Recharging
It’s been nearly 48 hours since I touched a computer. The wonky weather made me really sick. I think I may also be stressed from work-related stuff, so I just spent my time sleeping and watching TV for most of Sunday and yesterday. The down time allowed me to reflect on many things that need to get done, since I do have many priorities mixed up. Organizing is another matter entirely, but I’ll get to it. The short hibernation period was relaxing, however, and it made me wish that I had time and money to burn to go away for a while and not worry about work for a few days.
Action Heroes
The 4th annual Toycon was great and, as usual, crowded. I was there for only a short time because I was feeling exhausted and quite queasy. I left soldier-boy Benedict to sell copies of LNA. Gerry, Ryan, Jonas and the other Komikeros were there, as well as Carl, who dropped by in the afternoon (he sold copies of One Night in Purgatory as part of a special 2-pack with LNA). Got to meet Ruel of Comic Brook too. Saw many Cosplay participants as I left early in the afternoon. Wish I stayed longer, but I had to go home and rest. To those who bought my comics, and to the Komikeros, Carl and Benedict, thanks again for helping out.
Mis-assembled
Bought New Avengers # 6 last weekend. This is the end of the first story arc. I wish I was satisfied, but the story just went around in circles. The new group didn’t get to show off any real team dynamic. I don’t have problems with the new lineup, but only Spider-Woman was shown doing something substantial in the issue (she threatened to kill the bad Black Widow). Wolverine was there just to quip that he can kill; the rationale for him being considered for membership by Iron Man is iffy. They’re supposed to be Marvel’s premier super-group this time (according to the hype), but they just moved too slowly and failed to save a number of lives. Yes, I know Sentry and Ronin have yet to join, but this team would be so creamed by the JLA’s big seven. The Avengers seriously need energy powerhouses and speedsters (I consider Photon one).
I’m fine with cliffhangers, lineup shake-ups and epic storylines, but the arc just felt so decompressed and lacking a big affecting impact to it. It did make me dig up and read my old Roger Stern, Kurt Busiek and John Byrne Avengers issues, and appreciate the good old days more. I hope Brian Bendis (whose dialogue is superb) can recapture that kind of scope and magic and give us something exciting and memorable with his future issues.
Elitist
Finished the 12-issue Justice League Elite. Now this is cool stuff. Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke are my fave post-Morrison-Porter creative team on JLA, and I’m glad they were able to work again on some of the characters in this series. It’s been a fun ride filled with morality conundrums and fast-paced superhero action, and it would be great if it becomes an ongoing series soon. Will pick up JLA-Cyberforce one-shot in two weeks because of the Kelly-Mahnke collaboration too.
7 comments:
It was great to finally meet you in person, Oliver! Wish I was there when you left but had to break for lunch :(
New Avengers - I so agree with you! I made quite a rant in my group on how the entire storyarc ended up nowhere! It started out quite promising but by issue 4, it kinda shifted to a very different angle. The prison break storyline (which had a ton of potential storyarcs) was basically set aside, the inclusion of Wolverine was so sudden (and almost illogical), and I was left with a sense of errrr disassembly. I HAVE to read Ultimate Spider-Man though and see how people can say Bendis is a top-notch writer because from what I've seen of his work - Avengers Diassembled, New Avengers and that horrific House Of M (well the first issue of it anyway) - he's like a blasted amateur!
My favorite Avengers era was when Vision was injured in the battle against Annihilus - now that was a great time! Captain Marvel (Monica), She-Hulk, Starfox, the Scarlet Witch - great characterization, great storyarcs and surprising villains! I have to say that I like that era more than the recent Busiek/Perez run (though that was excellent as well). :)
Great meeting you too, Ruel. :)
I read a few Ultimate Spider-Man and Daredevil issues by Bendis and I enjoyed them. I dunno if this is the first time he's handling a big team book, but it felt really slow. This is his handpicked team, though, so I guess many of us are expecting something really grand.
Hey, I like that Annihilus barrier period too! I like Roger Stern's shifting 6-member lineup and how he's developed Monica,Wasp and even Dr. Druid. That was better than the Busiek run, I agree. The Busiek-Perez and John Byrne West Coast Avengers were memorable for me because their stories really developed the characters, and re-introduced lesser known ones from Marvel's rich universe.
I don't really mind the line-up - aside from Wolverine, everyone's okay with me. I'm very much happy they dusted off Jessica Drew and put her in that gorgeous red Spider-Woman costume again! It's just that when it comes to understanding the characters I have a problem with Bendis - I mean really, just because Professor X can't cure Wanda, the X-Men and the Avengers would consider killing her? Really!
Oh I forgot about the John Byrne WCA! Loved that era as well (however short) - the deconstruction of the Vision, the return of the Golden Age Human Torch, and the Dark Scarlet Witch!
John Byrne, while an ass sometimes, is one of my favorite writer/artists mainly because of his WCA and FF run. I don't really care if I'm the only one enjoying his Doom Patrol series - very much one of my "must read" books right now :P
I like Jessica Drew as Spider-Woman again but there's something about it that feels forced... The "I'm a badass SHIELD agent who can take on Wolverine and has a license to kill" angle seems a little off to me. Oh well.
House of M-- why not give Wanda the mutant cure from Astonishing X-Men? Trap her in a magic-proof dimension? Remind her that she knew about the fake babies even before Wasp mentioned it by the pool? Continuity errors and out-of-character moments have been plaguing that story, so far.
Byrne, yep, he's got his controversial opinions. But he was great in the '80s. Loved Alpha Flight and FF. His works had an epic feel to them back then.
Okay, make that "Remind her that she knew about the fake babies even before Wasp mentioned THEM" Plural. Babies. Grammar thing... :D
Oh, and another thing... Doom Patrol? Hmmm... curious.
Regarding reminding Wanda about her babies - didn't she already remember this, circa Avengers #23 (Busiek/Perez run) when she and Simon and Hank were discussing past transgressions in that jazz bar?
I was so happy when I completed John Byrne's Alpha Flight run when I went to the US a few years back - too bad he ended it with a few loose ends (like Talisman angry with Shaman). Oh well... :)
Yeah, during Busiek's run, baggages were resolved so the major characters were able to move on. And that made it accessible. I can't say the same for his Avengers Forever, though, which was too cluttered with history. Non-fans probably had a hard time digesting that. But that looked really good.
Alpha Flight... Byrne did nearly 30 issues... loved the double-sized ones. My fave characters were Sasquatch, Aurora and Box (Madison Jeffries). :)
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