The New Avengers #2 opens with the prison blown wide open, Captain America and Spider-Man on top, and Spider-Girl, Luke Cage, Matt Murdock, his legal partner “Foggy”, and an undisclosed amount of Super Hero guards mentioned in Issue #1 are all trapped below the teaming-mass of destroyed, indestructible-adamantium and evil escapees just crazy enough to wait around for the heroes to get reinforcements. Naturally, the guilt-ridden Spider-Man is first into the hellhole, and is promptly walloped by a slew of his old enemies that just happen to be hanging out in the hole he jumped in. Saved just in time by Cap, a small battle breaks out between the forces of witty vs. forces of sarcastic (Super Heroes vs. Super Villains). Writer Brian Michael Bendis’ dialogue is funny and exciting; even if the story is bizarre and over extravagant. But isn’t that what these “bunch of super heroes in one comic” comics are supposed to be? With that in mind, he’s right on track. Plus, I admire his use of obscure villains that are, for the most part, unbeknownst to all but the most socially-inept reader. It would have been easy for him to throw in every big-name, comic-selling villain from Doc Oc to Doctor Doom. (I think they are both proctologists, the most evil degree in the known universe.)

The art in this issue is not to be missed. David Finch (penciler) has some amazing frames in here, which suffer no lack of detail despite the sheer volume of baddies simultaneously attaining vengeance on Spider-Man by attacking with his own brand of one-liners. Also, Carnage has never looked better, or scarier than in this issue as he terrorizes the good guys trapped below, only to be dispensed by Sentinel in a manner that is ridiculously cool. My only problem with the art is that it is at times overcrowded and in small frames so that one could barely figure out who was punching whom, and who was making a cutting joke in the face of almost certain death.

In short, this is an exciting and well-drawn comic, but at the same time it runs into the same problem that all of its kind are prone too. With this many characters, there is no advancement of characters, relationships, or individual plots. And so the grand story is played by a bunch of 2-Dimensional characters that are so predictable and follow the same pattern that they have in every other comic like this one. So all that our favorite heroes have time for is a couple of smart-@$$ jokes and maybe one of them will give an overly long and painfully sappy speech every now and then. So here’s what I say to all the writers who tackle hundreds of heroes at a time. Don’t be afraid to break the mold of popular characters! You are the writer, and therefore create the story. No one says you can’t take liberties, or disagree with other comics that are out at the same time. Remember, while you write it, it is your story. So, be the writer that builds on a character, not just stamps them onto his book, and you will be remembered.

-Fumanchu