With Mr. Bendis writing this Avengers story, and at least two others that I know of, there is an almost weekly pace of Avengers I am reading. His writing pace must be like a freight-train, profession, even, one might say. The quality level, which is great, is maintain in all his books almost all the time. Everyone reads Ultimate Spiderman, or at least knows what is going on over there is amazing.

A professional writer with a professional book, that is the argument for me using a high standard, or at least applying a higher standard of judgment against Mr. Bendis. I have enjoyed all the Avengers books, overall. This issue was enough of a distance that I found myself reading all four previous issues and enjoying the quality and pace of the run so far.

I will say I did not enjoy the full page spread of 2 - 3. Maybe deliberately confusing, maybe not, it did little to advance the story. A later double-page of Thor and Galactus worked much better is all I am saying. Dinosaurs and WWI-style fighter planes contribute greatness to all compositions.

The Washington Square Park Avengers story was the best. Kilraven joke may be the funniest bit in comics this year. Had heard the name but was not familiar at all with the character. Did recognize the Devil Dinosaur. Similar to Morrison and Johns at DC who have let it be known that all the toys in the toybox are in play. Not sure what type of explosion leads to being covered in pink goo. Maybe another hidden Ghostbuster's joke.

John Romita Jr., his art is amazing. I remember a run on the X-Men in the late 1990s where his art alone sustained interest in the title long past I actually cared about what I was reading. That was the era of the six or seven montly title X-men-family. And that's what burnt me out from those comics. I cannot have been the only one who saw the unfortunateness of that era.

That is the lesson, as a professional, I think both Mr. Bendis and Mr. Quesada should be aware of. Mr. Quesada, especially, very much an artist of the era, who moved in that same career pattern of many of the best artists of that generation: Marvel X-artist, independent artist, and finally some managerial role in the comics business. Think of all the original Image artists and what they do now. Mr. Quesada knows what those X-books were like back then. Mr. Bendis, and his generation of writers, a direct, very deliberate movement away from the 1990s. Why risk this again? Why over-saturate? I will concede: the teams are distinct enough. But sustainability, on a level of almost perpetuity, is key to the monthly.