|
|
Post by starfoxxx on Dec 18, 2009 19:02:24 GMT -5
Wizard #220 features an article where they ask a DC writer (geesh, I think its Geoff Johns, but the name eludes me right now, sorry) about his knowledge of the Legion of SuperHeroes through a quiz (btw, the guy nails it)...... Anyhoo, it struck me that it would be interesting to run the same test of Bendis' knowledge of the history of the Avengers. I think it would be very telling, if not pretty interesting. I know it's a big-time hypothetical, but any thoughts on this?  ?? |
|
|
|
Post by bobc on Dec 19, 2009 10:36:35 GMT -5
If Bendis is the prize, I'm not taking the quiz.
It is obvious Bendis knew next to nothing about the Avengers when he took it over.
|
|
|
|
Post by freedomfighter on Dec 19, 2009 17:05:12 GMT -5
If Bendis is the prize, I'm not taking the quiz. It is obvious Bendis knew next to nothing about the Avengers when he took it over. I'm certain that he dug through the archives when he was first hired to write the Avengers' finale, just as I'm equally sure that it was, and still is, all foreign to him. He wasn't an Avengers fan, nor did he know two things about their history. What he accomplished, though, in his quick read of their catelogue was a degree of inspiration for future plotlines... inspirations he never gives credit for (afterall, HE's Brian Michael Bendis, the genius). Secret Invasion is a more broad version of the Dire Wraith's secret invasion years ago from the pages of the Avengers. The Hood's organization is a spin-off of Baron Zemo's siege of the Avengers Mansion concept. The Sentry's massive power potential being controlled because he's psychologically hampered is exactly what happened with the Molecule Man in the Avengers plus Secret Wars... and we know that BMB read Secret Wars so that he could alter the Beyonder via the Illuminati retcon. The Superhuman Registration Act was a spinoff of the Mutant Registration Act, whereby brother fought brother, ala a Civil War. Let's see Bendis humbly explain that all he's done is sit on the shoulders of giants. Nah, he's Brian Michael Bendis. In his mind, he's the giant, and the Marvel Universe is his to shape in his Ultimates/Reboot image. I will say that if you look long enough, you will find many examples of writers who have duplicated stories and taken them in different directions. Mark Waid did a secret Skrull invasion storyline in Captain America that involved many of the same details as the recent secret invasion, but that storyline is really just a variation on what Roy Thomas did as a prelude to Kree-Skrull war. What actually bothers me most about Bendis is his ignorance of characterization. His Wanda made no sense; neither did his Wasp. I'm sure I would've never recognized his version of Quasar or Monica Rambeau if he'd written them. His Hank Pym is the most incompetent I've ever seen; are all those appearances by a Skrull? God, I hope so. It's like Bendis looked at the issues but didn't really read them, didn't get a feel for them... |
|
|
|
Post by humanbelly on Dec 20, 2009 7:23:55 GMT -5
[quote author=freedomfighter board=general thread=2754 post=32395 time=1261260312
I will say that if you look long enough, you will find many examples of writers who have duplicated stories and taken them in different directions.
Mark Waid did a secret Skrull invasion storyline in Captain America that involved many of the same details as the recent secret invasion, but that storyline is really just a variation on what Roy Thomas did as a prelude to Kree-Skrull war. [/quote]
I must say that, of the examples BRBill cited, the only one that hadn't occured to me was the Sentry/Molecule Man parallel. That one doesn't seem quite as overt to me-- although there are elements of circumstance that would tend to make it feel similar. And perhaps even begin "writing itself" that way. Haven't followed Sentry closely at all, so I'm probably not a great judge.
But, hey, what about that recent "Solve Everything" storyline in FF? Your point is sound, FF. This was nothing more than a "good guy" iteration of the Council of Cross-time Kangs (or some such alliterative title)! It was so heartily NOT a new concept, that I kept waiting for the Kang reference to crop up somewhere. Just as an acknowledgment. I guess borrowing is a hallowed, time-honored tradition.
HB
|
|
|
|
Post by freedomfighter on Dec 21, 2009 13:10:24 GMT -5
[quote author=freedomfighter board=general thread=2754 post=32395 time=1261260312 I will say that if you look long enough, you will find many examples of writers who have duplicated stories and taken them in different directions. Mark Waid did a secret Skrull invasion storyline in Captain America that involved many of the same details as the recent secret invasion, but that storyline is really just a variation on what Roy Thomas did as a prelude to Kree-Skrull war. I must say that, of the examples BRBill cited, the only one that hadn't occured to me was the Sentry/Molecule Man parallel. That one doesn't seem quite as overt to me-- although there are elements of circumstance that would tend to make it feel similar. And perhaps even begin "writing itself" that way. Haven't followed Sentry closely at all, so I'm probably not a great judge. But, hey, what about that recent "Solve Everything" storyline in FF? Your point is sound, FF. This was nothing more than a "good guy" iteration of the Council of Cross-time Kangs (or some such alliterative title)! It was so heartily NOT a new concept, that I kept waiting for the Kang reference to crop up somewhere. Just as an acknowledgment. I guess borrowing is a hallowed, time-honored tradition. HB[/quote] I hated that storyline. In addition to the Cross Time Kang Council, it also reminded me of the last issue of Final Crisis when all the Supermans from various dimensions came together. To me it's a bad Pandora's box to open. Since there are an infinite number of parallel dimensions you never run out of assistance when things get rough. It's too easy a plot device. Why didn't the Reed Richardses just go get a bunch more Reeds with different perspectives when things fell apart (I gave up on the storyline so if they explained why they couldn't, fine but I tend to think the explanation won't hold water anyway...). But yeah there's little new under the sun. I find a good story has far more to do with the personality a writer imbues the characters with than the situations the heroes and villains find themselves in... That's why I can't usually fault Bendis plotwise. Even if he's swiping, he's usually taking good stuff. He tends to write the same three characters archetypes over and over again, though... |
|
??
