Avengers (Vol. 4) #15

 Posted: Dec 2011
 Staff: spidermad (E-Mail)

Background

There's super-powered baddies roaming the world using mystical hammers to spread fear and destruction as part of the Fear Itself crossover. The Avengers are spread thin trying to defeat these baddies.

Story 'Fear Itself'

  Avengers (Vol. 4) #15
Summary: Spider-Man appears
Executive Producer: Alan Fine
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Chief Creative Officer: Joe Quesada
Editor In Chief: Axel Alonso
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Lauren Sankovitch
Writer: Brian Bendis
Pencils: Chris Bachalo
Inker: Jamie Mendoza, Mark Irwin, Tim Townsend, Victor Olazaba, Wayne Faucher
Cover Art: Ed McGuinness, Morry Hollowell
Lettering: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: Chris Bachalo

This issue opens with more of the documentary/interview style that has been used (overused?) by Bendiis for these Fear Itself crossovers. We then get to the action of the story. The Hulk has been possessed by one of the Serpent's hammers and is rampaging in Brazil. The Red She-Hulk is already there trying to keep ahead of him and saving civilians. Spider-Woman, Protector, Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel are sent to stop him. Arriving, they quickly realise they are outmatched, but battle anyway. In the end, they decide to distract the Hulk and save the civilians, instead of fighting him head on.

General Comments

I am getting sick of the interview style, it wore thin in the first issue. I'm at the point where I just fell like ignoring those panels and just reading the story panels!

The point of these ties ins at the moment seems similar to other Avengers tie-ins that Bendis has written in the past, to focus on individual members and how they play into events, but not actually include any integral parts to overall crossover. This issue is a focus on Spider-Woman, justifying why she is integral to the team and what makes her a hero. As far as that goes, this issue is okay. The action as rendered by Bachalo is excellent, full of power and drama and Spider-Woman's bravery and determination shines through.

These tie-ins are starting to feel a bit too similar though... when can we move on?

Overall Rating

The story's ok, the art is excellent, but overall it just feels like Bendis is just spinning his wheels. This the Avengers! Let's have something more important happen!

 Posted: Dec 2011
 Staff: spidermad (E-Mail)