AVENGERS #500

[MattBrady]

Marvel has provided Newsarama with the first 23 pages of Avengers #500, part one of the "Avengers Disassembled" arc by Brian Bendis and David Finch.

In case you've been living under a rock for the past few months, Marvel's solicitation text for the first issue reads:

The powerhouse team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes in this double-sized anniversary issue! It begins with the return of an Avenger thought dead--and by the time it's over, everything you know about the Avengers will have changed!

AN EVENT THAT WILL ROCK THE ENTIRETY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE -- AND IT ALL STARTS HERE, TRUE BELIEVER!

Avengers #500 runs 48 pages.

Click here for the preview.

[Raphe Cheli]

You know, I'm probably going to get criticized for this, but after reading the first 3 pages (and then I stopped -- I couldn't take it any more), I have to say, NO MORE BENDIS! His style drives me nuts! What's more phony than seeing grown men and women run around in costumes punching each other out? Why, it's grown men and women in costumes sitting around talking about who they think is hot!

It's funny, because people take Chuck Austen to task for doing this all the time (bad, hokey, "believable" dialogue), but they seem to give Bendis a pass.

[Citizenvain]

As much as I enjoy the writing of one Brian Michael Bendis, I am thoroughly against any new articles that will remove the spotlight from the Liefeld thread that has been entertaining me for the last 24hrs.

[Smegoogy]

Y'know...it's funny how one guy who's lauded as one of the BEST writers out there is probably one of the most ANNOYING writers in terms of dialogue!

It's like he gets all of his ideas from watching Dawson's Creek and Gilmore Girls!

I want Exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!

I want the typical super-hero hyperbole!

I want the villain to give away the his evil scheme in an overly dramatic speech!

I DO NOT want Hawkeye talkin' about which super-hottie super-villainess he can't have!!!

Geoff Johns and Chuck Austen brought the Avengers to a new low. Now Bendis has sunk even deeper...

That being said...WOW!!!! Whatta story! Definately a lot of stuff hittin' the fan here!!! I am looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

Just wish these were all "'Nuff Said" issues...Pretty pitchers and NO BENDIS DIALOG!!

No Bendis dialog?

No Bendis dialog!

Did you here what he just said, he said no Bendis dialog.

That's what we're gonna be stuck with!

[Aquaboy]

woah.....

i'm still a bit stymied why chuck austen's character , Captain Britain. wasn't killed in the initial assault tho.
so i havent picked up iron man but is there a thread to explain why he's going crazy?

[Rotter]

This is just a "Lots Of Nasty Stuff Happens To The Avengers But Nobody Knows Why" issue -- so there are plenty of rabbits waiting to pulled out of hats -- but I'm not impressed yet. I thought parts of it were pretty cheap, the UN scene was unbelievable, and the reason why all of this is happening is going to have to be pretty spectacularly good!

First issue in a new arc...I wish I were thinking "Holy...! I can't wait to see how this is going to turn out!" but instead I'm leaning towards "This arc is all a just big, publicity-seeking stunt with little or no foundation and within three issues I'll be taking another break from 'Avengers'."

Merely a first impression, of course.

[rgadhavi]

Wow! That was amazing.

I usally read BEBDIS stuff in trade only but this i have to get the day it comes out.

Also Finch's art has realy improved - much better structure and flow. Im realy looking forward to this

[Simon DelMonte]

Lots of noise and vioelnce, that's obvious.

But not much else of note until we get to the Ultrons. And he could have gotten there are lot quicker.

Also, didn't anyone bother to tell Bendis yet that the FF liberated Latveria and that Doom is gone for now?

I'm not a huge Bendis fan, but he can do better. or can he? He's great for Daredevil, and fine for a new Spider-Man, but for the bright and shiny heroes of the Marvel U, he's all wrong.

Never mind that having the Avengers be attacked by an old enemy and shaken to their group core is old hat. There is certainly something to be said for the stability of the JLA's lineup - or that of the FF of the X-Men, even - over the years.

Where are you when we need you, Kurt Busiek?

[teenagebambam]

Feh. Ultron. Mansion destroyed. Seen it.

[Marcello S. Nicola]

Nooo!

I want Busiek back! Bring me Roger Stern! Hell, bring
me Jim Shooter! The Avengers deserved better...

[ParisCub]

Wow, two Avengers dead (or seemingly so at least) in 23 pages

Even though I had heard the Ultron rumouyr a while back, I am positively impressed and I hope it means great things for the Avengers!

[Jaximus Prime]

Wow.. lots of unhappy people here.

Please go outside and enjoy some fresh air. Find a puppy to pet. Some birds to feed.

It's only a comic book. (And one of the best issues of Avengers in a long time).

[Lex]

Originally posted by Simon DelMonte
Also, didn't anyone bother to tell Bendis yet that the FF liberated Latveria and that Doom is gone for now?

I was under the impression that Tony was being mind controlled or something. After his outburst he said he felt like he was drunk but he didn't drink anything.

[ParisCub]

Originally posted by Simon DelMonte


Also, didn't anyone bother to tell Bendis yet that the FF liberated Latveria and that Doom is gone for now?

This will be addressed both in Secret War and an issue of FF, apparently.

[Starpilot]

Bendis seems out of his element on a true super hero book like Avengers. It just seems...off. The dialogue makes everyone seem out of character. And why kill the Vision? This is a much beloved character we're talking about here. I guess they can always bring him back, but considering Marvel's current policy of not bringing back the dead, that isn't likely at least until Quesada's tenure as EIC is up.

Oh well, like Colossus, I guess they can always just bring him back into the Ultimate universe.

[Cemberfrost]

Well, Tony's been mind-controlled by Ultron before, so this might be Ultron pulling the strings.

Ultron's killed his 'son', so I'm guessing Hank Pym might actually bite it in this storyline?

I'm hooked, I've been waiting a long time for Avengers to get back on track. Let's see some long-lasting ramifications from this.

[Ryan]

WOW, great stuff. So far though from the comments it looks to me that the usual primadonna Newsarama attitude is rampant per usual. Criticism is fine, but already comments from Simon Delmonte and Starpilot show they don't even know what they're talking about. The art is top notch and I trust no one more than Bendis to directing this major event. Unless killing Avengers and completely destroying the mansion is been there, done that no matter the story.

[JOV]

And why kill the Vision? This is a much beloved character we're talking about here.

Don't worry, it will probably turn out to be an impostor. The real one is trapped in radioactive Genosha.

[4PointOh]

Amazing!

Why doesn't DC provide this level of quality on JLA???

[Tyler Smith]

Wow, that looks great. I can't believe that I'm actually interested in the Avengers.

[GuitarSmashley]

I've recently joined the ramnks of those that cannot stand bendis he dropped the ball big time for me on the ultimate venom arc and I havn't looked through an issue of USM since and I stopped Daredevil this month because I stopped caring but, I have to say this wasn't just an good preview but considering bendis's track record of nothing happening in a first issue I must say this was excellent.I'll be picking this one up for sure

[FilexY]

Calm down, you guys.

This is just a part of #500.

Wait until you have the death of Mr. Pym and then bash Bendis.

[TravisWHoward]

Sorry, but I have to speak out about this.

Since everyone seems to know exactly where this is heading, please enlighten the rest of us who are actually ENJOYING this take, as to what's going to happen next.

Go on.

We'll wait.

...

Chances are, not a single one of you can. So, you can be the stereotypical angry fanboy that gets ridiculed so much, or you can actually be intelligent about your criticism.

If the dialogue doesn't work for you, that's fine.

If the plot seems rehashed, again, please tell us what's going to happen next if it's so predictable.

You've got every right to say you don't like it, but at least be smart about it and not what's become the cliched angry fanboy that's starting to become synonymous with Newsarama. I'm sure Matt and gang aren't thrilled about the name being dragged down by you guys.

Patience. Marvel is breaking its back trying to go back to the 90s, so if you'll just wait, you'll start being appeased again shortly.

Until such time, let the rest of us who enjoy well written/plotted comics a place to discuss and not insult.

[J.C. Bakken]

It pisses me of that some high and mighty fan-boy desides that "If I don't know all that facts BEFORE I read the story, it's crap!".
That is utterly bull-shit. So, Tony appear to be drunk. He IS an alcoholic. He might have been of the wagon for a couple of years, but every dry alcoholic will say that they are alcoholics, even though they havn't tasted a drop in 15 years.

So, the pressure got a little rough, and Tony drank some. Or something other happened. What happened?
Well fan-boy, READ AND LEARN!!!!!

Anyway, this looks like a better Bendis to me, than I have seen so far. Granted I haven't see much, but these pages are killer. Shit happenes all the time, and STILL there is 25 pages to go.
The art is the best in ages. Copiel was good, but Kolins was the worst since the reboot. I wasn't to happy about the Dwyer/Remeber-team, but they looked tenfolds better than Kollins, and now Finch. I havn't read anything with him, so this is a great first exposure.

Ant-Man dead, Jack O'Hearts back, and Multiple Ultrons. Hopefulle this is a worthy sequell to Ultron Unlimited.

Glad to have read this, since I'm waiting for the Director's Cut, and damnit Marvel, the pressure is on, that book better not be LATE!

[xdemon]

That was impressive and far superior to Identity Crisis #1 in terms of character deaths and story.