Pick of the Week
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Story by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Leinil Francis Yu
Colors by Dave McCaig
Letters by Albert Deschesne
Published by Marvel Comics | $2.99
I really didn’t want any drama this week. It was exciting and all, but last week took a lot out of me. When it comes to comics and Civil War and Captain America, I’m downright exhausted. When I saw my list of books, I saw it was a light week and I decided to take a chance on a couple of books I wouldn’t normally get. That was a nice distraction, but what’s become almost as easy as breathing here at iFanboy, I ended up having to choose between two books written by Brian Michael Bendis.
I was very curious about Civil War: The Confession by Bendis and Alex Maleev. I absolutely adore Maleev’s art and ever since his departure from Daredevil and the taste of his work in The New Avengers #26, I was psyched to see him handle this special issue. The issue was very good, don’t get me wrong. I wondered after reading it if Bendis had a better take on the whole Civil War thing than Millar or Jenkins, but that’s a conversation for another time.
Ultimately though, Civil War: The Confession fell a little short for me. I don’t know why. I loved the Iron Man part, but the Captain America part, while I understood the connection between the two and its importance, left something to be desired. Plus I’m exhausted. Literally exhausted of all this.
So why The New Avengers #28? Well, it’s easy. Those of you who’ve read my Picks of the Week in the past know that when a book excites or impresses me, it goes a long way and that’s exactly what happened with this issue. With this post Civil War world, and the The Mighty Avengers launched, one of the things I was personally curious about was how Bendis would handle the “outlaw” Avengers. We got a glimpse of the team last issue as they rescue Ronin, but with this issue we get a glimpse of how the team comes together, while continuing the story in Japan.
I’m reminded of a few things we’ve said about Bendis in the past. I remember when Alias was starting we laughed at how he wrote Luke Cage. I remember when Avengers: Disassembled happened we questioned whether or not he could write a team book. And when The New Avengers launched, we scoffed at Bendis’s lack of ability when it came to writing Wolverine. Reading The New Avengers #28 I can’t help but think about how we’re either morons or Bendis continues to evolve and grow as a writer. Did you read this issue? Can you imagine Luke Cage written any less perfectly? Do you not completely believe this group of heroes as a team and feel like you’re in on the camaraderie? Hell, he’s even gotten closer with Wolverine this issue. Whereas Civil War: The Confession was well executed and beautiful to look at, The New Avengers #28 got me excited for this title.
Art-wise, I have to give the edge to Maleev, who’s art is just stunning. But Leinil Francis Yu’s work on The New Avengers so far as me very interested and excited for his run on the book. I remember when Yu first appeared on the scene, penciling Wolverine and his art was great, but something about it didn’t quite do it for me. Now, years later, his art has adopted a fluidity of motion that both fits the book in terms of action but also with the quiet moments of discussion.
The New Avengers has been an exciting book since its launch, and while I was worried that Civil War would quell its momentum, its done anything but. This is a simply a must read, still, even after all this crap we’ve gone through and man, am I psyched for the next issue.
Did you read The New Avengers #28? Add a comment and tell everyone what you think about this week’s comics!
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What can I say? I refreshed the page after reading my books and I was shocked at the pick of the week. After listening to the podcast about many books I don
I like Civil War: The Confession better because it revealed the true master mind behind civil was….. KING ARTHUR!?!?!?!
Nice pick Ron. I went with The Confession. The rest are here: http://revision3.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4676
just finished new avengers & the confession. they were both good. bendis shoulda been the one writing civil war!! the confession finally had stark (douche!!)give a resonable explination why he did what he did. now, to bad it was to caps corpse. the cap part was good as well cuz cap finally got to put tony in his place (& go off like a kid, calling cap a sore loser cuz hes got nothing to follow up a response with. new avengers was a good fun read! im going w/john siuntres from word balloon & saying the new ronin is blade! lol 52 is every week just getting damn good!! im half way through my stack & still got spiderman reign, chronicles of wormwood & thunderbolts(just to name a few) to read so lets see how it goes lol
My pick of the week is the fact that my comic store is celebrating their 20th anniversary and was giving away 20 free quarter books to each customer.
My pick of the week is Captain America 250: Capt for President.
Or Sensational Spider-Man #9, which says on the cover “AFTER THE ONSLAUGHT… COMES THE SWARM!” Any guy made of bees is awesome.
I was a little let down by Robin this week. New Avengers was decent, I love Lacey Chapbert in Mean Girls… The Confession was kind of.. weird. So King Arthur is the reason for this? And Doom? Alright…
I liked Punisher War Journal, I’m really liking the title as a whole right now. Thunderbolts was decent, nothing earth shattering. I did get to hear some kid yell about how much he loved Penance in the store today. Then the rest of us mocked him. He told us we weren’t fans.
Finally Spider-Man Reign ended. Sandman’s kid was made of cement(?). Yeah, I don’t get it either. And Spider-Man suddenly turned into young Peter.
I think my pick of the week is Ultimate Spider-Man from last week. That was a great issue. Still.
Good choice….it was a volley between the same two books for me as well. It was just such a fun romp, with every character getting their own moment….screw it, I’m gonna go read it again.
I with Ron, New Avengers and Confessions are my POW, Bendis should have wrote Civil War that much is clear!!!!
Spiderman Reign was surprisingly good I hated the first 3 yet kept buyng them go figure!
Fables was great, could have been POW.
Robin and Teen Titans were dissapointing, I was expecting something better.
O and Maleev is officially the best artist in comics!!!!!!! The scene where Ironman gets on the hellicarrier(?) and the rain is still dripping down his armor was perfect, you could pretty much feel the mood jumping out of the page and you could feel what was happening, it was perfect!!!! Maleev deserves all of Jim Lees money!
I loved New Avengers this week. Buffy #1 was fun too.
Bendis is amazing how he can get readers to like and enjoy both Avengers books when both teams are SO different. I love this New New Avengers team though. It was such a great read this week. Low blow from the Mighty Avengers. Page turning reveals and Jessica Jones made a cameo! Great pick!
Like Ron, I took a few chances this week and was able to pick up some things I had been reading about. I scooped up both Confessions and New Avengers.
Even though I didn’t read Civil War, I still enjoyed Confessions a lot. The art was fantastic, the writing was great, and I liked how the two stories tied together. It brought back the amazing memories of Daredevil…sniff. Now, all I need is that Bendis/Maleev Omnibus!
New Avengers was really good as well, although, I don’t quite get Wolverine on the team. I mean, in the X-Men he’s always so moody and independent. Why would he join this team? Like I said, I’m new, so maybe it’s explained in the trades somewhere.
Anyway, great pick, great week.
im just glad they resolved that stupid line that Ms marvel said to spider-woman in the initiative. that really pissed me off the first time i read it, im glad bendis was going somewhere with it
I read all of my crappy books last night (I’m this close to dropping Punisher: War Journal) and I’ll get to all the good stuff tonight, so basicaly, all I can do is complain.
Stuff that sucked:
Punisher: War Journal #5
Wonder Woman #5
Detective Comics (didn’t get it last week)
Thunderbolts #112
The one good book I read:
Teen Titans #44
I haven’t finished my stack, but I have to go with The Confession at this point. I get the impression that Civil War was a story Bendis understood more than anyone else, but (maybe) had no interest in writing another event so soon after House of M. The Confession was brilliant. It gave Tony’s rational without demonizing him. Bendis made me really want to side with Iron Man. Too bad the war is over. However as clever as Bendis was, Maleev was the guy who made me sympathize with Tony. Images of a broken man in a suit of armor, talking to his helmet, wow.
It would have been so sweet if these guys had did Front Line. Oh well.
(I just read Fred’s Reviews)
The Steel Spider, holy crap! I’ve heard about this guy, but I’ve never seen him. I think I even searched him on wikipedia and I didn’t find any info (that might have changed by now). I am a fan of Marvel’s c-list characters. I am psyched to see the Thunderbolts go after this guy. However I am very disappointed that it appears Darkhawk and Sleepwalker have registered, but the Steel Spider hasn’t.
I’ll keep reading Thunderbolts as long as these lower level heroes keep showing up, but if they keep getting stabbed into paralysis I am going to loose interest in this title very quickly.
Love this weeks POW.
Bendis is so good that I read The Confession before I read New Avengers and I still believed that it wasnt a trap.
Thats good writing if you can convince the reader that you were lying in the last book and you werent 🙂
Brubaker and Bendis should pretty much just write anything Civil War related right now. So far, they’re the only two that have kept me interested past Civil War #4.
Just finished my books and it was a very satisfying week. I can’t argue with the POW. It was a great book. The second half of Confession rang false to me. I just don’t believe that Cap would have yelled like that.
WW was a very nice fill in issue and finally Gen 13 mad some sense. Still on the fence with this. I was also on the fence with Thunderbolts with this issue, but it turned out better than expected.
52 was fantastic. I almost can’t wait for this to end so that I can sit down one day and read them all fron to back.
My post Civil War vow was to just stick with Bendis and Brubaker books and it’s working like a charm so far. Though I am sick to the back of my teeth with Civil War, it was nice to see Luke Cage’s run in with the law while buying milk, kind of just to let us know that the New Avengers are still considered bad guys by the authorities and that this is something they will have to continually deal with. I didn’t expect to enjoy these two books as much as I did. Thunderbolts was pretty good, but I’m coming to expect that by now.
The second half of Confession rang false to me. I just don’t believe that Cap would have yelled like that.
It was a lot better than what we saw from Frontlines and Civil War.
My nod this week would have to go to The Confession, if only for the fact that we clearly see and understand Tony’s motivation for the entire registration movement. Other writers haven’t been able to nail it, but this is the first time we see Tony passionate about the registration movement; I’m sure a lot of it has to do with Bendis and Maleev (and goddamn, the art was beautiful as always), but this is the first time we see the unrelenting conviction Tony has for the registration movement. I understand his drive now, and while Tony is still a bit of an asshole, in Confessions, you really see that he truly believes he’s doing the right thing — this alone made Tony a much, much more sympathetic character. I heard a lot of writers in various interviews or podcasts saying stuff like “Tony is a man that truly believes he’s right” or stuff like that, but this is the very first time I think you really saw it. It’s just a shame that it all had to come at the end of Civil War.
I loved, loved, loved the way the story was setup. I mean, I should have seen it coming, but when I turned the page and saw Cap on that dead slab, I felt a pretty sharp emotional pang. I also loved how the last two words between Cap and Iron Man on the last page was absolutely pointless and childish on both their parts — I mean, how true does that ring in real life?
Will stop gushing about Bendis any day now,
Kal
New avengers was definitely a good book this week where it’s going what it’s doing makes it very compelling. The characters are fantastic it’s going places I didn’t imagine it would go and I look forward to it every month.
However, the confession really struck a chord with me it really showed me that Ironman is just a man really, he may be a genius but he is a human being he didn’t get his powers from gamma rays or a radioactive spider or get super soldier serum injected in him he’s just a man that needs a suit to live and is a billionaire genius with lots of high-tech weapons :-).
Because he’s human he does what humans do feel responsible for things, which makes him a much more believable character than before.
But then he does turn around and pull something like in New Avengers which a lot of people seem to find annoying and contrasting with the confession. I don’t find it contrasting I think it’s quite logical, he said in the confession that he knows he has to do terrible things even to his friends if he wants to save the world but he’s willing to make that sacrifice even if it’s not worth it :- (
I think Tony’s attitude in The Confession and New Avengers is completely consistent; both when talking to Cap and confronting Luke & Co., his (rather defensive-sounding) stance seems to be “you all put yourselves in this position.”
I found this both a light week and a very satisfying week. Part of this may be due to the fact that Thunderbolts and Spider-Man: Reign were sold out. (Which… what’s that about? #4 of 4 sells out?)
I’ve been listening for months, guys, and while I don’t always agree with your picks, it’s always fun. After I picked up the Civil War Craptastic Initiative, I walked back into my comics store and dropped all Marvel comics from my pull list. I might pick up X-Factor and Hulk in the single issues, but it will be along time before I get another Marvel comic pulled. Between Captain America and Alpha Flight being dead, Tony Stark being in charge of the whole universe, and Civil War being late and awful, I’m washing my hands of the whole company.
Buffy, on the other hand, was fantistic. It’s exactly what I would have wanted from the first episode of the eighth season.
Martian Manhunter was also surprisingly good. I’ve been indifferent about the series, but the last issue pulled it altogether.
If Civil War The Confession had ended with Tony’s part, it might have been my pOW. That was seriously moving. It made me feel for Tony again, which is really saying something.
Any chance for some Lone Ranger talk on the podcast Conor?
Doubtful. It’s hard enough to get Jonah Hex in there and Josh and I both read that. I’m the only one readnig Lone Ranger. I’m really enjoying it, though.
On Lone Ranger:
What is the story and could I pick this one up and jump on with out reading the other ones?
Lone Ranger #1-6 is the origin story and we just had #5, so you might want to pick up the other issues. But you don’t have to, necesarily, if you know anything at all about The Lone Ranger.
And if you’re an American I don’t know how you couldn’t know his story…
I don’t know crap about the Lone Ranger, I’ve heard of him though…..There’s a Lone Ranger comic?
And if you’re an American I don’t know how you couldn’t know his story…
I was born in Toronto, raised in Colorado, and currently live in Paris.
So have a pretty good idea of him, though sometimes I get him confused with a Monte or Lukey Lou 🙂
Here’s info on The Long Ranger comic:
http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/c-Lone_Ranger.html
The Lone Ranger is, basically, an old west vigilante. He is the last survivor of a massacre of a group of Texas Rangers.
He dates back to the early 1930s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Ranger
yeah, I finished up Avengers last night and was like, “This would be a good pick of the week,” and then fell asleep while I tried to read “The Confession”. I am so tired of all the Civil War crap, man.
But Avengers was dope. I haven’t finished my stack, but I am looking forward to The Lone Ranger, but after I bought Wonder Woman, my comic book store guy was like, “you might not even want to read it”…oy.
This was kind of a weird week, with guest writers and artists irritating me all over the place. No Dini on Detective. Some wackjob drawing Superman. This random filler issue of Wonder Woman with a totally different creative team behind it (I have no idea what is going on with that book at all). Just gimme some nice issues, like JSA or the recent Flash…
yi yi yi
I haven’t finished my stack, but I am looking forward to The Lone Ranger, but after I bought Wonder Woman, my comic book store guy was like, “you might not even want to read it”…oy.
I really enjoyed both Wonder Woman and Lone Ranger.
This random filler issue of Wonder Woman with a totally different creative team behind it (I have no idea what is going on with that book at all).
Next issue starts the new regular creative team. I am hopeful.
This is compltely off subject but, I just realized that I don’t like Steve Dillon”s art! I loved Preacher and now I think he just draws the same character over and over again, looking at Wolverine origins this week I noticed that both Wolverine and the new Cyber were both Jesse Custer with a different body. Anybody else annoyed by this?
Steve Dillon’s art isn’t the worst part of Wolverine Origins. The whole situation just pisses me off.
What I realy wish, is that at issue 12, Way and Dillon leave, and then the book becomes a bit of an anthology, with writer/artist teams coming on to do short archs that tell different portions of Wolverine’s past.
This is compltely off subject but, I just realized that I don’t like Steve Dillon”s art! I loved Preacher and now I think he just draws the same character over and over again, looking at Wolverine origins this week I noticed that both Wolverine and the new Cyber were both Jesse Custer with a different body. Anybody else annoyed by this?
The whole book annoyed me. That is why I dropt it : – )
Ya I had originally dropped this but Cyber was my first Wolverine story arch when I was like 7 and I never saw the character again, so I just wanted to see what was up, but now DROPPED IT LIKE A MOTHER!!!!!
Hmm, I enjoyed Mighty Avengers much more. Maybe it was because the art was clearer and it was easier to follow the story. Plus, Wonderman’s costume!
I like Iron Man’s side of “Confession” (a little cheesy, yes, but whatever), but Cap’s side of it seemed really forced, and I didn’t like the sore loser comment at all (no seriously guys… let’s make Civil War even MORE of a joke and Tony MORE of an ass, yeah that’ll work well).
New Avengers, however, I loved. I still don’t like the art that much, but the story is holding me on enough that I don’t really care. Also, Yu’s getting replaced so, right?
52 was good. I really wish they started up the origins stories again, but if the issues are consistently this good, I don’t really care all that much
52 was good. I really wish they started up the origins stories again, but if the issues are consistently this good, I don’t really care all that much
I totally agree. This book has been excellent particularly in the third act, I’ll miss this book so much 🙁 .
That brings about a good question I don’t know if I’ll buy Countdown because it’s another year’s worth of books leading down to another event (my wallet will be screaming at me and rage!) And it’s outrageously priced.
However, will the iFanboy crew be purchasing it or anybody else? Because that could affect my judgment of buying it or not because if iFanboy is talking about it almost every other week I would not want to miss out.
However, will the iFanboy crew be purchasing it or anybody else?
I definitely will and I would be surprised if Josh and Ron did’t buy it, at least at first.
I’ll try it than and see were it goes from there. I trust you guys 🙂 (my wallet will bite my freaking head off! Sigh
is it really 2.99? drat, my wallet’s gonna HATE me
It costs the same as any other comic book…
True, but 52 costs $2.50 which if you think about it over a whole year that $.50 less for a whole year worth of comics makes quite a difference.
It
I am already counting down as we speak and there is a obvious gleam of joy in my eyes!
This was the first week in like … um.. years that I had more marvel in my bag than DC…
End of the World?!?
There is a Spawn Batman TPB on ebay for one cent about to go out in 15 minutes. Go Conor go!
$0.01 , I mean come on.
yeah… I wouldn’t be as upset about the price tag if I didn’t have to buy 4 of them a month. However, since I’m a sucker for marketing and DC, I’ll still buy it for a little while
There is a Spawn Batman TPB on ebay for one cent about to go out in 15 minutes. Go Conor go!
$0.01 , I mean come on.
I totally bought it :-). I know, I know tell me what an idiot I am but with all that money I made off Capta- crunch cereal I sold its nothing.
I bought those books when they first came out… A penny might be asking too much.
I like Frank Miller so we’ll see. Maybe i made the biggest mistake ever or could it be an enjoyable read?
did you get it for the penny ?
Don’t know if you guys heard, but John Siuntres mentions you guys to Bendis in his latest edition of the Bendis Tapes. John says he’s a big fan, so maybe the man himself will grace your boards soon!
I just won Queen and Country trade paperback on eBay for $1 and $1 shipping. I would never have thought to get it other than these discusions.
Also just won:
Walking Dead TPB 1 : 2.25 + 6.00 = 8.25
X – Men Poptopia TPB 2.25 + Free SHipping…
I did pretty good tonite
What is the latest edition of the Bendis Tapes, anyway? November, or is there a later one?
There was a new one at the end of Feb/beginning of March.
did you get it for the penny ?
I most certainly did (and five bucks shipping and handling, crap!)
Ah, the old eBay bait-n-switch!
I just listened to the show and I have a question…
Saying Civil War has not gone away and complaining about the Initiative is like wishing Marvel had hit the reset button at the end of Civil War. The Initiative (the plot device not the comic) is what Post-Civil War Marvel is all about and I am digging the idea. I am not sure what it is all about, but I am eager to find out. What I have seen in New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, and Thunderbolts has intrigued me. I wasn’t a big fan of The Initiative comic from last week, but the Confession rocked like no other Marvel comic I’ve read in the past year. Both were made possible by Post-Civil War Marvel. So why so down on Civil War still hanging around?
Another great episode.
This might help want to buy Buffy #2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer_DVDs#Season_7
http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes/episodes7.shtml
are children reading Franklin Richards?
Well my nine year old son would read it, but I don’t get it for him. I do get him every Power Pack title though and he loves it. There’s no reason I don’t get him Franklin Richards, just don’t.
So are the only kids who know about Franklin Richards the children of parents who read comics, AND buy it for them.
I bet a lot of kids would like it, but damned if they know about it.
If you’ve watched the first four seasons of Buffy, you can identify one of the characters in the fisrt issue: She’s Amy. The which in the second season when the parents were being driven to madness by the demon who played on fears. Amy was tied to a post with Buffy and Willow getting ready to be burned to the stake and turned herself into a rat to escape.
For the next few seasons she remained a rat in a cage as Willow tried to find a way to turn her back. It finally happenned in the sixth season as Willow became a powerful witch and realized one day she could just do it. Season 6th was magic as a metaphore for drug addictions, and Amy played the low-life who encouraged Willow’s addiction. Last we saw Willow was slamming the door on her face Godfather style telling her she’s going cold turkey and they could’nt be friends any more.
If you’ve watched the first four seasons of Buffy, you can identify one of the characters in the fisrt issue: She’s Amy. The which in the second season when the parents were being driven to madness by the demon who played on fears. Amy was tied to a post with Buffy and Willow getting ready to be burned to the stake and turned herself into a rat to escape.
That was like 8 or 9 years ago. I don’t remember her at all.
Hey Conor, having Buffy continuity problems?
Amy also played like she was Willow’s friend, but got Willow in deep with the magic that was really like a bad drug habit. At one point later on she lured Willow into a “magic users anonymous” group for people, that was really a plot to get back at Willow for being so good with magic. And there were a couple of major deaths that year. In the last season there was this thing where all girls became slayers. And Andrew used to be one of the evil geek guys but later became the chief “charge d’affairs” for the new giant Slayer sisterhood, but you know that from Angel. Oh, and David Boreanez put on a lot of weight that year because he busted his leg.
Does that help? I didn’t think so.
Hey Conor, still having continuity problems? My heart goes out to you….I weep. Welcome to my world.
Just read the Amazon description of each TV season, or Wikipedia past stuff that seem important, and then just dive in, which you are already doing. No big deal.
I thought the confession was the start of what a lot of writers at marvel are going to do now, try to spin their characters out of the supervillain mode that they put them in in cw. The basic message was ‘well yea, I did horrible things, but this is why, so no hard feelings, come on readers, it’s ok to like me again, I’m going to be a superhero from now on.’ They are planning to do the same thing with Ms. Marvel.
Mark_S