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Posted by:

MacGlaspyn

Date:

April 25th, 2007 1:54 PM

Header:

Is it New or is it Mighty?

Bulletin:

Okay, it’s been a while since my last posting, as I was still recovering from all the weird reactions to Captain America’s 8th or 9th “death” since the 40s (I mean come on, he has “died” more than the Phoenix and Superman put together); so by way of making up for that I thought I would kick over the proverbial hornet’s nest with this one. Nothing earth shattering, no spoilers, but still enough to at least get me a couple of irate letters. Enjoy.

I have been picking up The New Avengers since it started, and while there have been the occasional hiccup in a place or two, I have loved it. Granted, I am not a Bendis groupie, but I will say that his work is more on the “Yea” pile than the “Nay” for me. So when I heard that he was going to do The Mighty Avengers as well, I was definitely on board. I mean it made sense from a literary point of view, to have one writer deal with both sides of a schism… unfortunately it has come across more as just a dude talking to himself in a corner.

Now, all respect to Bendis, but while “New” is tight, edgy and with juuuust enough wit tossed in to be cool and not trying too hard, “Mighty” is anything but. The “real time” word balloons not only make it seem cartoony (person X is thinking this in response to person Y’s comment, before actually saying…) but make it very disjointed and take away too much from the art (which might not be a bad thing, more later). Is this to show the dichotomy between the teams as even more striking? Is it to flex a new writing muscle? Who knows, certainly not the reader. Also the patter in this on IS trying to hard, it feels more like two kids who just watched a cool movie reciting dialogue at a pace that you can’t put your finger on, but is just… off.

Now the art, and this one pains me as I have been a fan of Mr. Cho from way back. I love his style, mainly because I love “good girl” art. In “Mighty” it is off kilter. If you aren’t a female character then you aren’t going to be drawn with the same detail/deference, and as much as I adore Brandy from Liberty Meadows… not every woman needs to look like her. Sorry, had to say it. I was thrilled to hear that he was going to be on a title with a strict deadline so I could see his work on a less sporadic basis, but when coupled with word balloons out the wazoo, it just feels more like a collection of strips to me and not an Avengers book. Especially when compared to the other one that is very much competing with it, in spite of what is thought at the head offices. Bendis is playing it safe, he has money on both horses… but come on.

This is all fixable and we are still in the early stages of “Mighty” so I am sure (hopefully) that this is just a matter of getting used to one another and juggling things. If not it would be a shame to see another “Real” Avengers book and another “Second Stringers” book happen, especially since they both should have more merit then is being shown. Who would have thought that Ares would be a second stringer... wait, didn’t they punk the God of War a few times as a “bad guy”? Hmmm, maybe it had all been foretold in the back issue bin.

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