I was excited to hear that Chris Bachalo was going to be joining the creative team on Avengers. He is easily one of my favourite artists. Bendis has been wearing out his welcome with me of late, but he is tolerable. That being said, I was sure this new team was going to make a big splash with this book.
The book started out with Bendis' newest love affair, the interview. With more and more frequency Bendis has been littering his books with panel upon panel of superhero head shots giving interviews into what I can only imagine is a video camera. At first the idea was novel, but he relies on it so frequently that it has become downright annoying. So when this book started out with Spider-Woman pouring her heart out frame by frame in this interview format, I already started planning my scathing review. The main thing that was going through my mind was, "What is the point behind this?" Strangely enough, by the end of the book I was shown the point, and "by George!" it worked!
The issue focuses around Spider-Woman and the insecurities she has as a member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. As far as she is concerned her past and her parent's pasts as Hydra terrorists have forever tainted her reputation. Furthermore, she is bound and determined that she needs one, monumental event to change that reputation. "Fear Itself" and this issue gives Jessica her chance!
With rosters thin, Steve Rogers sends Spider-Woman, The Protector and Marvel Girl to Brazil to try and stop the mysterious hammer wielder there. Little did they know that the Asgardian enhanced nightmare would be none other than the Hulk!
It goes without saying that the three Avengers deployed might be a little overmatched by a mystically enhanced Hulk. But rather than feel fear, Jessica seizes this as her opportunity to redeem her tarnished rep.
The action is nonstop in this issue and the Bendis interview panels are perfectly placed. Nobody draws crumbling stone and buildings as well as Bachalo, and nobody produces more crumbling buildings than the Hulk. A match made in heaven!
The story is what I refer to as a quick page turner. This is one of the benchmarks I use for measuring how good a book is. Often, if the book is really exciting, I turn the pages too quickly, desperate to get to the next page of the story. This is exactly what I did with Avengers #15. In fact, I had to go back and read it immediately a second time because I rushed through the issue so quickly.
So my apologies Mr. Bendis, nice work on the interview panels and intricate look into the character of Jessica Jones. And thank-you Mr. Bachalo for your typically, stylized, awesome work!