New Avengers # 41 Review

[goldenfist]

Here's what Ign.com had to say about New Avengers #41.

Seeing that we're all about full disclosure here at IGN Comics, I feel the need to point out that I've never read a comic that spotlighted either Ka-Zar or Shanna – never had even a fleeting interest in either character (I'm sure Marvel Zombies will say the same about Kamandi and Anthro). I write this because something about Bendis' portrayal of the characters in this issue of New Avengers makes me think some stuffy, zit-faced Ka-Zar and Shanna diehards are going to scream foul about their gross mischaracterizations in these pages (their dialogue strikes me as a little too hip, too snarky, too… Bendisy…for jungle dwelling folk). Again, I could be horribly off, because I'm not an expert on these obscure characters. The important thing is that these two D-listers were by far my favorite part of this highly enjoyable issue. I actually got more enjoyment out of them than the very rewarding feeling that Secret Invasion is finally reaching back full circle and answering questions we've all had since the debut arc of New Avengers.

Let me explain: I loved the – for lack of a better term – savagery of Shanna. I loved the fact that a couple Tarzan and Jane analogues were the first to become hip to the Skrulls ultra-complex infiltration scheme. I loved the way Ka-Zar, Shanna and their badass cat conducted a guerilla campaign against the Skrull forces. I enjoyed these two characters so much, I was even able to overlook my general distaste for the way Bendis writes the 616 Spiderman as an overly self-aware stand-up comedian (which usually makes me vomit in my mouth a little in the same way the comic book store scene in 1985 #1 did). Bendis' handling of Ka-Zar and Shanna drove the issue from start to finish in my eyes, making what would otherwise have been a kick-ass issue that answers more questions than any previous Secret Invasion-related issue even more enjoyable.

Speaking of those answers and that rewarding feeling this issue gives committed readers: to hell with the behind the scenes looks at the Skrulls' plan (though I did enjoy that Skrull-centric issue from a few weeks back), to hell with how the Sentry fits into all this (really, can this character just go away forever already?) and to hell with the whole ship-full-of-1970's-Marvel-heroes – It's about time we got a glimpse of what's really been going on since Bendis kick-started things with New Avengers.

For the first time since this whole summer blockbuster began, I'm finally starting to look at this as more than a popcorn action movie and instead seeing it as the missing piece of the puzzle we were promised when the series was first announced. Along with the Nick Fury story glimpsed in the pages of recent Mighty Avengers issues, this installment of NA makes Secret Invasion a whole lot more mouth-watering.

Which brings to mind a general reservation about the way Secret Invasion is unfolding. Call me old school, but I tend to believe that the vital story beats of one of these mega-events should occur within the actual series itself, and not in peripheral titles. Now I understand that it has become quite evident that New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and Secret Invasion should all be read concurrently to get a sense of the greater story, but I think that speaks more to the inherent flaws of the actual mini than it does the tightly-woven way in which the line-wide event has been orchestrated.

But alas, I'm fully aware that such complaints wont make the main Secret Invasion mini more substantial and complete story-wise, and I'll continue to be forced to read both Avengers titles to understand what's actually going on with this plot. The important thing is, as long as both Avengers books continue to serve up the goods, I suppose I'll be a happy costumer.

And am I the only one who suddenly has an appetite for a Ka-Zar series written by Bendis and drawn by Billy Tan?

Review Score: 8.9 Great

[woodside]

What the f**k is this?

[steed]

Oh Wow! I thought it was just another IGN update.

[Shiryu]

It was spam (the first we've had in a long while). I've banned Jackier from the forum, since this was clearly deliberate

[freedomfighter]

oh well at least the reviewer admits he's never read any ka-zar or shanna appearances. if he had he'd know they've been played as being pretty savvy for a while now. during bruce jones' run on the book they had one of the more adult relationships in comics. too bad none of that excellent material has been reprinted.

[Tana Nile]

Jun 2, 2008 10:06:21 GMT -5 steed said:

Oh Wow! I thought it was just another IGN update.

LMAO...sometimes it does feel like the AA site is a subsidiary of IGN...

[goldenfist]

Well if anyone want's start post their own reviews I like to see
everyone give it a try.

[woodside]

Jun 6, 2008 14:34:00 GMT -5 goldenfist said:

Well if anyone want's start post their own reviews I like to see
everyone give it a try.

You doing okay, goldenfist? You see a little on edge lately.

[Shiryu]

Jun 6, 2008 14:34:00 GMT -5 goldenfist said:

Well if anyone want's start post their own reviews I like to see
everyone give it a try.

Easy tiger (I've always wanted to say it ;D)
The IGN reviews are appreciated. I don't necessarely agree always with them, but they help to keep up with what's going on in the main books

[woodside]

Jun 6, 2008 18:24:56 GMT -5 Shiryu said:

Jun 6, 2008 14:34:00 GMT -5 goldenfist said:

Well if anyone want's start post their own reviews I like to see
everyone give it a try.

Easy tiger (I've always wanted to say it ;D)
The IGN reviews are appreciated. I don't necessarely agree always with them, but they help to keep up with what's going on in the main books

I share Shiryu sentiments, but you know, I wouldn't mind seeing your opinion as well, goldenfist.

[goldenfist]

I'm not good at reviews I just post these reviews cause I know
that some people don't always agree with what a reviewer says.

I can't do a review cause I'm just not good at it and whenever
someone has to say bad stuff about the New Avengers I have to
defend them(Same goes for the SENTRY).

[Tana Nile]

I don't care if someone is a great writer or not, I just want to know what they think, because all of us who come here to the AA boards are real fans! I'd much rather hear a fellow Assembler's opinion, whether I agree with it or not, than any 'professional's' opinion. That's why the AA boards are fun. We all love the Avengers and comics, even if we don't all agree (that would be boring anyway!).

[starfoxxx]

Here, Here Tana Nile. I enjoy the reviews as a way to experience the opinions of other Avenger's fans, and i post my honest opinions to see if other fans are feeling the way I do, or totally disagree, whatever. It's fun for me, and should be for everybody.

[spiderwasp]

Personally, I don't think it matters whether or not someone is good at writing reviews. After all, a review is nothing more than an opinion and as we've often seen obvious evidence of, everyone has one. They may or may not be eloquent but they're fun to read if they come from an honest place. The only thing that makes the pros more "respected" is that they get paid for their opinions.

[starfoxxx]

yeah, i'd much rather get opinions/reviews from fellow Assemblers or my comic book guy than "pros" in the business for obvious reasons (such as how Wizard reviews EVERY upcoming project as being a must-buy, then a few months later when the trade comes out, the reviews can be very different).

[goldenfist]

Everyone of you wish it was back to the classic Avengers you love
d.

[woodside]

Except for you. And Doom. And me.

Bust out those reviews, fist! Let's get some great (clean) debates going!

[spiderwasp]

Jun 16, 2008 13:31:53 GMT -5 goldenfist said:

Everyone of you wish it was back to the classic Avengers you love
d.

You say this like there's something wrong with it. You obviously like the Avengers the way they are now. More power to you. Many of us disagree and you are 100% right. We prefer the Avengers of yesteryear. That's our opinion. It's neither right nor wrong but we will continue to state it and state our feelings about Sentry for as long as we like. I am all about intelligent debates but rebutting by stating our own opinions back to us as though they were insults is not an intelligent debate. What pray tell is wrong with wishing we had back what we loved. Hmmm. Please give me one intelligent thought out reason that we shouldn't prefer what we like.

[goldenfist]

Okay, Sorry about the comment that was an insult to you.

In my opinion The New Avengers made the Avengers more intrest
ing, A friend of mine said to me when the New Avengers were
annouced he said since they had Spider-Man and Wolverine on
the team that makes the reader want to buy it.

I don't mean any reader who loves the Classic Avengers since
they are still waiting for Marvel get rid of Bendis.

The last message board I was on everyone ranted on me becaus
e I loved reading New Avengers, Everyone said bad stuff about
me I had to deal with them for three years and I finally left.

I like the New Avengers and I like the Sentry, Why can't anyone
just accept them and face the fact that Bendis is writing the book
that's all I'm saying.

[Doctor Bong]

Jun 16, 2008 19:38:43 GMT -5 spiderwasp said:

Jun 16, 2008 13:31:53 GMT -5 goldenfist said:

Everyone of you wish it was back to the classic Avengers you love
d.

You say this like there's something wrong with it. You obviously like the Avengers the way they are now. More power to you. Many of us disagree and you are 100% right. We prefer the Avengers of yesteryear. That's our opinion. It's neither right nor wrong but we will continue to state it and state our feelings about Sentry for as long as we like. I am all about intelligent debates but rebutting by stating our own opinions back to us as though they were insults is not an intelligent debate. What pray tell is wrong with wishing we had back what we loved. Hmmm. Please give me one intelligent thought out reason that we shouldn't prefer what we like.

Regarding film, critic Roger Ebert says the most important question about any given movie is not "what" is about, but rather "how" is about... I think the same principle can be applied to comics.
When it comes to the Sentry, in not against the WHAT at all: a Marvel Superman; but IMO the HOW of the Sentry was terribly executed and mishandled from his very 1st appearance and continued to be until the point where he became one of my top 10 candidates for the title of Marvel's worst character ever. Especially considering the character's potential to mean something & be a major player in the MU.
So, I must admit it's possible he was better handled later, once I stop caring or following the character, but personally these are the reasons for my dislike for the Sentry.

[woodside]

Jun 16, 2008 23:21:18 GMT -5 goldenfist said:

Okay, Sorry about the comment that was an insult to you.

In my opinion The New Avengers made the Avengers more intrest
ing, A friend of mine said to me when the New Avengers were
annouced he said since they had Spider-Man and Wolverine on
the team that makes the reader want to buy it.

I don't mean any reader who loves the Classic Avengers since
they are still waiting for Marvel get rid of Bendis.

The last message board I was on everyone ranted on me becaus
e I loved reading New Avengers, Everyone said bad stuff about
me I had to deal with them for three years and I finally left.

I like the New Avengers and I like the Sentry, Why can't anyone
just accept them and face the fact that Bendis is writing the book
that's all I'm saying.

Goldenfist, ol' pal, I've wondered the same. But at the end of the day, does it really matter what anyone else thinks of these comics? Not really. It what the comic means to you that really matters.

A lot of people on this board don't care for the current Avengers because it's not the same Avengers they know and love. I respect that. Sometimes the flat-out hatred confounds me, but I respect it. I respect it because those comics had a lot of meaning and were loved by them.

Just because they don't like the current era surely does not mean that you, myself, Doom, and a few others here shouldn't. In fact, I believe that only by promoting our opinions in a fair way can we at least pique some curiousity and at least encourage our fine fellows here to understand why he enjoy what we enjoy.

I love the current era of Marvel, despite my occassional misgivings here and there and the spotty continunity at times. It's always been my philosphy with comics that one should look for the best and try and enjoy what they're getting. Or drop the books.

This place, these days, has lost a lot of the sometimes overly-aggressive debates that fractured this community. The result of this is a more free-flowing realm of ideas and opinions, where we don't have to feel hated for liking Bendis or New Avengers.

Hence why I encourage you to keep on promoting this stuff that you love. But may I offer a word of advice? Just tell us why you like what you like. Don't worry about what other people think. When it comes to opinions, the only person that really matters is you -- esspcially in terms of entertainment.

[Doctor Doom]

I don't see why both sides can't have what they want. I think Mighty and New was a step towards that. Allow me to ask a question to those who are not of a similar temperament to Woodside, Goldenfist and myself-

If - hypothetically- Marvel brought in another writer, one you still liked (Say Busiek again or something) on "Mighty Avengers" with the current roster, Sentry and Ares and all, would you read it as more of a classic title?

[spiderwasp]

Jun 18, 2008 7:32:43 GMT -5 Doctor Doom said:

I don't see why both sides can't have what they want. I think Mighty and New was a step towards that. Allow me to ask a question to those who are not of a similar temperament to Woodside, Goldenfist and myself-

If - hypothetically- Marvel brought in another writer, one you still liked (Say Busiek again or something) on "Mighty Avengers" with the current roster, Sentry and Ares and all, would you read it as more of a classic title?

I'll even go a step further. If Bendis had indeed stuck to writing it in a different vein, I'm ready and eager to enjoy it. As a matter of fact, I have mostly enjoyed it despite it's flaws such as slow moving storylines and thought bubbles that just aren't working. I've enjoyed the Avengers through some flawed areas and characters I wasn't crazy about before. I don't expect perfection. However, how long has it been since we've seen the Avengers in Mighty Avengers? They are why I buy the book. Even at its best the book still can't compare to the previous decades. Bendis just doesn't seem capable of writing as well as Stern, Englehart, Busiek, etc. The two book concept was a great idea for a compromise but even though they are different, the new book is not really in the classic style promised. What's happened is that Bendis has gone off even further from the classic style than he began with in NA so that his MA seems closer. In reality, it is closer to his earlier NA style. Believe me, I want to enjoy the Avengers as much I used to or as much as I do when I reread the old stuff. I'm tired of being criticized for not enjoying something as though it's my fault I don't enjoy it as much (And for the record, just like Woodside advised, I don't buy NA anymore because I don't enjoy it.) I fully respect that everyone has different opinions and they are all equally valid but I am not at fault if I don't enjoy something any more than the people who think the current books are better than those from say the late 80s can be faulted for that. They are opinions. That's not to say, I will not criticize Bendis or Sentry or NA for what I don't like. I just would like to see the people who disagree do so by saying things like "I disagree because" rather than acting like anyone who doesn't like what they like are just incapable of enjoying anything good.

For the record, I don't have a major issue with Spider-man being on an Avengers team and have even watched with interest as Ares develops as an Avenger. I'm not crazy about Wolverine's involvement because it doesn't seem to come from anyplace other than sales and he has never seemed to fit the team organically. Sentry is the only character I can't stand and that is not because of his powers or his mental problems. All of that could prove interesting. It is simply the concept that the character has always been around and should therefore just be considered a major force in the MU because of that even though he hasn't done anything to earn that place of respect. We're just told that he did. IMO that's ridiculous. I have recently been rereading all my old Avengers and, guess what? He's not there. He's not in my old FFs or X-Men or Spider-mans or Defenders. He never showed up in any Marvel Team Up or Two In One or even Howard the Duck. No matter how much Bendis tells me that he was all over the place and important back then, I can never accept that reality been thrust upon the great stories from back then and therefore, in turn, have a very great amount of difficulty accepting the character. Had he been introduced with every other character trait and power he currently has but without this aspect, I would be fine with the character.

[goldenfist]

Well this topic sure has gotten alot of replys, Okay I can see why
some people like the Classic Avengers better than the New Aveng
ers.

I'm not taking anything away from the Classic Avengers I loved
reading the Kree/Skrull War(Which took me forever to find).

Wolverine did help the Avengers in the Infinity Gauntlet story
but he was still a member of the X-MEN when the story happened
I have seen Wolverine in a Spider-Man issue back when they first
met eachother Spider-Man really thought Wolverine was crazy.

I do have an issue where Wolverine and Spider-Man team up to
find the Wendigo(That white monster that the Hulk fought when
Wolverine 1st showed up in the Hulk book).

Is anyone intrested in the Guardians of the Galaxy reviews I just
got the 2nd issue of the new series and one original Guardian
showed up in the issue.

[starfoxxx]

I actually think Bendis has come up with some great ideas, but the result on the pages has fell flat for me. The stories, dangling plotlines and developments, and most of the art in New+Mighty Avengers have not delivered for me. I realize I have the option to give up on these titles, and Bendis will be the writer for a long time, but I choose to stick it out, if only to have yet another subject to complain about, "It was better in the old days........etc.,etc."

I like the idea of Luke cage and Iron Fist as Avengers, especially a street-level concept, but Bendis' characterization of Luke is IMO inconsistent to the Luke i grew up with, so it hasn't worked for me.

I liked Dr Strange as an Avenger (again the street-level team is good for him) but I didn't like the way Bendis utilized him.

I didn't mind Hawkeye dying, but his return was poorly handled and the whole Ronin plotline is pretty weak (great costume, tho).

Spider-Man as a guest-star- OK
Spidey as full-time Avenger- just doesn't work, plus his character always has enough going on without running around with the Avengers

Wolverine as Avenger- just doesn't work for me at all, plus Bendis didn't write him or use him very well, IMO. also he's probably busier than Spidey, already is on at least two other teams

I really, really like Spider-Woman as an Avenger (she was always on my wish-list), but her status/identity is currently up in the air.

Sentry- I'm not gonna open that can of worms

Ares- an example of character development that has been so slow I just consider him a failed concept

Echo- the modern equivalent of Silverclaw, a throw-away member

So some things have been good, most things dissappointing, and the current Secret Invasion storyline replacing any appearance of an Avengers "team" has been frustrating. At $3 a book, it's pretty much a slap in the face from Bendis to present his Secret Invasion story under the guise of New/Mighty Avengers. He's sneaky as the Skrulls, and he's invading my wallet.

[goldenfist]

Bendis is a money eater.

[steed]

Bendis is a money maker. I don't have to like it to know it sells alot.