Honestly, the main thing New Avengers needs is a better writer. And based on certain factors, for the sake of argument, we're going with Tony Bedard. He writes for Marvel, so clearly no 'exclusive contract with DC' problem occurs. Now we get to a part that's probably less about fixing the book, and more about me having fun, altering the roster. Supposedly this is actually going to happen at issue 15, with most people figuring Spidey and Wolverine are out, having served their purpose in boosting sales. That may be, as long as they don't get replaced by Hank Pym and the Wasp. I can't handle anymore "Hank beats Jan, why is she still with him, what identity will Hank use this week, just how bipolar is he?" I've reached my saturation point with that.
So what, you ask, would I do? Well, I'm dropping three members of the team, and probably pissing off the fans because it's the three characters Bendis has wasted the whole book getting on the team. But here's why I'm dumping each one:
Ronin - To be fair, this isn't my call. Ronin said in issue 13 that she was going back to Japan to keep an eye on the Silver Samurai, so obviously she won't be available the next time Absorbing Man starts tearing up Times Square. So, consider her a reservist, or inactive, or something.
Sentry - Confession time. Silver Age Superman is a major reason why I've hated DC for most of my comic reading life. He was TOO powerful, it was just silly. And as Eric has pointed out, that's really all The Sentry is, he's Silver Age Superman. So if I didn't like the guy in DC, you can imagine how happy I am he's running around in the Marvel Universe. Send him into space, let him fight Celestials or his inner demons. Whatever.
Wolverine - I like Logan, I do. But I think he really works better as a solo character, like he was in his title, wandering around, getting involved in random stuff, occasionally teaming up with a friend like Nightcrawler (or Shadowcat, or Jubilee even). As it is, with the current state of mutants in Marvel, I think Wolvie's going to be too busy on the "X-reservation" to have time for the Avengers. Vaya con dios, Logan.
So, who takes their spots? Well, I have this belief carried over from the sports world, that you have to replace what you've lost when you make a roster change, whether by directly replacing (like replacing a good pass-rushing linebacker with another good pass-rushing linebacker), or some sort of mix and match (replacing that linebacker with an average defensive end and a strong safety you can blitz with. Combined they equal what you lost). So looking at the roster, the Avengers lost a powerhouse, a martial arts/stealth expert, and someone "who was willing to kill if the situation called for it".
Later today, I've six (that's right six!) potential replacements. Be here, or be Avenged! Right now, I got to go Christmas shopping.
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5 comments:
I feel the Sentry is even more damaging than that. He's so powerful, the Marvel Universe doesn't need any more heroes. As we've seen in his latest solo book, he's doing stuff the Avengers and FF should be doing, so what is there for them to do?
I like the character, but I think he's a bad fit for the MU. One of the things that makes the MU distinctive is that it doesn't have these super-superheroes (one or two aside), as Kurt Busiek brilliantly pointed out in JLA/Avengers. Having the Sentry around unbalances that a great deal. I like him, but I do wish he'd go back into "hibernation" at the end of his series.
Exactly, I think that was always what bothered me about the DC heroes I saw in my dad's comics from the sixties, they were so powerful the writers always had to make a plot where they weren't as powerful, thus something like three or four kinds of kryptonite.
Sentry in the Jenkins/Lee trade was awesome. Its a shame that Bendis opened up that bottle again. He makes a more interesting plot device or mini series than an ongoing character. I'd definitely like to see him in the Annihilation that's coming out soon because I feel he would be a perfect fit in the cosmic Marvel Universe.
And Wolverine, I don't mind him on the team. There needs to be a scene where someone asks why he's on so many teams and he replies "because I'm a living weapon. What else am I going to do?"
I really want to see a story in which it's revealed that the many Wolverines are in fact many different Wolverines, who've grown from severed limbs and the like over the years, like earthworms, due to his healing factor. :)
That would also explain why Logan and Sabretooth have been trying to kill each other for years and never succeed. There's hundreds of them!
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