The New Avengers #26 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mike Deodato (art), Rain Beredo (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story:  K’un-Lun gets its new Iron Fist as well as a very special guest.

The Review: This issue proves that last issue wasn’t just a fluke, one-issue thing: despite not featuring a single Avenger, being set in the past, and being an event tie-in, this is one of the best New Avengers stories since the relaunch of the title.  Actually, it’s probably my favourite next to the first, Stuart Immonen illustrated arc.

Bendis’ Avengers books have gradually fallen into a creative rut of repetition and stagnation, but this issue, much like the issue before it, allows Bendis to do something totally different: a K’un Lun comic.  The result is a book that is filled with a sense of wonder.  Bendis immerses us into the strange world of prophecy and mysticism that is K’un Lun and the result is an ominous, escapist trip that only comics can provide.

Perhaps the one weakness of this issue is the lack of meaningful character-work, particularly in the case of our redheaded protagonist, who really hasn’t been explored much beyond the surface level.  Oddly, I’m fine with that in the context of this comic.  It’s clear that Bendis has chosen instead to focus on the atmosphere and tone of dread and impending cataclysm; it’s clear that this story, and its characters, are completely driven and controlled by events.  Characterization takes a backseat, but only because the characters are simply pieces in a larger game with the highest stakes.  In this sense, Bendis’ approach actually works for the comic.

New Avengers #25 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (writers), Mike Deodato & Will Conrad (art), Rain Beredo (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The ancient, until now unknown ties between K’un Lun, the Iron Fist, and the Phoenix Force are revealed.

The Review: I imagine a lot of people are going to be pretty upset about this issue and would probably demand that it get no better than a D, if not lower.  Aside from the fact that it’s written by Bendis (an almost automatic F in some readers’ eyes), it’s a tie-in, it doesn’t feature a single Avenger in it, and it centers on one big old retcon of the history of the Iron Fist.

Of course, as regular readers may know, I’m not all that opposed to writers playing fast and loose with it or bending it to better suit their aims, provided it means a good story.  Of course, those that feel differently will despise this book.