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Classic Review: Avengers- Absolute Vision Book 2

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Quick Summary

Pros: Many of the stories told here are exciting. The characters bring charm and humor to the entire volume. Vision’s presence helps develop an engaging and thought-provoking finale.

Cons: The two opening chapters are just average. Some portions of the book are a bit too heavy on exposition.

Overall: This volume continues the entertaining storytelling and charming personalities that have become such an important part of the Avengers series. The adventures here are fun, the characters are delightful, and there are even moments where the book dips into some compelling themes. The only downside is that there are a few points where the narrative is just average. Readers looking for fun Avengers stories, especially fans of Vision, should consider reading this collection.

Story

Avengers: Absolute Vision Book 2, by Roger Stern, maintains the satisfying level of quality seen in its predecessor. This collection tells several exciting and engaging stories. These range from thrilling battles with creepy aliens to a thought-provoking look into Vision’s attempt at leadership. Alongside this, personal interactions continue to bring charm and humor to the Avengers roster. There are places where the narrative stumbles a bit but it always manages to recover. Readers who enjoyed the previous volume will likely enjoy this one as well.

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Absolute Vision Book 2 contains plenty of entertaining story arcs. The battle against the Dire Wraiths takes the shapeshifting powers of the Skrulls and uses them to their full effect. It creates a creepy and sinister narrative where powerful enemies and unexpected betrayals keep the reader on their toes. Meanwhile, the fight against Maelstrom is exciting, as the foe poses a more significant threat than it initially appeared he would. The conclusion to this fight, which has the Avenger’s overload the villain with power, is also more unique and less expected than other solutions from this era.

Chief among the book’s best story arcs though is the one surrounding Vision. Throughout the entire volume, it is clear something is concerning Vision and that this will have an impact later in the volume. It helps build suspense throughout the read and ensure that there is more to come on the horizon. Then, at the collection’s conclusion, Vision is shown wrestling with the idea of taking personal control of all computers on Earth. It is a thought-provoking concept that raises questions regarding the morality of absolute power and the necessity of personal sacrifice for the common good. The entire arc is highly compelling and Vision’s decision near the end closes the book on a great note.

Absolute Vision Book 2 also continues the trend established by its predecessors and continues to focus on the personal lives of the Avengers. Readers have a chance to see interactions between current Avengers and former Avengers, see members of the team go out for lunch together, and even see Wasp start dating again. These personal touches are always fun to see, and I’m happy that they have continued in this series.

Though Absolute Vision Book 2 has many positives, it also experiences a few negatives along the way. The opening two chapters are mostly average and fail to stand out. In addition, there are places where a ton of exposition causes the narrative to drag. This is most obvious in the introduction of the Secret Wars event and in the introduction of the Eternals. However, none of these negatives are significant enough to take away from the book’s overall appeal.

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Art

The majority of the artwork in Absolute Vision Book Two is positive. Al Milgrom’s pencils create characters with expressive faces, ready to emphasize the vast variety of emotions found throughout this book. This is particularly important in the case of Vision, where the artwork goes a long way in cluing the reader in that something is amiss. Later on in the collection, Bob Hall’s pencils allow the science fiction portions of the story to properly convey their subject matter.

The only downside is that there are places where the inks, mostly provided by Joe Sinnott, do not pair well with the pencils. The inks come off lighter than normal and make the heroes seem less defined. To me, this made the action feel less bold and dramatic. 

Continuity

Avengers: Absolute Vision Book Two continues the story from Avengers: Absolute Vision Book One (Review).

The story here continues in Avengers: The Legacy of Thanos (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

Previous Volume Review

All Avengers Reviews

Next Volume Review

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