Comic book reviews for Marvel’s New Avengers #10, New Avengers #11, and New Avengers #12 by Brian Michael Bendis
Average rating: 1/5
New Avengers #10 by Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato and Howard Chaykin
I was disappointed and angered by this book. It’s like Bendis went in and destroyed some of my very favorite things about the Avengers, and I know he didn’t do them on purpose. That’s not to say that he didn’t plan out this story; it just wasn’t a conspiracy against things I like.
The current New New More Diverse Avengers plotline is rather boring me. Except in that if they kill Bobbi I’m going to be even more pissed than I already am. Also the art is in general super awful.
But let’s talk about Nick Fury and his little gang, his Avengers. The immediately problem to me is that they are all white dudes and the token (white) chick. So we already have the Smurfette Principle going on. Clearly, this is some Bendis-ian shout-out the Monster Hunters or to invalidate the Monster Hunters or something. This all-white dudes and one white chick team makes me sad since the New Avengers are supposed to be the New New More Diverse Avengers and then this team from 1959 is taking up half the book. Because Marvel needs another all-white team like Seattle needs more traffic jams. (What happened to Nick and Dum-Dum’s black friend from the issue before?)
My second problem with this team is that I don’t actually believe this crew would not kill each other. Sure, Sabretooth goes after Kraven right away, but Bloodstone hunts monsters (which Sabretooth is pretty much a monster) and Dominic will totally hit on Namora… You can’t actually convince me that Nick Fury is so awesome that he can make them behave by just being awesome. That is fanboy hand-waving right there.
My third problem is that there was already a ’50s Avengers team: Agents of Atlas. They were far more awesome, and they were more diverse. And Jimmy Woo is 1000x’s more awesome than Fury. I don’t like this retconning of how the first Avengers were formed. This seems to forced, unlike the organic way the original ones came together. I don’t like Nick getting more glory in the Marvel-U. He doesn’t need it. Oh, and hey, Namora was on Agents of Atlas, and she would totally be like “Nick Fury, you are stupid. M-11 will now kill you.”
In conclusion: Do not like. Don’t waste your time, read Agents of Atlas instead.
New Avengers #11 by Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato and Howard Chaykin
Still not enjoying this book. Chaykin’s and Deodato’s art just does nothing for me. I feel like if I was caught up on this title and hadn’t been buying it since the first volume launched that it would be on my canceled pile.
I have zero interest in Nick Fury and his “first” Avengers. Who didn’t see it coming that they would be fighting the Red Skull? And the whole Red Skull creating an evil Captain America really just seems predictable.
Also, I don’t think that Namora would ride a whale that far into the mainland. Seriously, she would not put sea creatures at harm for Nick and his crew.
As for the New Avengers, I hated the scene between Steve and Victoria. He seemed so paternalistic, and considering everything she’s gone through, she seemed too worked up about no one liking her. I get that no one liking Victoria makes it harder for her to work with the New Avengers, especially in a “good guy” environment, but it seemed like an incredibly OOC scene for the both of them.
And once again, I will not be happy if they kill Mockingbird.
New Avengers #12 by Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Mike Deodato and Howard Chaykin
Why do I keep reading this title? Clearly out of some perverse loyalty to it. I’m going to start sounding like some fandom hag here pretty soon — “back in my day, those were the REAL Avengers…”
The evil Captain America and Red Skull storyline with Fury’s Avengers continues to be boring. In fact, Bendis having Victor kill the fake Red Skull off before they got their information from him seemed to typify that even Bendis is bored with this story. It’s not even entertaining.
How many issues has Mockingbird been dying? How many times does Clint have to go off the deep end? And Bendis does realize that he’s frigging Bobbi for Clint’s manpain?
Also there better be more to Victoria’s hand. (See what I did there?) I like her as a character who looks out for herself. I want her to be like civil servant Lilah Morgan. Maybe she just needs to have some hot sex with Carol Danvers. Now that story I can get behind. Heck, even seducing Superia would be entertaining. I’m sure Deodato and his long, long, long lady legs would make some great scissoring. (That was crude sarcasm, by the way.)
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