Comic Review - 03/24/07

More comics even though I’m a week behind.

The Mighty Avengers #1

Pictures – Frank Cho – I can honestly say that I hate, hate, hate Frank Cho on the Avengers.  Yes, all the women are going to have the bodies that would put a Playmate or a porn star to shame; when they don’t look dumpy and chubby that is, but his art just doesn’t work for me.  He has zero consistency.  In one panel, Ms Marvel will have an ass you could bounce a bullet off of, and the next she looks like…well…like she sits on her ass all day, except when she’s getting up to fly to Krispy Kreme for another box.  Beyond that, Cho can’t draw guys without making them look like ugly, dumpy chicks.  He makes Ares look like a pussy and Sentinel look pretty.  His rendition of Iron Man is terrible.  It’s clear that Cho knows how to draw tits and ass and nothing else.  There’s no sense of motion or action in his drawings.  A two page spread of Ares, the god of war being a murderous bastard and it’s a complete yawn.  Yes, the last scene of the comic with a female Ultron is done well…but only because Ultron is now a chick, with spectacularly unruly breasts, no less.  I hope Cho goes away.  Let him go draw some cheesecake comic, or put him on Heroes for Hire where he can draw all those chicks as much as he wants. 

Words – Brian Bendis – I find myself wanting to like this comic but Bendis is working really hard at dissuading me.  First, the line up.

Iron Man – Good

Ares – Great

Black Widow – I suppose

Ms Marvel – Bendis’ new b-list female hero that he’s trying to make a legitimate hero.  I’ve read all about Ms Marvel.  I know what her powers are and I can emphatically say…I still don’t fuckin know what her powers are.  She can fly around, blast shit and punch shit and look stellar in her C.F.M. boots…but that’s it.  So…meh.

Wonder Man – GOD!  When I was collecting West Coast Avengers twenty years ago Wonder Man was gay.  He’s STILL gay.  There’s nothing to him.  Make him go away.

Wasp – With Cho drawing her, her breasts are as big as her head…which is entertaining to some.  The ONLY time wasp is interesting is when she’s banging some Avenger on the sly while telling Hank Pym she still loves him but she’s not IN love with him.

Sentinel – I’ve never liked the whole “Superman” archetype, and Sentinel, despite his much under-used, over-hyped mental instability is a Superman archetype and a poor one at that.

So…I’m not loving the lineup.   I have faith in Bendis.  Despite the dodgey lineup, he still should be able to wordsmith up a good story. It starts out well.  He starts with a fight.  You can’t go wrong with that in a comic book, especially an Avenger comic book.  He still has some strong dialogue, and I enjoyed the conversation between Iron Man and Ms. Marvel when they’re trying to decide who to pull for the team but…but…the thought bubbles.  It’s a new thing…sorta.  It’s an old school thing and for some reason I found it disrupting to the flow of the comic.  I won’t say I loved it, but I didn’t hate it either.  It was just a bit odd.  The end of the issue with a a naked, porn star Ultron is really, really, really lame.  It’s like Bendis suddenly realized that Cho is know for drawing well-built women so…hey…why not make Ultron a woman this time right?  Cool.

Yeah…not cool.

He’s also not writing a believable Tony Stark.  Tony’s been through some serious shit over the years and getting a bit panicky during a fight with underground monsters just doesn’t seem to cut it for me.  Although I have a suspicion that the Iron Man in the fight isn’t Tony Stark but is someone else…which would make sense when reading what the “Iron Man” during the fight says.  Otherwise, Bendis is way off on his Tony Stark impression.

So…all in all, unless you’re a big Avengers fan, I’d say avoid this title.  I don’t think the lineup has the wheels for a prolonged run.  I don’t like the art at all, and Bendis’ writing is less than stellar in this title.  I’d give it a NO BUY.

The New Avengers #28

Pictures – Leinil Yu – So the New Avengers, the actually story, and the path that they’re walking on currently is a bit dark and sketchy, which Marvel might think translates well to Yu’s dark and sketchy style.  At times…a few times, but not many, I do like the art.  Most of the time though it looks like an erratic, sketchy version of Sam Keith’s work on The Maxx.  I like my Avengers larger than life, like what DC is doing with the JLA right now.  I’m quite underwhelmed by what is found in this issue.  Oh, and Luke Cage has pupils.  It’d be nice if Yu could remember that.

Words – Brian Bendis -  As much as I dislike the lineup in Mighty Avengers, I LOVE the lineup in New Avengers.  Love it.  Like…love love love.  With that said, Bendis’ rendition of Spider Man, and the over-used snappy patter even makes me think, “Dude…shut the fuck up already and web something.” I know, I know…that’s what S-M does…he makes with the snappy patter.  Bendis is just pushing it, I suppose.  Beyond that, I like what he’s doing with this version of the Avengers.   I’m definitely eager for the next issue and I’m curious as to why his writing in this is so different from Mighty Avengers.

Love the lineup and the promise of further interaction between the heroes involved has me hooked despite the art.  This issue is a Buy.  This Avengers title looks to be the one of the two that’s worth buying.

Moon Knight #8

Pictures – David Finch –  I like Finch’s work.  There’s a little voice in the back of my head that complains.  Saying his work has no substance.  That he has four or five faces that he uses over and over and over…but I still like his work.  When he’s drawing the characters in costume…they look great.  Hopefully the writer will involve more costumes…hint hint.

Words – Charlie Huston -  I find myself really, really wanting to love this, but I’m not.  I keep convincing myself to give it time.  Wait for the characters and story to blossom.  It’s not happening.  There’s one thing that’s keeping me on the hook right now, and that was the conversation between MK and Captain America.  That was some GREAT dialogue.    So great, that it makes me think Huston has more, and I just need to give him a chance to show it in the next few issues.  Beyond that…I dislike Marc Spector.  I dislike his supporting cast.  I dislike the stories he’s involved in right now.  All that’s keeping me on this title is the art, and the promise that Moon Knight might be the Marvel U’s Batman...but I’m done holding my breath.  This title has one more issue.  I hope it blows me away or it gets dropped.

Unless you’re a Moon Knight fan…a big one…I’d say this issue is a NO BUY.

Thunderbolts #112

Pictures – Mike Deodato Jr. –   Wow.  I love Deodato’s work.  I know that other people don’t but I love his stuff.  Also, Rain Beredo has done an EXCEPTIONAL job with colours.  There’s so much detail in Deodato’s work, and his use of different views and angles makes practically every page entertaining and fun to see.  The angles he uses really lends itself well to a sense of movement and action when necessary.  All in all…this guy could keep drawing this comic forever and I would be happy.

Words – Warren Ellis – Ellis’ work on Thunderbolts has taken a well-meaning but ultimately confusing and convoluted title, and turned it into something that I want to read every single week.  He’s added depth to EVERY character, save Penance but I believe he’ll be getting his own issue soon.  Norman Osborn and Bullseye are breathtaking in their insanity.  The explanation behind Radioactive Man’s new costume was great.  Mac Gargan struggling with the symbiote is great.  The social chess match between Songbird and Moonstone is great.  The use of Stan Lee in Marvel’s rendition of The Running Man movie is great.  The promise of the Thunderbolts fighting against American Eagle and the Steel Spider is great.  Life is great when you’re reading the Thunderbolts.  You know that everything is gonna fall apart.  The characters are so vile and complicated, you want things to fall apart, but you also hope it never does because it’s so much fun to read.

 BUY THIS COMIC  If you like team comics.  If you like the whole “anti-hero” thing.  If you just want to read an entertaining story.  Read the Thunderbolts.