Broken Frontier

With the Avengers disbanded after the Scarlet Witch’s breakdown, fate has once more conspired to bring together some of the World’s Mightiest (and funniest) heroes together. But before going into details as to why I’m liking this book, I do have to say that I did not like the Disassembled storyline. I felt it was a bit too contrived and that it was a tale Marvel was rushing to tell so that New Avengers could be launched. But that’s just me. On to this week’s column.

As Marvel’s preeminent writer these days (sorry Mark Millar), Brian Michael Bendis brings his trademark ear for dialogue and overarching storylines to the latest incarnation of the Avengers. Frankly, I didn’t expect any one else to tackle this book other than Bendis for the mere fact that the man, like his work or not, tends to make people sit up and read.

One of the questions that begs to be asked is with regard to the make-up of the current team. Is it a response to the DC’s “Big 7?” or is it a case of Marvel choosing characters that would provide for interesting dynamics? Actually, I think it’s a little bit of both.

Undoubtedly, the new team has some of Marvel’s most popular and iconic heroes in the roster. Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Wolverine. That’s a whole lot of sales combined there with their individual books. Add to that mix some second-tier heroes but amped up a little bit (Spider-Woman and Luke Cage) with an enigmatic character in the Sentry, Bendis has actually come up with a good combination.

I won’t go much into the Cap/Iron Man dynamics as those two go way back and we’re pretty familiar with their roles as the co-leaders of this team. I think it would be more interesting to examine the newcomers on the team. The relationship I’m enjoying the most is the Spidey/Luke Cage tandem. They seemed to have settled on a Booster Gold/Blue Beetle-type relationship with their constant bantering where Luke plays the straight man. Couple that with Bendis’ underrated knack for comedic dialogue, some of the funnier moments have come from these two.

The development of Spider-Woman from an almost laughable character from the 80s to a bad-ass S.H.I.E.L.D. agent has also been one of the more interesting elements of the book. She brings a certain toughness to the team that is unexpected considering that she’s the only woman on the team. I’ve always liked strong female characters and Jessica Drew is nicely filling out that role. But as revealed in the third issue, there may be more to her than what we’ve seen so far.

The Sentry, as scant as his appearances has been so far, may turn out to be the biggest surprise of all. For those who are unfamiliar with this character, The Sentry is purported to be possibly the most powerful being on Earth with a very convoluted history. The character was introduced in a controversial mini-series a few years ago and had seemingly fallen off the face of comicdom until the news broke out that he would be part of the New Avengers. With his seeming mental instability, it bears watching just how he will fit in with the team and more importantly, if he can be controlled.

Wolverine is….Wolvie is there for…..uhmmmm…..he’s there for….oh heck, let’s face it, the guy is there to boost sales. There it’s out. On a serious note, I like how Iron Man rationalized why Wolverine needs to be on the team when he says, “We’re going to need someone to go to that place that we can’t,” referring to Logan’s predeliction for taking lives. Wolverine is the Avengers’ ultimate and most lethal weapon.

As much as I am happy with the team’s composition, there is also the matter of the story at hand. The first four issues of this book moved along a very good pace with the rationales for reforming the Avengers and the obligatory recruitment scenes (will Daredevil join or not?) but hits a bit of a bump with the fifth issue with the team going to the Savage Land. That was a case where too much dialogue can spoil a good thing. Fortunately, the final issue of the arc pulls things together enough and gives the reader the jump-on point for the next arc.

Of course, any discussion of this book would not be complete without commenting on the superb artwork of artist David Finch. Having followed his work from his days at Top Cow, I had no doubt that Finch would some day achieve superstar status. I’m glad to see that my initial assessment of the man’s work wasn’t that far off. Working on what can be considered as one of Marvel’s flagship books, Finch’s work has been given the maximum exposure it deserves.

Looking at his work, it is quite obvious that superhero books are up his alley. He shows an excellent grasp of action scenes but also demonstrates that he can do some of the more “quieter” moments certain parts of the book requires. One thing I really like with Finch’s style is that superheroes look like superheroes. For a cape and tights guy like me, his work is beauty to behold. Of course, what artist’s work wouldn’t be complete without an inker to polish it out? Danny Miki tightly complements Finch’s pencils and gives it the right effects to make things look great.

One complaint I do have about the artwork is the sometimes too-dark mood and funky coloring in some pages of the arc. There were scenes on The Raft that I could hardly make out what was going on during the escape due to the opaqueness of the coloring.  Otherwise, everything works well.

Guiding Line:  While arguments have been made citing that Young Avengers may be the better book in the wake of Disassembled, New Avengers is not chopped liver at all. Bendis’ infusion of quirky team dynamics, humor and intriguing storyline makes this book very readable. Sure, it had some rough patches in places but overall, New Avengers can hold its own. With David Finch working his magic on the artwork, the book is very easy to the eyes and should satisfy even the toughest superhero fan. Yes, the Avengers are back and I dare say they’re better than ever.