Post by goldenfist on Sept 13, 2007 8:09:14 GMT -5
Here are three reviews for New Avengers #34 from ign.com
I really hope this issue marks a turning point for this series. A number of my previous complaints seem to be addressed; for one thing, the ending seems to indicate that future plots are actually going to move. You never know with Brian Bendis though, so I reserve the right to be displeased next month.
Bendis continues to advance the Hood and Skrull plots that have been brewing for the last few months. Parker Robbins continues to be a fun tangent, but is purposefully being shortchanged for the time being in lieu of more pressing matters. That's okay to a degree, as I'm sure he'll be back, but this "Brotherhood of Criminals" is, at the moment, far more captivating than lengthy discussions on Skrulls. The buildup to Secret Invasion has thus far been limited. The New Avengers bicker, walk in circles and don't really know what to do. Apparently Dr. Strange found the right rabbit in his hat, and this issue seeks to resolve that to some degree. I just wish he had done that a while ago, because I got the point back in July. I understand that there is a certain amount of "realism" that needs to be captured here, but for the sake of engaging storylines, we need things to keep rolling along, even if answers aren't given right away. Imagine if five episodes of Lost were dedicated to the islanders trying to figure out if there was an "Other" amongst them. You'd get bored. Give us an answer or divert our attention. It's as simple as that.
I've repeatedly hammered on Leinil Yu's art in this series. His work in the '90s ranked as some of my favorite, so it was painful to see it devolve into a primitive, sketchy mess. This issue improves the situation quite a bit. The colorization is more nuanced and the linework is refined, though still not perfect. This gives me hope that things will be under control by the time Yu steps into the major leagues with Invasion. Bottom line, this issue is a step in the right direction - though it has a ways to go before I'll eagerly anticipate what's coming next.
Rating: Check It
The Hood is hardcore. Plenty of Marvel villains duke it out with Wolverine every month, but only Parker Robbins has the cajones to shoot Logan where it really hurts. Their all-too-brief encounter is easily the highlight of this issue. Brian Michael Bendis has enjoyed plenty of success in resurrecting forgotten characters over the years, and I expect The Hood will prove to be his latest great accomplishment.
That's all good, because the rest of the issue is somewhat less entertaining. We've all had our theories as to what exactly the cover means for our heroes, and the truth doesn't live up to the more outlandish theories. The Avengers return to Dr. Strange's mansion, those that choose to return anyway, and Strange administers another security test to check for Skrulls in disguise. Afterwards, we finally learn the real name of Luke and Jessica's baby. It's actually a pretty good choice, all things considered.
By and large New Avengers has been an exciting comic for Marvel fans in recent months. It's two real flaws are the somewhat slow pace and the inconsistent Leinil Yu art. I'll let you figure out which of the two is a bigger problem this month.
Rating: Must Read
For those of you worried that this series would become a non-stop "You're a Skrull"-fest for the next year, you're in luck. Doctor Strange has one of his "I'm all powerful, except when you really need it" moments, and a new threat needs taking car of, which will hopefully put the Skrull concept to rest for a bit. The other piece of pressing business from last issue is the emergence of the Hood and his mexican standoff with Wolverine. With my somewhat limited knowledge of the Hood, I didn't really see much suspense in what seemed like a lopsided match up, but looks can be deceiving. Bendis has a few tricks up his sleeve to even the odds as the Hood seems to have picked up a new ability. Oh, and he fights dirty, so very very dirty (-involuntary shudder-).
Bendis also mixes in a number of scenes of the characters on their own. Each is enjoyable in its own way, but Doctor Strange's was particularly effective. Doctor Strange has never been a compelling figure for me, mostly stemming from the fact that he's usually written in such way that makes him very unrelatable. In just two pages, Bendis makes Strange appear more human that I've ever seen him before, which is quite impressive.
While I'm still not a fan of him not having a separate inker, Leinil Yu's shows a marked improvement in quality this issue, especially with his faces. The faces still have an abundance of lines, but he seems to be more judicious in how he uses them, which creates a slightly softer effect. While not perfect by any means, I was very happy by not seeing monkey/zombie Iron Fist this issue.
Must Read
So what does everyone think of the reviews for New Avengers
#34.
I really hope this issue marks a turning point for this series. A number of my previous complaints seem to be addressed; for one thing, the ending seems to indicate that future plots are actually going to move. You never know with Brian Bendis though, so I reserve the right to be displeased next month.
Bendis continues to advance the Hood and Skrull plots that have been brewing for the last few months. Parker Robbins continues to be a fun tangent, but is purposefully being shortchanged for the time being in lieu of more pressing matters. That's okay to a degree, as I'm sure he'll be back, but this "Brotherhood of Criminals" is, at the moment, far more captivating than lengthy discussions on Skrulls. The buildup to Secret Invasion has thus far been limited. The New Avengers bicker, walk in circles and don't really know what to do. Apparently Dr. Strange found the right rabbit in his hat, and this issue seeks to resolve that to some degree. I just wish he had done that a while ago, because I got the point back in July. I understand that there is a certain amount of "realism" that needs to be captured here, but for the sake of engaging storylines, we need things to keep rolling along, even if answers aren't given right away. Imagine if five episodes of Lost were dedicated to the islanders trying to figure out if there was an "Other" amongst them. You'd get bored. Give us an answer or divert our attention. It's as simple as that.
I've repeatedly hammered on Leinil Yu's art in this series. His work in the '90s ranked as some of my favorite, so it was painful to see it devolve into a primitive, sketchy mess. This issue improves the situation quite a bit. The colorization is more nuanced and the linework is refined, though still not perfect. This gives me hope that things will be under control by the time Yu steps into the major leagues with Invasion. Bottom line, this issue is a step in the right direction - though it has a ways to go before I'll eagerly anticipate what's coming next.
Rating: Check It
The Hood is hardcore. Plenty of Marvel villains duke it out with Wolverine every month, but only Parker Robbins has the cajones to shoot Logan where it really hurts. Their all-too-brief encounter is easily the highlight of this issue. Brian Michael Bendis has enjoyed plenty of success in resurrecting forgotten characters over the years, and I expect The Hood will prove to be his latest great accomplishment.
That's all good, because the rest of the issue is somewhat less entertaining. We've all had our theories as to what exactly the cover means for our heroes, and the truth doesn't live up to the more outlandish theories. The Avengers return to Dr. Strange's mansion, those that choose to return anyway, and Strange administers another security test to check for Skrulls in disguise. Afterwards, we finally learn the real name of Luke and Jessica's baby. It's actually a pretty good choice, all things considered.
By and large New Avengers has been an exciting comic for Marvel fans in recent months. It's two real flaws are the somewhat slow pace and the inconsistent Leinil Yu art. I'll let you figure out which of the two is a bigger problem this month.
Rating: Must Read
For those of you worried that this series would become a non-stop "You're a Skrull"-fest for the next year, you're in luck. Doctor Strange has one of his "I'm all powerful, except when you really need it" moments, and a new threat needs taking car of, which will hopefully put the Skrull concept to rest for a bit. The other piece of pressing business from last issue is the emergence of the Hood and his mexican standoff with Wolverine. With my somewhat limited knowledge of the Hood, I didn't really see much suspense in what seemed like a lopsided match up, but looks can be deceiving. Bendis has a few tricks up his sleeve to even the odds as the Hood seems to have picked up a new ability. Oh, and he fights dirty, so very very dirty (-involuntary shudder-).
Bendis also mixes in a number of scenes of the characters on their own. Each is enjoyable in its own way, but Doctor Strange's was particularly effective. Doctor Strange has never been a compelling figure for me, mostly stemming from the fact that he's usually written in such way that makes him very unrelatable. In just two pages, Bendis makes Strange appear more human that I've ever seen him before, which is quite impressive.
While I'm still not a fan of him not having a separate inker, Leinil Yu's shows a marked improvement in quality this issue, especially with his faces. The faces still have an abundance of lines, but he seems to be more judicious in how he uses them, which creates a slightly softer effect. While not perfect by any means, I was very happy by not seeing monkey/zombie Iron Fist this issue.
Must Read
So what does everyone think of the reviews for New Avengers
#34.
