succeed like he should. Because let's be honest. Books like Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate X-Men and a Cloak and Dagger limited series were never going to be big. Secret Avengers is something that can let his writing shine, though. Read Full Review

• 8.4

  Forces Of Geek - Atlee Greene

  Feb 18, 2013

  There is too much going on and it fails on every level to make you care about this character. Nothing to get excited about at all. Read Full Review

• 8.0

  Comic Vine - Gregg Katzman

  Feb 13, 2013

  Odds are you won't fall in love with Marvel's latest secret tale, but there's likely enough here to get hold of your curiosity. There's certainly a fair amount of potential -- the basics for this mystery have been set up and Spencer crafts some very enjoyable dialogue from Clint. The ongoing twist with their memory has a lot of promise, too. It goes without saying that I recommend giving this an honest chance if you happen to be a fan of the spy genre, S.H.I.E.L.D, Hawkeye or Black Widow. Plus, Taskmaster's in the next issue and that alone assures I'll pick it up. Read Full Review

• 8.0

  Multiversity Comics - Matthew Meylikhov

  Feb 14, 2013

  So when all is said and done, this iteration of the "Secret Avengers" feels decidedly different from what came before, and that's a good thing. If there's one thing the book could benefit from, it's a stronger inclination towards the actions of the characters without relying on the reader being aware of mission ops, because half the fun of the book is seeing all the little tricks Spencer and Ross have pulled when they've read the ending. If "Secret Avengers" can be just that -secretive - then this is going to be a very exciting run with some great characters. Read Full Review

• 8.0

  Comic Book Resources - James Hunt

  Feb 14, 2013

  It's safe to say this isn't a hugely revolutionary story, but it's very well constructed, and takes an unusual premise and makes it work. At the same time, readers are left with questions that demand answers. That said, the best thing about the book is that it successfully merges the movie Avengers with their comic counterparts in more than roster. If anything's going to win "Secret Avengers" some new fans, it's that. Read Full Review

• 8.0

  Comics Bulletin - Shawn Hill

  Feb 19, 2013

  So this comic seemed like a Marvel NOW! sure bet, and #1 comes pretty close, with a few caveats. There couldn't be a more Bendis-derivative Avengers comic since he's finally off the franchise. This issue picks up threads from The Initiative, from Civil War, and even Secret War. It has a very heavy dose of Maria Hill and even the palpable off-screen presence of Daisy Johnson. Nick Fury has well and truly become Samuel Jackson in 616 (yes, I believe how they did it in continuity, but it's still ripe for humor), and Phil Coulson is all over the place. Read Full Review

• 8.0

  Following The Nerd - Edwin Torres Jr

  Feb 20, 2013

  It's no easy feat to follow up Rick Remender on a title. But this book makes the best out of a small cast and unusual premise. Ross sets the tone of espionage. Spencer adds one of his twists in the closing scenes that make me want to stick around and see what happens, plus Taskmaster shows up in issue #2 also. Read Full Review

• 7.9

  IGN - Joshua Yehl

  Feb 14, 2013

  Although this comic is worlds away from what Rick Remender gave us in his recently concluded series, this snap reboot embraces the differences to make it work. Spencer gets the best out of a small cast and an intriguing new status quo that has potential for many more interesting stories. Read Full Review

• 7.5

  Comic Book Revolution - Kevin

  Feb 18, 2013

  As first issues go Secret Avengers #1 did its job in showing us why we should be picking this series up. Nick Spencer did a fine job setting up the groundwork to make Secret Avengers different from the dozen other Avengers book on the market. It doesn't hurt that Luke Ross nails the espionage tone of Spencer's story. Even with questionable character motivation this issue did enough to get me to back for more. Read Full Review

• 7.0

  Graphic Policy - Brett Schenker

  Feb 14, 2013

  The first issue is decent, but overall, it's meh up to the end. We'll see where the series goes, but it looks like it'll have an interesting route it's taking. Read Full Review

• 7.0

  Comics: The Gathering - BradBabendir

  Feb 15, 2013

  This book seems primed to set the stage for a more S.H.I.E.L.D. oriented universe, maybe like the one that will be on TV soon enough, and it fits that mold very well. It’s not going to be the best or the deepest comic book run in history, but it has its tongue in its cheek and it’s going to be a hell of a fun ride, and sometimes that’s all you need. Read Full Review

• 7.0

  Geeks Unleashed - Christopher Romero

  Feb 16, 2013

  Secret Avengers definitely has enough mystery and action to keep us entertained, and artists Luke Ross and Matthew Wilson bring a fresh and sleek new look to their characters. Read Full Review

• 7.0

  PopMatters - Jay Mattson

  Feb 17, 2013

  Secret Avengers #1 is a solid read. Spencer keeps a good balance of action and information sequences that reveals only what the reader needs to know when he or she needs to know it, and that's the mark of any good spy thriller. S.H.I.E.L.D. is becoming something of a new entity as we deeper into the Marvel NOW! era, and Secret Avengers seems like the vehicle for that ongoing change. Read Full Review

• 7.0

  Chuck's Comic Of The Day - Chuck

  Feb 19, 2013

  As a friend said a while back, I prefer stories about heroes who act heroically. Not much of that on view here. Read Full Review

• 7.0

  Comic Book Syndicate - Chris Mailloux

  Mar 10, 2013

  In the end I really enjoyed the book and only had a couple issues with it. So far the series is off to a very good start and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book. Read Full Review

• 6.5

  Marvel Disassembled - Magen Cubed

  Feb 13, 2013

  With a clever set-up, this series starts off on a decent note. There are some highlights, such as the interesting use of memory manipulation and Hawkeye cracking James Bond jokes at Furys expense. Then there are some moments, such as Nick Fury killing terrorists in the Oval Office, that just beg for camp. Ross art has a similar effect on me. While the art is solid throughout, there are panels where the awkward smiling feels a bit out of place. What we are left with is an entertaining, if not average, action title. Enjoyable but not noteworthy. Read Full Review

• 6.0

  Flip Geeks - Earl Maghirang

  Feb 14, 2013

  The biggest (and at the same time the silliest) thing that I have seen in Secret Avengers # 1 are those ridiculously sweet 'healing factor' bullets that Nick Fury Jr's loaded into his gun. Trust me you have to read the book to know more about this damn cool concept. Read Full Review

• 6.0

  Den Of Geek! - Mike Cecchini

  Feb 14, 2013

  I've gotta give Secret Avengers #1 a lot of credit for being self-contained and accessible enough that you could just hand it to a non-comic reader and hope they get hooked. Hardcore fans might find this a little inconsequential, but you know what? Who cares? Since when are hardcore fans right about anything? Read Full Review

• 6.0

  ScienceFiction.com - Ben Silverio

  Feb 17, 2013

  Overall, it's an intriguing premise and an interesting first issue. Though it's not exactly my favorite Avengers title right now, I'm very down to see the rest of the team come together on this team that technically doesn't even exist. Read Full Review

• 5.0

  Newsarama - Jeff Marsick

  Feb 15, 2013

  Although Nick Spencer writes good dialogue, too much of it reads as talk for the sake of talking; more emphasis should have been placed on story. Luke Ross's artwork is fine, if inconsistent (close-ups are not his strong suit), but is hindered by Matthew Wilson's dark colors that often obfuscate details and separations. Not great, not awful, but needs a purpose. Read Full Review

• 5.0

  Crave Online - Iann Robinson

  Feb 15, 2013

  Secret Avengers #1 is an idea that could play out well in a mini-series. It feels like a real stretch to try and push it into a monthly. Read Full Review

• 4.0

  Comics Crux - Wesley Messer

  May 10, 2013

  Secret Avengers #1 had a great beginning and petered out fast near the end. I will repeat myself from a couple paragraphs ago, your mileage will vary. The Coulson scenes are beautifully done, and then once it gets more into Maria Hill and Nick Fury, it becomes tedious. In looking at the last few pages is where I audibly groaned at the comic. The ending was lame. Some of you out there are going to end up liking this more than me, I can see this right on that you will either love it or hate it. As for me, buy Secret Avengers #1 at your own risk. Not as bad as Thunderbolts #1, but this one came close by the final page. Read Full Review