Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Pencils: Chris Bachalo, John Romita Jr., and Mike Deodato, Ikners: Tim Townsend, Jaimie Mendoza, Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba, Mark Irwin, Klaus Janson. Colorists: Chris Bachalo (double duty), Dean White, Paul Mounts, and Rain Beredo.
Collecting Avengers #13-17 and New Avengers #14-16
The Story: The Avengers fight against FEAR ITS—I can’t do it. It was just such a horrendous event. Still, other writers tried their best in the tie-ins and some of them were MUCH better than the main event (like Avengers Academy). So the first section of this review should really be…
Dealing with the Crap that was FEAR ITSELF: Bendis had two series to tie into Fear Itself, and did so in very similar ways. He must have known that Avengers and New Avengers would be collected together, as he used the same narrative technique in both series. The idea is that the Oral Histories of the Avengers are caught up, so the heroes are being interviewed about their most recent crisis: Crisis of Infinite Hemorrhoids—I mean Hammers. So we have a video interview-like thing going on with the heroes playing Monday morning quarterback, and then we get images from the event. Without Fear Itself, you’d almost think that something was happening in the world. There is some brutal fights in these tie-ins. The fight between Red Hulk and the Thing was ten times more exciting than the “brawl” in Fear Itself #5. Even Squirrel Girl’s story in New Avengers was more exciting and more dire than anything that happened in the main event. So in terms of making Fear Itself seem like an actual major crisis the heroes struggle to deal with, it’s successful. Crazy shit happens here. Daredevil takes on a brigade of Nazi Robots. Spider-Woman fights the Hulk while protecting a school filled of children. Protector hacks into Stark’s Iron Men suits (including Iron Patriot) and sets them on Sin. Every moment in the Avengers/New Avengers tie-ins would make you believe that this is one of the most important events in Marvel history. If only that were true.
Bendis’s Writing: Oddly, despite having stuff actually happen in his two series, it felt like Bendis was holding back. One issue is the narrative technique. Month to the month, the oral history interviews might have been okay. All at once? It just gets bogged down in talking heads. Sometimes it’s charming. When they’re talking about the Red Hulk proving himself as an Avenger, or what makes Daredevil Avenger material—or, as Luke Cage puts it—what makes the Avengers Daredevil material. The rest was cute, but nothing that really sticks out. Mockingbird went on for far too long. But the stories are very memorable—the best by far being Thing/Red Hulk. If Thor put the amount of effort into his fight as Red Hulk did, Fail Itself would have ended with issue 5.In these issues, Bendis takes the Avengers who question themselves the most as Avengers and explore how they become Avengers at heart. You know, emotional spine…something Fear Itself fails to do in every way. So while hit-and-miss, Bendis does some interesting work trying to give Matt Fraction’s work a reason for existing.
The Artists Three: Bachalo, Romita Jr., and Deadato. It’s a joyride of art. If only they weren’t bogged down with the oral history parts. When Thing appears Hammerized, it’s incredibly menacing. Squirrell Girl’s run to Avenger’s mansion is breathtaking. Bendis gave his artists a lot to work with, and all three of them take advantage of that. Once the ball gets rolling, it doesn’t stop. Avengers #13 is probably the weakest of the collection, but the rest just keeps building (well, within each series). The art here is definitely superior to the writing.
The Collection: An 8 issue collection of two $3.99 titles from Marvel should, in theory, cost at least 31.99. Usually Marvel charges more for hardcover, so let’s say $34.99. That’s fair right? Marvel pricing…fair…doesn’t seem like something that should be said in the same sentence. Okay, let’s try this one. Marvel pricing… awesome? Wait, what? Yes, though they could have easily charged $34.99, the collection is very reasonably priced at $24.99. Hopefully this sets a trend at Marvel.
Either that, or they know Fear Itself was such a disaster that they are going to trouble selling any tie-ins, let alone the main event.
Grade: B-
-Roman Colombo
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Filed under: Marvel Comics, The Graphic Novel Reader Tagged: | Avengers, Avengers: Fear Itself, Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Bachalo, Fear Itself, Fear Itself: Avengers, Fear Itself: Avengers (Hardcover), Fear Itself: Avengers (Hardcover) review, Fear Itself: Avengers review, Hulk, John Romita Jr., Marvel Comics, Marvel Graphic Novels, Mike Deadato, Mockingbird, Protector, Red Hulk, Roman Colombo, Squirrel Girl, The Thing
I felt weird picking up both these books in singles every month. I found the writing and art solid enough….but the format got so tedious and I got bored picking the books up every month, even tho they weren’t bad persay.
That said, I absolutely LOVED that Mockingbird issue of New Avengers. Best issue of NA all year.
Hmm, maybe as a stand alone issue, the Mockingbird one works better. But as the middle of this collection, other issues stood out much more.