After hearing discussions from many associates about how much they are really DISLIKING the current AVENGERS stuff, I thought I'd turn my attention this week to a title I BUY, but don't really invest alot of reading time in. Needless to say, I'm glad I read
NEW AVENGERS #10.
(NOTE: If you haven't read the last few issues of NEW AVENGERS, you're gonna be a little lost.)There's two storylines featured in NEW AVENGERS #10: the first is the regular NEW AVENGERS line-up...knee-deep in a battle with Superia and Norman Osborn's old H.A.M.M.E.R. organization, who, as we all know, has GOT to be up to something nasty.
The second tale spins the reader back to 1959, and follows Nick Fury and Dum Dum Dugan who are on orders from the President to round up a covert-ops unit of old Marvel mainstays under the banner of the Avengers Initiative. These "Avengers" consist of:
Sabretooth, Namora, Kraven the Hunter, Dominic Fortune, the original Silver Sable, and Ulysses Bloodstone.It's obvious that these two stories will eventually become one decade-spanning tale that encompasses the REAL HIDDEN TRUTH behind the menace in both stories, but readers can enjoy two very different Avengers tales before they collide.
In my opinion, compared to the current poor man's Infinity Gauntlet tale going on over in the regular AVENGERS title, this storyline is a breath of fresh air. Howard Chaykin and Mike Deodato fit the art bill nicely for each story, and THIS Bendis is at the top of his game. The story overall has progressed nicely, and will make a very nice trade paperback.
Is there a downside? Well, I'm not sure if I can ever consider Sabretooth an AVENGER. Or Kraven the Hunter for that matter. BUT, the story is interesting enough that I can ignore my inner-geek crying out to dislike these two choices and call them
AVENGERS UNLIMITED. The other downside is the $3.99 price tag. I understand that money makes the world go round, but when the owner of my LCS separates my weekly stack o' books to ring them up, they are not only separated by PRICE now, but also PUBLISHER.
I'd also like to think this book MIGHT have a hint of collectibility down the road with the debut of this unique Avengers line-up. I dunno. There's something about it that makes me want to keep an eye on it.
So if you MUST read one book this week, I suggest you read the second print of the final issue of Fantastic Four.
But if you must read TWO, read
New Avengers #10 by Marvel. You can find information on all your favorite Avengers titles on ComicCollectorLive.com. Variants, signed issues, character appearances...you name it. Your Avenger Initiative starts by visiting ComicCollectorLive.com, clicking on LIBRARY and typing "AVENGERS".