Avengers: The Initiative

MyndVizion · April 06, 2007, 06:53:02 PM

:spoiler:

I read through the first issue today after getting it in the mail. Here's a warning for everyone....MyndVizion, now with salt and vinegar... :mellow: Let me just say that the Marvel disgust keeps on rolling.

First off the artwork. The first few pages didn't really get to me, but as the comic wore on I began to feel as though I were watching some Saturday morning cartoon. The action sequences I thought were well done, but the character designs were a bit laughable considering the whole Civil War thing and The Initiative being the result. It's like watching a romantic scene in a love drama with 'Flight of the Valkyries' as the score.

Take for example Gauntlet. Holy cow look at the size of that thing! His, well, gauntlet is as big as he is! It's so big that everytime I saw it I couldn't really take the guy seriously. I had images of Dark Helmet everytime I saw the character in a panel. Which is sad since I thought the character actually has some interesting points, but the size of the guantlet is just ludicrously gigantimous it makes the character silly in my opinion.

The issue goes on to introduce (unless they're in other mags that I don't know about) some new characters and gets them inolved in a super hero boot camp of sorts. This is where I started having some issues with the mag - and the main reasons for my posting.

MVP. Here was an interesting character with all kinds of potential. I even saw the possibility that this kid could become the new Stark approved Captain America. He's got a super serum background (possibly), he's in top human physical condition. He's got the marks of a "hero" and he's built up some respect among the new recruits and heros of the base. I thought it a shame to write him out so early in the series given his potential as a character.

Armory. Another interesting character. Where did she get that weapon of hers? But again, she gets written out of the series.

This got me to thinking. Armory kills someone and the Initiative takes her weapon - literally cuts it off her arm. So what happens to the person who shoots lasers out of their eyes but fails to make the cut? Will Pym and the others cut their eyes out? Or perhaps a psychic gets lobotomized because they, "Just won't do." What happens then?

After reading this issue I just get the sense that the Marvel folks are floundering in how best to deal with the aftermath of Civil War. There doesn't seem to be a solid direction and the story elements are flat. I almost wonder if Marvel is holding back on their stories so they can unravel Civil War if need be. But in all actuallity it's probably related more to just bad writing than anything else.

It's the same with Ms. Marvel #14....did anything happen in this issue? I'm gonna give Ms. Marvel's mag 1 more attempt at introducing something interesting before I drop it.

As for The Initiative, I just thought it was downright bad. In every way. :(

bredon7777 · April 06, 2007, 09:25:46 PM

I'm dissapointed to hear that as Slott's writing on She Hulk has made that one of the bes ttitles Marvel puts out.

I had high hopes for this, but I suppose given that it starts with a crap premise...:(

Mowgli · April 07, 2007, 07:13:39 AM

Disappointing, but par for the course. The way Civil War has set the stage, how could the Initiative be anything other than a dark place where government cover ups deny human rights and get kids killed? C'mon, you're forgetting that we have to keep our new bad guys (Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic and Dr. Pym) looking evil, and they backed and planned all of this. In particular, they made Pym look like an impotent excuse for a drill sergeant (this brilliant scientist didn't even answer that simple question Cloud 9 asked).

Further down the spiral for this stryline. :(

Spring Heeled Jack · April 07, 2007, 08:16:22 AM

Schizophrenic, wife-beating Doctor Pym is a drill sergeant? Yeah, these guys are well-intentioned alright. :rolleyes:

Sword · April 08, 2007, 03:25:16 PM

I was enjoying it, as a look into what happens after this kind of conflict. Until they booted Armory.
Trauma was the one who turned into her worst fear, causing her to fire wild. if Armory gets booted, Trauma should too. He caused it.

Also "If you grandstand like a New Warrior..." So your designated response to a character that can stunt with the best of them and who's taking pride in their work is to shuffle her off to a "hero" team in Colorado that hunts down real heroes?

If MVP really does have a super serum background, his death will be non-permanent. Either that or his death will galvanize Cloud 9, pushing her harder, so when all the "centerfold girls" wash out, she'll still be going strong.

I'll give it two more issues to hold my interest.

UnkoMan · April 10, 2007, 08:56:28 AM

I didn't care much about this book. Like at all...

But in the issue with Armory getting booted I saw, on a bus... Slapstick. A Slapstick cameo.
If he makes a comeback, I will certainly start caring.

MyndVizion · April 10, 2007, 10:30:36 AM

I forgot to mention there was one part that got a groan out of me when I was reading the book. And I mean a huge groan.....

Thor Girl.....

geez.

thanoson · April 10, 2007, 01:47:32 PM

What's the name of Thor Girl's hammer?

MyndVizion · April 10, 2007, 04:29:09 PM

Quote from: thanoson on April 10, 2007, 01:47:32 PM
What's the name of Thor Girl's hammer?

I dunno...Mjolnirita perhaps?

Podmark · April 10, 2007, 08:09:51 PM

I like Tarene, was a big fan of Jurgens run on Thor. Brought a smile to my face to see her on the cover. I don't think her hammer was named, at least I can't remember it or find mention of it online.

starlock · April 11, 2007, 04:05:08 AM

what a horrible comic this was,i am done with alot of marvel crap,but hey at least the indy world is looking good,

thanoson · April 11, 2007, 08:32:53 AM

Eh, I didn't think it was too bad. It may have potential.

AfghanAnt · April 11, 2007, 10:15:38 AM

The only thing I liked about this comic is the covers by Jim Cheung. The interior artist's version of the characters really turn me away from this comic. I would much prefer Cheung on this rather than Bendis' Illuminatti which is just a smack in the face of Marvel history once again (Thanks Bendis!).

Podmark · April 11, 2007, 04:43:25 PM

ya know I love Cheung's work, but I'm not huge not that cover. Something about it just doesn't come off that great to me. It's still a good pic but I'm not jumping for joy over it.

Still Cheung is awesome.

style · April 30, 2007, 11:25:30 PM

Quote from: MyndVizion on April 06, 2007, 06:53:02 PM
:spoiler: MVP. Here was an interesting character with all kinds of potential. I even saw the possibility that this kid could become the new Stark approved Captain America. He's got a super serum background (possibly), he's in top human physical condition. He's got the marks of a "hero" and he's built up some respect among the new recruits and heros of the base. I thought it a shame to write him out so early in the series given his potential as a character.
:(

Yeah I thought this was a good book all awsome and everything! They was introducing all these cool teenage characters and BOOM!!! They kill off the coolest one (who I thought was going to save the day by the way)and boot out the most intriguing one!

Pure Stupidity! :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: