Bendis Avengers

Avengers 26-30

The AvX tie-in issues.  It’s amazing how after nailing a number of previous event crossover issues, Brian Michael Bendis completely drops the ball on this one.  There’s a bunch of nonsense with Noh-Varr betraying the team to the Kree as a quick and dirty way to get him kicked off of the team.  The romance between Hawkeye and Spider-Woman continues, but with no real pay off.  

It’s not helped by Walt Simonson’s art.  While he’s a legend, his style doesn’t fit in with the aesthetic that’s been established with this title thus far.  It pains me to say it, but if it wasn’t Simonson, and some schmoe doing these same pencils, I’d call it downright bad.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Boring

Avengers 31-34

Bendis ends his 200+ issue run on Avengers with the return of Janet Van Dyne, who’s been presumed dead since Secret Invasion.  Most of it takes place in the Microverse, in a drawn out generic battle against a generic villain that no one will ever remember again.  A sad ending to an epic run that had some excellent moments.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Didn’t suck

Avengers: Heroes Welcome 1

Bendis returns for a random one-shot where Nova asks the Avengers the meaning of being a hero.  It sounds like an after-school special, and not necessarily in a bad way, but I have no idea why this issue exists.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

I wouldn’t buy this trade again, it was pretty bad.