The Wasp has always been the buzzing heart of the Avengers since their maiden adventure to defeat Loki. Between naming the team and turning her penthouse into a diplomatic safe haven, Janet Van Dyne has had a full life. She is a celebrity superhero, a gifted fashion designer, an experienced leader, and one of the best sleuths in the Marvel Universe. So, when an old enemy of hers turns up dead and a name from the past resurfaces, Janet cannot help but take on the curious case. Avengers Inc. #1, written by Al Ewing with artwork from Leonard Kirk, colors by Alex Sinclair, and letters from VC's Cory Petit, is a sleek new whodunit that gives the Wasp the limelight she deserves.
Avenger Inc. #1 continues from where Ewing's previous Wasp miniseries left off. David Cannon, better known as the villain Whirlwind, had stalked Janet for years and was serving his time in the Raft for his felonies. When someone murders him in his own cell, Janet decides to visit the morgue and makes a shocking discovery. Whirlwind and five other prisoners are dead. All of them have the same modus operandi -- a bullet hole in their foreheads. As Janet struggles through red tape from Mayor Luke Cage and the warden, things take a turn for the worse when all the victims start showing signs of life.
Al Ewing sets the tone early in the book. An in medias res opening details the death of Whirlwind, with Wasp's internal monologue explaining her precarious position in the matter. In more ways than one, Ewing shows his protagonist was initially reluctant about playing detective. The non-linear flow helps the narrative to go back a few paces to show the political power play that has brought Janet to the Raft. But her past, her very words, and the lengths she goes to secure access for investigation's sake allude to the fact that she is more invested in the case than she lets on. The issue starts slow, but true to Ewing's usual style, the story amps up the action right at the mid-way point before ending with one final twist that changes everything for the Wasp.
Artist Leonard Kirk's handiwork makes everything look clean-cut. His contour lines are bold enough to make each element and character stand out on the pages. The composition makes for well-thought-out scenes, but it does not capture the style promised in the promotional material for this series. Despite that, the action is fluid, and the splash pages are quite poised. Sinclair's colors go from warm to cold whenever the story changes locales. The raft panels have predominantly blue colors, while the Jarvis Lounge has an amber tone, with the flashbacks with the warden in sepia. Letterer Cory Petit's yellow narration boxes for Janet stand out in every scene.
Avengers Inc. #1 deceives readers with a slow-burner opening and throws them a bone in the latter half. The debut issue takes its time to set the stage for a procedural with two misfit detectives. It is an overdone trope but plays well with the Avengers mythos, showing a different side to the Marvel universe. Where it disappoints is in the noir theme in the artwork, as they are not visually as stylish as the gripping mystery at the heart of the tale. Avengers Inc. #1 still has a long way to go, enough time for Ewing to shock and awe his audience with twists and turns. But for now, he keeps things simple.