Kara's Comic Blog: The New Avengers #3 (Marvel)

"Do you see me skimping out on the nervous patter that covers up the fact that I've wet myself because it looks like we've been replaced as the dominant species on the planet?!"~Peter Parker, the Spectacularly Amazing Spider-Man

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Wade von Grawbadger
Colorist: Laura Martin
Letters & Production: Chris Eliopoulous
Associate Editor: Lauren Sankovitch
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor in Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Executive Producer (what! really? ~8-O): Alan Fine

Comic Book Week: August 18th, 2010

I have said before that I am not the biggest Marvel fangirl but I do mostly like the Avengers titles. Of course since Brian Michael Bendis writes all of them they are all pretty much the same. 9,9

Kidding!

Kindof.

He is good with the dialogue and the characters and has been doing better mixing up the pacing of the stories........but there is ALWAYS that back and forth 'jibba-jabba' ( ツ ) that can be funny........just it is ALWAYS there.

The artwork is fantastic.......I have also said that I LUV Stuart Immonen (sorry Kathryn ;-) ) and von Grawbadger, Martin & Eliopoulous just enhance the fabulous look of this book!

The current issue is part three of the new opening storyarc where Dr. Strange and Daimon Hellstrom (those go to the characters' wikis btw cause I know a lot of you might not know who Daimon Hellstrom Son of Satan is.........scary!...........especially! ~8-( ) are possessed by the mystery villain, who wants Dr. Voodoo's (the recently annointed Sorcerer Supreme) Eye of Agamotto. He (Voodoo) sends it to Luke Cage, leader of The New Avengers (dum-diddee-DUM!), since they are apparently old friends! And so the fight begins!

The pretty cover I have shown is the variant edition by Immonen and part of Marvel's weird celebration of the "Women of Marvel"........not that I do not approve it just seems very out of the blue! ':-\

The story & art as I have said are great.

I like the characters, who are, besides Luke......or Power Man as he used to be called; Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers-Marvel's version of Supergirl (I guess?), who is to Captain Marvel what Supergirl is to Superman sortof; Jewel/Jessica Jones-Luke's significant other with powers pretty similar to Ms. Marvel (she's kindof of a 'made up' character......like Dawn from Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Mockingbird/Bobbi Morse-athlete/scientist/spy who in only two issues seems to have replaced her ex-husband Hawkeye on the team; Spider-Man/Peter Parker-okay, like do not try to tell me you do not know who Spider-man is okay?; Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett-again really?; The Thing/Ben Grimm-big rocky member of the Fantastic Four; Iron Fist/Danny Rand-former partner of Luke & a kung fu guy with an.......iron fist.......also he does not show off his chest anymore like in his wiki (poop! :-( ); and 'administrative assistant' (I guess?) Victoria Hand-former assistant of Norman Osborn/Iron Patriot(/Green Goblin) and appointed to help the team by Steve Rogers, the first Captain America.

*whew!*

I have mentioned the lead up for the plot of this issue which continues into the next as the mystery villain is revealed at the end of the issue and all the heroes are fighting an invasion of demons from a mystery dimension. Also, Victoria throws a (funny) tantrum & carries a really big gun (I kindof like her! ツ ).

So it is all very good. Except!

I have to complain about the editing because I think that may be where the problem is!

First on the splash page, the characters are all standing around looking up at the sky and as the camera shifts they keep moving around without actually moving! One could blame Immonen but it really seems like something the editor should have picked up.

Second, Victoria somehow has time to change clothes in the middle of the invasion as she is clearly wearing a different skirt in her two different appearances. Again Immonen is partly to blame (I am SOOOOO sorry, Stuart, my love! ;;-) ) but also should have been picked up in editing.

Third is the aforementioned confusion over whether it is Hawkeye or Mockingbird that is on this team! I mean I love them both and this is partly Bendis' (or maybe mostly Bendis') fault but it is too much like the original series where we waited like a year and a half so Ronin (Echo) could join for like one issue!

Fourth, the team lineup I listed may not be the team since Iron Fist is not on the recap page (which is actually a good editorial call).

I don't want to be so hard on Brevoort or Sankovitch but someone has to have a better grip on this book.......it is good but it could be great.