Another book I'd highly recommend from the Marvel side is YOUNG AVENGERS #1.
Written by Allen Heinberg (one of the writers for the TV series "
The O.C." ), and illustrated by Jim Cheung and John Dell.
This book is exactly,
exactly what has been missing in comics. The fun back-and-forth dialogue you used to see in the 70's and 80's AVENGERS by Steve Englehart, Jim Shooter and Dave Michelinie.
And the early-Marvel kind of hero problems, balancing fighting crime with everyday responsibilities.
You know:
"Oh geez, I can't fight Kang tonight, I need to get home and study. I've got a test tomorrow !!"That kind of stuff.
Here's a link to enlargements of YOUNG AVENGERS covers and interior pages:
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=list&title=99410907980&snumber=1I highly recommend picking up the first issue. And I find it hard to believe that
anyone could get to page 4 and not want to read further.
Again, some minor tough-posturing bad-attitude elements, but not to the point that it overshadows the fun.
I thought issue 2 was not quite as good as issue 1, but was still good reading.
Also, based on how much I enjoyed YOUNG AVENGERS, I also picked up NEW AVENGERS # 4 this week. In the store, I looked at the art and thought it was great. Then I saw the writer is Brian Michael Bendis, and almost put it back on the shelf. But I thought the art and colors were great, so I gave it a shot.
I just want to emphasize how much I generally hate Bendis' work.
I thought Bendis' DAREDEVIL work (despite really nice art) was overly gloomy, pretentious and uninteresting. I dislike any number of books he's done that are profanity laden, and just filled to the brim with all the elements I despise.
Despite raves by others to try 100 BULLETS, I sampled the series and hated it.
Even Bendis' contribution to the 9-11 benefit book a few years ago ticked me off with its bad-attitude, cynical foul-talking script, which I really considered inappropriate to such a solemn event
But in contrast, when reading NEW AVENGERS # 4, I couldn't believe this was written by the same guy. It has so much clever dialogue,
funny dialogue, and great rapport and flow between all the characters. This was a tremendously fun story from start to finish, with a lot of great twists that make you laugh out loud.
Again, a little bit more bad-attitude than I like, but it didn't rise to a level that it spoiled the story.
Link to larger cover images and interior pages for NEW AVENGERS:
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=list&title=56605743384&snumber=1So... I'm amazed to have read two Marvel titles this month, where for a change, I
didn't feel cheated and want my money back. Where, for a change, I once again, like in a better era, read a few comics and thought:
Wow, that was great !And I sincerely hope they can sustain it, because I'd like to read more issues like this.