Mighty Avengers rise out of ashes of Marvel Civil War
By: Jonathan Suarez
Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Originally published: 3/16/07 at 1:16 PM EST
Last update: 3/16/07 at 1:16 PM EST
Originally published: 3/16/07 at 1:16 PM EST
Last update: 3/16/07 at 1:16 PM EST
It's a very action packed issue with little dialogue (compared to Bendis' usual rants and rambles with his characters). There was one standout scene where Tony and Carol find Ares working in construction, and Tony gives him the job offer. Ares then continues to describe the recent "Civil War" as a slap-fight instead of a real war. Its good to see that Bendis isn't drawing out the event after it's over, like other writers would. He acknowledges the event, and is aware that this book is spun off of the event, but he makes it clear that this book can still serve its own distinct purpose without dwelling on the past so much that it's not enjoyable.
Another interesting bit about the book is the fact that Bendis brings back "thought bubbles." This device hasn't been used in a mainstream comic in years. It seems like it would be confusing and overused, maybe redundant at some points (because that's what the problem was with all of this before), but it worked, surprisingly. It's always interesting to know what each character is thinking, inter-dialogue. For example, during the Iron Man-Ms. Marvel conversation about leading the team, etc., Stark is thinking about statistics and mathematical equations because he is doing calculations at the same time, and when Carol is saved by the Sentry in the fight, she stares at him and thinks of herself as a "dirty tramp." Bendis shows that even a team of heroes that the majority of Marvel fans dislike at this time can be fun to read about.
The art was very well done, too. Frank Cho pencils and inks with detail and fluidity. This is needed, especially in a book that's comprised of mostly action sequences and facial expressions. The only problem was Wonder Man's costume. It doesn't make any sense. It's bad enough with the sunglasses, but the red trench coat hasn't been used in a while because it just looks stupid and tacky (even Bendis has a problem with this, allegedly). Other than that, the art is very polished and precise. Iron Man can only look good when he is shiny and vibrant, and colorist Jason Keith provides this.
It was a fun issue to read, and with the return of a former A-list villain and a surprise ending on the last splash page, it should keep you interested enough to get the next issue.
Another interesting bit about the book is the fact that Bendis brings back "thought bubbles." This device hasn't been used in a mainstream comic in years. It seems like it would be confusing and overused, maybe redundant at some points (because that's what the problem was with all of this before), but it worked, surprisingly. It's always interesting to know what each character is thinking, inter-dialogue. For example, during the Iron Man-Ms. Marvel conversation about leading the team, etc., Stark is thinking about statistics and mathematical equations because he is doing calculations at the same time, and when Carol is saved by the Sentry in the fight, she stares at him and thinks of herself as a "dirty tramp." Bendis shows that even a team of heroes that the majority of Marvel fans dislike at this time can be fun to read about.
The art was very well done, too. Frank Cho pencils and inks with detail and fluidity. This is needed, especially in a book that's comprised of mostly action sequences and facial expressions. The only problem was Wonder Man's costume. It doesn't make any sense. It's bad enough with the sunglasses, but the red trench coat hasn't been used in a while because it just looks stupid and tacky (even Bendis has a problem with this, allegedly). Other than that, the art is very polished and precise. Iron Man can only look good when he is shiny and vibrant, and colorist Jason Keith provides this.
It was a fun issue to read, and with the return of a former A-list villain and a surprise ending on the last splash page, it should keep you interested enough to get the next issue.
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