I just started reading New Avengers when I picked up 48 and 49 at NYCC, but I’ve been excited about this issue ever since I saw it in Previews a few months back. Knowing that Dark Reign just started, I was surprised Bendis was going to have the Dark and New Avengers butt heads so quickly. With this issue we get thrown a nice curve ball so while I didn’t get what I was excited I was entertained none-the-less.

Bendis’ writing is what you have come to expect, witty dialogue between Avengers standing around somewhere. In the big fight scene though instead of one-liners from Avenger to Avenger we get eight pages of internal monologue each featuring a member or two of the team, except Iron Fist who gets a page even though he left the group, and since it is a big anniversary issue a guest artist too. In terms of writing and art the Spider-Man page [McNiven] and the Wolverine page [Lenil Yu] were my personal favorites.

At the end of the big battle someone steps up to take on Osborn in a nonphysical manner, and it is seeming like this character may become the new star of the book. I liked the idea of Osborn coming to power by manipulating the media, so I am glad to see the New Avengers using the media to their benefit also. Fans of Bendis’ Daredevil run are well aware of how he can make the media an important background character in a storyline. All in all an excellent anniversary style issue, I just wish I was more excited about the upcoming Dr. Strange storyline.