‘West Coast Avengers’ #10 Review: A Fitting and Delightfully Weird Finale

No matter what era of comics you consider yourself to be a fan of, odds are you can think of quite a few series that ended before their time. West Coast Avengers #10, which hits stores today, easily proves that the weird and genuinely wonderful series is among them.

The issue picks up right in the middle of the team’s fight against the Temple of the Shifting Sun, which is complicated even further with the reveal that the group are literally a bunch of vampires. In their fight to make it out of the temple alive, each member of the team is profoundly impacted in one way or another.

The way that the issue’s story unfolds is just significant enough, without losing any of the heart and humor that fans have grown to love about the series. There definitely are stakes and some pretty emotional moments, but the story is able to still be as fun, ridiculous, and character-driven as ever. Emotional reunions and impactful reveals are balanced out with Jeff the Land Shark moments and jokes about Hawkeye’s shirt, but the issue blends the two extremes flawlessly. And regardless of whichever character is your favorite, rest assured that this issue will give them a genuinely awesome moment in one way or another.

You can’t help but feel the love that Kelly Thompson has for these characters, particularly in the way that she crafts their overall dynamic. There’s something so wholeheartedly refreshing about the bond that the West Coast Avengers have, which feels like a sense of camaraderie that a lot of team-up books on this scale don’t have. Sure, a few members of the team are prone to getting into tiffs with each other, but there’s a profound sense of understanding and love that can be felt among these misfits. That love is given the spotlight in some interesting ways in this issue, ranging from the significant to the adorable to the delightfully unexpected.

The art from Moy R. helps carry that unique balance, portraying the characters in a style that feels both timeless and modern. The issue’s silliest moments and most epic fight scenes are brought to life with ease. The new costume and design for Ramone are portrayed in a particularly stunning way, creating a worthy second act to her awesome status quo change from last issue.

Triona Farrell’s colors absolutely make this issue succeed as well, bathing the very few locations this issue takes part in with a surprising amount of depth and different hues. Perhaps the weirdest page of the issue is really elevated by Farrell’s work, creating a pastel-pink world that is too hilarious to spoil here. And VC’s Joe Caramagna’s lettering is just as top-notch as it was in previous installments of the series, bringing just the right amount of nuance to the issue’s various emotions.

It certainly seems like this issue isn’t the grand finale that the West Coast Avengers creative team had initially set out for, but the series as a whole is arguably better for it. There’s a thoroughly great mix of finality and new beginnings, in a way that makes it feel like these characters and adventures are going to continue well beyond the last panel. It’s unclear if and when we’ll see this iteration of the West Coast Avengers again, but fans should be more than satisfied with how things wrap up.

Published by Marvel Comics

On April 17, 2019

Written by Kelly Thompson

Art by Moy R.

Colors by Triona Farrell

Letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna