World Famous Comics: New Avengers, Vol. 7: The Trust (v. 7)
New Avengers, Vol. 7: The Trust (v. 7)
By: Brian Michael Bendis Publisher: Marvel Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Marvel Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 184 Publication Date: July 16, 2008 Reading Level: Young Adult
Product Description: The New Avengers have found a huge clue to the threat that has faced them since the day they banded together. And now just the knowledge of that threat is tearing them apart. What secret could be so damning that it could do to the New Avengers what the Civil War could not?? Collects New Avengers #32-37 and Annual #2.
More good Avengers material I've not been a regular comic collector in a few years, but I've picked up all the New Avengers paperbacks to see what's been going on. If anything gets me back in, it'll be these books! Bendis does a good job overall with the huge variety of different characters. While he stumbles sometimes mixing Dr. Strange with Luke Cage with Spider-Man, it still makes for some enjoyable banter. This collection is a lead-up to Secret Invasion, which has apparently been building for some time. I have a feeling I'd better pick up the Mighty Avengers trades as well before I tackle that though. There is some crossover here, and I feel I'm missing out on some things by not having read about Iron Man's team. The one big complaint is the art. Lenil Yu needs to have someone else ink his pencils. His artwork is so rough, that though I'm sure he's got talent, it's hard to see and looks very rushed. The Annual in this book has art by a different team and is far superior to Yu's usual work.
Brian Michael Bendis does it once again! Superb dialog plus top notch art. Honestly, Bendis could write a phone book and I would read it cover to cover multiple times. (Review by Michael Atkinson I just purchased it for him)
Definitely the spine of the Marvel Universe SOOOO much better than Mighty Avengers. Interesting idea by centralizing all Marvel Villainey. Good dialog, solid artwork...this is the Avengers book to buy.
The Trust Works for Me Bendis's New Avengers run has had its ups and downs - a great beginning led to a somewhat disappointing and meandering muddle in the middle. The books suffered from being overly-tied-in with other comics I hadn't read.
But The Trust picks things up again with some great superhero action against a background of paranoia and mistrust that really ramps up the tension.
The New Avengers is an anti-establishment group as it is, and one thing you don't want to do with a hippie is look like a narc. When your teammate, whom you must trust with your life, is possibly a Skrull, it's hard to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya."
Bendis writes great patter, and this book is not an exception. His Spider-Man is genuinely witty, and the romantic, playfully sexy banter between Luke Cage and his wife is charming. When Cage gets suspicious of her, Jessica's patient and practical response is perfect - Bendis writes her character so beautifully, it makes me miss Alias Vol. 1 and The Pulse, Vol. 2: Secret War even more.
The plot of The Trust seems to borrow from DC's Villains United storyline, as The Hood bullies and builds a group of ragtag bad guys into a loose federation. But the action is good, and Bendis makes The Hood into a character to contend with.
Overall, good stuff, and the book's strongest outing in awhile. Of course, mediocre from Bendis is still better than most writer's best days, and this book is far better than mediocre. The man is a genius.
Lastly, I'm more of a story than an art guy, but I didn't love Yu's work here. It seems overly sketchy - even ugly - at times. There are some powerful layouts, but I prefer a cleaner look.
The Trust : don't second guess picking it up. It's Bendis at his best continuing the superhero soap opera that is the New Avengers and painting some personal conversation based issues between characters. It is a strong lead into Secret Invasion.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
