The Bendis-ification of the Avengers is still just beginning to fall into place, but I’m digging it. I was never especially into the old Avengers (except for the Wasp and her ever-changing costumes, but they sadly managed to tone down the fun, socialite side of her over the years), so I’m not as horrified as some folks by the new cast of characters. I wouldn’t say this is Bendis’ strongest work yet, but at least he cherry-picked a great cast of characters that he knows how to write. The plot may be moving along slowly (a sure sign that the story is being paced out for the trade paperback, an epidemic of sorts these days), but the dialogue snaps, cracks, and pops like a Preston Sturges flick.
With Alias, Bendis made me a fan of Luke Cage, which I would never have thought possible. He also gave the latest (and now the late) version of Ant-Man a real personality, which was miraculous. He put Spider-Woman back in action (and gave her donut jokes!), for which I will be forever grateful. Most of all, though, he made Spider-Man funny again.
Spider-Man is totally my type. Well, I like all sorts, but I keep coming back to smart, funny, sad sacks. Especially if they’re wiry and limber. Spidey’s never lost the wisecracks altogether, but so many folks who write for him play up the unending misfortunes, the hot model for a wife, the tedious angst of it all. It’s so charming, and hence kinda hot, to have him acknowledging all the goofy plot twists that have happened over the years and make light of them all. Now that’s why he’s my friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. You show me a bookish guy with nice arms and a skinny butt who handles adversity best by focusing on the absurd, and then I’ll show you me all starry-eyed and swollen-trousered. He fights crime, too? heaven.
I love this bit of banter as the new team rockets off to the Savage Land (dont’t ask)…
David Finch’s art is also rocking. Spider-Woman looks really glam, and I get a kick out of Cap reading the newspaper, and Luke Cage with his GameBoy or Blackberry or whatever he’s got there. I just like way they’re all nonchalant, like they’re on the subway. It’s a nice touch.
