Written by Fiona Avery
Art by Mark Brooks; Jaime Mendoza; Crimelab’s Victor Olazaba; & VC’s Rus Wooton
Cover Art by Mark Brooks & Jaime Mendoza
SUMMARY:
Amazing Fantasy, in its original Silver Age incarnation, was a short-lived Marvel Comics anthology series meant to audition characters for their own prospective new series. The first series ended in 1962 with Issue # 15, as Stan Lee introduced Spider-Man to the world. This August 2004 re-launch leads off with the introduction of spunky teenager Anya Corazon/Araña (who eventually becomes Marvel’s Spider-Girl).
Entitled “Not An Angel,” Anya’s first day of high school in Brooklyn starts off badly with a fight against a far-larger football player defending her best friend from hallway bullying. Slipping out of her apartment home that night after her journalist father goes on an assignment, diminutive Anya is egged into finishing her school-related showdown at Fort Greens Park. Yet, she inadvertently ends up in the crossfire between two feuding ancient cults – one of which is the sinister Sisterhood of the Wasp. Seeking his order’s expected new initiate, a desperate young warrior witnesses the birth of Anya’s destiny.
REVIEW:
Nicely played! Writer Fiona Avery conjures a fresh new heroine who displays instant promise. Not pushing too much too fast, Avery’s well-paced storyline deftly sets up a cliffhanger finish worth catching. Impressively, the art squad’s exuberant visuals bring Anya’s world to life. While Amazing Fantasy # 1 isn’t a superb read, it’s still plenty good.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
