12-03-2005, 09:49 PM
Also Know As: "Damn you Bendis!! DAMN YOOOOOUUUUUUUU!!!!"
But I'll get to that in a moment.
First things first, allow me to put on the table the fact that I was not an Avenger's fan. I don't mean to say I disliked the characters or stories or anything like that, but merely that I did not buy the series. As such, If I as any point compare the New Avengers to the orignal ones, forgive me as I most likely as talking out of my ass....
That being said....I liked New Avengers. I really did. It was a concept I was familiar with, a group of powerful heroes coming together to do what they felt was right and to try to help humanity. It started off strong. Finch's art is nice and clean (even if he does tend to clone panels every issue) all the characters seemed for the most part in character, and as a whole it's been an entertaining read so far. I'm going to continue to buy it....despite a few things that have just pissed me off to no end.
But back to the good. I know people knock Bendis and his dialogue, but the man can actually be rather funny when handling the proper characters and dynamics between them. I believe he once said he couldn't wait to right Wolverine and Spiderman together because they flowed so nicely together. Instead I'm finding it's Luke Cage and Spiderman who are stealing the show. Spidey has some great one liners in this series, and Cage is the perfect straight man for this style of comedy.
Aside from the humor, the stories themselves are well put together. I was actually curious to find out about Sentry and Ronin (whom I'll discuss later.....friggin Bendis....) and the dangling subplot of a possible traitor in their midsts is well played....for the most part. Not only that, but it's giving characters like Cage and Spiderwoman the type of spotlight they've never really had in recent years, and is serving, at least peripherally, as a means of character growth for some of these characters.
Now then....onto what I don't like. (Damn you Bendis! I would have kissed your ass throughout this post if it hadn't been for issue 13). My first, main, and perhaps only gripe with the NA is it's roster. Captain America and Iron Man are mainstays. Thor is as well, but given his situation I understand why he's not around. I love that Captain America and Iron Man are still at the forefront, but some of these other guys? I was under the impression that the Avengers were supposed to be Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Granted, perhaps that's not the idea behind the New Avengers, but if so....please let me know this. Why? Because as much as I love Luke Cage....earth's mightiest he ain't. Spiderman? Tremendous hero. Icon. Childhood favorite. You know what? I'll let Spidey and Superm....ummm...Sentry.....slide. Spiderwoman and Ronin?
DAMN YOU BENDIS!!!
Ahem.... I mean. Spiderwoman seems to be a great character under the guidance of Brian's pen, but I'm not sure she'd be the first to come to mind when it came to reforming the Avengers. Personally, I think Phyla Vell would have been a good choice...but I digress. But even with Spiderwoman's lack of A-List standing, I'm willing to give her a chance. I'd never heard of the likes of Wasp or Giant Man before the original Avengers, but it wasn't to long after I got into comics that I knew who they were...without even having to pick up an issue.
Now Ronin on the other hand...... Damn you Bendis.... SPOILERS AHEAD by the way. I'll box them in a moment but first let me say this. Ronin....is not Daredevil. So you can't say he lied about that. Hell...I'll even go so far as to let you know it ain't Matt Murdock in any way shape or form. That's not really a spoiler becauce Bendis has been saying that since issue one. The spoiler however is Ronin's real identity. It turns out Ronin is none other than
[spoiler]
SECONDARY WARNING. Not only will this box contain spoilers, but harsh language and possible Bendis bashing as well. You've been warned dammit!!
Ronin is.....ECHO!!! What the fuzzy! Huh? How? WHYYYYYYYYY? GAAAAHHHHH!!!!
I stayed away from the spoilers. I tried to stay away from the debates about who it could be. I tried my best not to think about it and just let the surprise hit me as any good surprise should. But Echo? MY ECHO!? You son of a bitch! You lousy, low down, good for nothin', slime slurping, egg headed, Spidey demasking, 5'4" son of a bitch! Not Echo. You hear me? NOT ECHO!!!!
*Sigh*
I love Echo. I believe I'm one of the few. Others see her as a cheap Taskmaster rip-off with boobs. Some hate her because she took over Daredevil's title for 6 months leaving the man without fear nowhere to be seen. Personally, I fell in love with her when I first saw her. She was perfect. She was everything Daredevil was, and everything he wasn't. I thought that of all the women to have ever come into his life, she was the one. Then she tried to kill him which made me believe even more that they were meant for each other.
And Vision Quest? Her story that was told in the pages of Daredevil under David Mack? It's the last comic story I can recall that ever threated to bring me to tears. Only two comics in memory have ever made me cry. The Death of Superman and Vision Quest. Maya Lopez was a character whom I felt I'd gotten to know and understand and appreciate. And at the end of Vision Quest I was left with the impression that she was hanging up the tights and giving up the life.
But she's Ronin. She's fucking RONIN!!!
A pat of me should be happy that she's active again and will be featured in a book that I plan on buying anyway. But her coming back as Ronin destroys that feeling of clousre I got at the end of Vision Quest. It undoes everything that tremendous story did for me. Seeing her in the pages of New Avengers just leaves me so sad. I'm worried that a character who'd, in my mind's eye, had faded gracefully...is going to be brought back and ruined in the name of "change is good".
Damn you Bendis. Damn you......
[/spoiler]
But I'll get to that in a moment.
First things first, allow me to put on the table the fact that I was not an Avenger's fan. I don't mean to say I disliked the characters or stories or anything like that, but merely that I did not buy the series. As such, If I as any point compare the New Avengers to the orignal ones, forgive me as I most likely as talking out of my ass....
That being said....I liked New Avengers. I really did. It was a concept I was familiar with, a group of powerful heroes coming together to do what they felt was right and to try to help humanity. It started off strong. Finch's art is nice and clean (even if he does tend to clone panels every issue) all the characters seemed for the most part in character, and as a whole it's been an entertaining read so far. I'm going to continue to buy it....despite a few things that have just pissed me off to no end.
But back to the good. I know people knock Bendis and his dialogue, but the man can actually be rather funny when handling the proper characters and dynamics between them. I believe he once said he couldn't wait to right Wolverine and Spiderman together because they flowed so nicely together. Instead I'm finding it's Luke Cage and Spiderman who are stealing the show. Spidey has some great one liners in this series, and Cage is the perfect straight man for this style of comedy.
Aside from the humor, the stories themselves are well put together. I was actually curious to find out about Sentry and Ronin (whom I'll discuss later.....friggin Bendis....) and the dangling subplot of a possible traitor in their midsts is well played....for the most part. Not only that, but it's giving characters like Cage and Spiderwoman the type of spotlight they've never really had in recent years, and is serving, at least peripherally, as a means of character growth for some of these characters.
Now then....onto what I don't like. (Damn you Bendis! I would have kissed your ass throughout this post if it hadn't been for issue 13). My first, main, and perhaps only gripe with the NA is it's roster. Captain America and Iron Man are mainstays. Thor is as well, but given his situation I understand why he's not around. I love that Captain America and Iron Man are still at the forefront, but some of these other guys? I was under the impression that the Avengers were supposed to be Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Granted, perhaps that's not the idea behind the New Avengers, but if so....please let me know this. Why? Because as much as I love Luke Cage....earth's mightiest he ain't. Spiderman? Tremendous hero. Icon. Childhood favorite. You know what? I'll let Spidey and Superm....ummm...Sentry.....slide. Spiderwoman and Ronin?
DAMN YOU BENDIS!!!
Ahem.... I mean. Spiderwoman seems to be a great character under the guidance of Brian's pen, but I'm not sure she'd be the first to come to mind when it came to reforming the Avengers. Personally, I think Phyla Vell would have been a good choice...but I digress. But even with Spiderwoman's lack of A-List standing, I'm willing to give her a chance. I'd never heard of the likes of Wasp or Giant Man before the original Avengers, but it wasn't to long after I got into comics that I knew who they were...without even having to pick up an issue.
Now Ronin on the other hand...... Damn you Bendis.... SPOILERS AHEAD by the way. I'll box them in a moment but first let me say this. Ronin....is not Daredevil. So you can't say he lied about that. Hell...I'll even go so far as to let you know it ain't Matt Murdock in any way shape or form. That's not really a spoiler becauce Bendis has been saying that since issue one. The spoiler however is Ronin's real identity. It turns out Ronin is none other than
[spoiler]
SECONDARY WARNING. Not only will this box contain spoilers, but harsh language and possible Bendis bashing as well. You've been warned dammit!!
Ronin is.....ECHO!!! What the fuzzy! Huh? How? WHYYYYYYYYY? GAAAAHHHHH!!!!
I stayed away from the spoilers. I tried to stay away from the debates about who it could be. I tried my best not to think about it and just let the surprise hit me as any good surprise should. But Echo? MY ECHO!? You son of a bitch! You lousy, low down, good for nothin', slime slurping, egg headed, Spidey demasking, 5'4" son of a bitch! Not Echo. You hear me? NOT ECHO!!!!
*Sigh*
I love Echo. I believe I'm one of the few. Others see her as a cheap Taskmaster rip-off with boobs. Some hate her because she took over Daredevil's title for 6 months leaving the man without fear nowhere to be seen. Personally, I fell in love with her when I first saw her. She was perfect. She was everything Daredevil was, and everything he wasn't. I thought that of all the women to have ever come into his life, she was the one. Then she tried to kill him which made me believe even more that they were meant for each other.
And Vision Quest? Her story that was told in the pages of Daredevil under David Mack? It's the last comic story I can recall that ever threated to bring me to tears. Only two comics in memory have ever made me cry. The Death of Superman and Vision Quest. Maya Lopez was a character whom I felt I'd gotten to know and understand and appreciate. And at the end of Vision Quest I was left with the impression that she was hanging up the tights and giving up the life.
But she's Ronin. She's fucking RONIN!!!
A pat of me should be happy that she's active again and will be featured in a book that I plan on buying anyway. But her coming back as Ronin destroys that feeling of clousre I got at the end of Vision Quest. It undoes everything that tremendous story did for me. Seeing her in the pages of New Avengers just leaves me so sad. I'm worried that a character who'd, in my mind's eye, had faded gracefully...is going to be brought back and ruined in the name of "change is good".
Damn you Bendis. Damn you......
[/spoiler]