OK it took forever but they finally released the next part of this story!! Just to make sure everyone is all caught up, the first part of this Revengers storyline was released last year in the New Avengers annual, and we were promised a continuation in (what we thought was 2011’s) Avengers Annual. So we waited and waited…and then waited some more. And now it’s finally here! Was it worth the wait? Eh…maybe…not a terrible story, but I wonder if it was worth the 6 month wait we endured to get to it.
First and foremost, this just wasn’t as good as the first part. I’m sorry, but it just wasn’t. I know that Avengers is supposed to be the “premiere” team of Avengers but the New Avengers book and missions are just consistently more interesting and exciting, not to mention successful (expect this time of course). The New Avengers installment just seemed to be written a lot better in my opinion. The Revengers strike on the New Avengers seemed more thought out and calculated whereas this attack seemed just like a blunt strike (and should have failed if anyone’s asking me). And then Wonder Man calls a press conference?? He used his Avengers and Hollywood connections to get together a large grouping of reporters to out all the Avengers dirty little secrets…because no one has done that at all in recent times (coughOsborncough)…uncreative guys. Also, even if he had the reporters on his side at first (even when the Avengers attacked him publically he might have had the media on his side), but I would really think that, as he threatens to topple Avengers Tower into the ocean, that they would have maybe turned on him just a little bit… Slap shod storytelling, mediocre art. Fail for this part…not an epic fail, but a fail nonetheless.
Now for some positive thoughts. The background behind this story, the entire point Simon was trying to make…FLAWLESS. With some better writing for the book, this type of story could easily be a jumping off point for good stories for the next year (you know, if Marvel didn’t already plan their stories out 7 years in advance). Why did he do it? Because he believed in his cause. Everyone read this and was waiting to hear about how Simon was mind controlled, or possessed, or a clone or SOMEthing. But no, he was just angry at the Avengers and had a point to make. And boy did he make it. Defeated or not, his message was heard and there’s nothing that the Avengers can do about it. Those reporters WANT to know what the Avengers have done, and why aren’t they responding to the allegations. At the end of the day that’s what most villains or terrorists want: to have their message heard…and it was. It wasn’t Ultron manipulating him, it wasn’t Scarlet Witch screwing things up, and it wasn’t Purple Man (marvel at this long-standing ridiculous name for a moment)…it was a bitter Avengers who decided that this system of fighting just doesn’t work anymore. And to top the entire story off, we even got insight as to why his cohorts were fighting by his side since most of them weren’t really evil and a few even former Avengers or Avenger allies. Again, no coercion and no forced service…these were more real people with real grudges or valid reasons for joining up with Wonder Man. My favorite however was Eddie Brock’s response, “I think Simon Williams is right. You guys don’t work.”
Overall, this was kinda sloppy. The basic idea came through and it was a really good message being conveyed, but it was a bit haphazard in the telling. This could have been a great starting point for the media to turn on the Avengers like the X-men in the 80’s or have new archenemy (in Wonder Man and his new team), but I suspect that the next time we see Wonder Man will be in his rehabilitation and all his Revengers will spend some time in the Vault or the Raft and then join the Thunderbolts. And just to finish this up on a high point I will mention my FAVORITE part of the entire issue was the scene between Beast and Wonder Man. People often forget that for a large chunk of the 80’s Beast and Wonder Man were an inseparable pair and the best of friends. However once Beast left the Avengers and the Defenders to join X-Factor and Wonder Man joined the West Coast Avengers they’ve barely been seen together since (except their brief visit during Beauty and the Beast). So it was really nice to see this relationship get touched upon again and to see that despite their lack of panel time together, they are still as close as ever. That one scene somewhat helped make up for a bit of an otherwise lackluster performance.
No comments:
Post a Comment