Secret Avengers: Mission to Mars #1

Steve Rogers assembles a team of Secret Avengers to handle delicate matters. Their first serious mission takes them to Mars where they get tangled up in a conspiracy involving the Shadow Council. 

I had been looking forward to reading this series for some time. I've had this hardcover sitting on my shelf for months now but have been unable to read it as I had to play catch up. Now that I finally caught up, I began reading titles that started during the Heroic Age. This had to be the one I was most looking forward to. The lineup was an interesting mix of characters being lead by Steve Rogers so I knew it would be lots of fun. Aside from that it's written by Ed Brubaker, one of my favorite comic writers and drawn by Mike Deidato, an artist whose style I admire a lot.

Brubaker brings his exceptional storytelling abilities to this series. He creates engaging stories that demand your full attention. He knows how to set a great pace and flesh out a story. I love how he intertwines the past with the present. He performed this consistently on the Captain America series to outstanding results. In the opening issue we see flashbacks of Steve Rogers approaching each member of the team offering them a spot on his new squad. 

Brubaker delivers great characterization and dialogue throughout this comic. He knows how to write to each characters strengths. He gives them each their own distinctive voice and brings out the best in them. Everything he writes is vital to the story. Nothing feels like filler material. What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed this story that wound up in space. I haven't been the biggest fan of Marvels space stories but this one kept my complete interest. I have to credit Brubaker for that and the character mix as well. I like the beginning of this epic story you can sense is beginning to unfold. The Shadow Council already sounds like a formidable threat and exactly the type of threat these Secret Avengers should be handling.

Mike Deodato delivers some exceptionally beautiful artwork. If you thought his work on Dark Avengers was good, you haven't seen anything yet. I loved the way he drew Steve Rogers. The action sequences looked phenomenal. Marko Djurdjevic contributed some stunning covers for the series. 

Secret Avengers has gotten off to a great start thanks to Ed Brubaker. I highly recommend reading this if you're into superhero teams and espionage. You can tell this is only the beginning of a much larger story unraveling that's sure to be incredible. If you read this review I'd like to thank you for reading my 500th review. I appreciate all the feedback and positive recommendations I've received during my time here.