Infinity Paperback – Illustrated, September 2, 2014

Great read that takes you around the whole of the Marvel Universe. Great use of action, stakes, characters, etc. Bravo!

Do you want to know why this is a 5 star? Because you can pick up the book, with absolutely no knowledge of what's going on, and still be engrossed in the story so much you don't want it to end. Art is nice and most importantly, flows logically from panel to panel. You can take a shot on pretty much anything Hickman has written. He's, if not the best writer, top 3. Aaron is amazing too.

I have not been enjoying Hickman's run on Avengers and New Avengers. The incursion storyline, wherein other reality Earths are crashing into each other so that "everything dies," is actually pretty boring. It amounts to the Illuminati making bombs to potentially destroy a world that is set to collide with "ours" all the while Captain America and the Avengers race around the planet being too late or unable to change anything. All the activity is futile. So, I approached Infinity with mixed feelings. I hoped the incursion storyline would be resolved but was afraid it would be more boring talk about how they can't do anything to stop it. I was wrong on both counts.Unfortunately, the incursion storyline will continue and recent announcements by Marvel indicate it will end with the upcoming main event, Battleworld. So, the Illuminati continue to wax on about how doing what is necessary will destroy their souls. However, Infinity managed to be entertaining because it introduced a new (old) enemy for the rest of the Avengers to contend with.The ancient race of Builders is on its way to Earth and they are laying waste to civilizations, Empires, along the way. When the Avengers intercept distress calls from the Shi'ar, they head out in to space to confront the approaching fleet before it reaches home. Iron Man stays behind to prepare defenses in case the Avengers fail; his real purpose is to monitor and stop incursions (which Cap and the rest are unaware of). While the heroes are away, Thanos decides to attack and enslave Earth. And of course, he has an ulterior motive also!A lot of plotlines overlap and run concurrently through the story, which kept me engaged. Further, the Builder fleet is so formidable it takes the combined efforts of the Shi'ar, Spartax, Brood, Kree and more to even challenge it. There are many epic battle sequences, but also drastic casualties. More than once, it looks as if the Avengers might only attain a Pyrrhic victory, except that Captain America is an unparalleled strategist. It was great to see the Avengers in peak form, showcasing what makes each of them special against unbeatable odds.The downsides of this event is that it was essentially meaningless. Thanos and the Builders are nothing compared to the Incursions (and a host of other ancient species that Black Swan mindlessly rattles off) and this victory won't stop the universe from ending. *sigh* Overall, I enjoyed this mostly because it was a breath of fresh air after the stagnation of the flagship series. Recommended.

The tale that Hickman gives in this book is amazing overall. The prelude to Infinity is a nice touch and sets up the main story well. The Black Order are an interesting set of characters, and live up to their threat. The plot itself is good, continuing where the New Avengers/Illuminati are dealing with Incursions, while the Avengers take charge in space to combat the Builders. The confrontation with Thanos was done well, and Thane is a character well done. The artwork is amazing and captures the attention for readers. Overall I would recommend this book, though for those that have not read on Hickman's run on Avengers and New Avengers might be confused.

Yes aspects of this story are a bit similar to previous events that have occurred in the Marvel universe, but so what. All of the pieces put together are simply a thrilling ride.As each story converges with what has been happening in Hickman's Avengers the stakes continue to rise. All together makes a story that is the reason I read comics.The book itself is masterfully put together also. Since it combines Avengers and New Avengers they have cut and spliced the story into chronological order. It makes the read a breeze.You can't go wrong with this book.

This was an excellent read. The artwork was outstanding. However, this is part of a larger story beyond this book. So, more reading will be required to understand exactly what is going on--Hickman's New Avengers and Avengers. The Thanos and the Black Order storyline is great. I highly recommend this book.