New Comics - April 19th - Part One

I bought plenty this week, not all of it brand new, so I thought I'd cover it in installments. Here's the first batch.

• The New Avengers 18 (Marvel) - Bendis is on a roll in this new storyline, I just wish his back-up (read: artist Mike Deodato) was stronger. A satisfying chapter, if maybe a little drawn out, which lacks consistency in the illustrations. Character's features change a little too readily, mostly identifiable by their costumes or singular features (Tony Starks' mustache, the main villain's bald head, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who-I-don't-recognize's crop cut, etc.). Inking is inconsistent and frequently fails to delineate one character from the next, for example in the dining room scene with the Young Avengers. All of which is brought to the spotlight by the above average coloring skills of Dave Stewart. If Stewart wasn't so strong, you wouldn't know for sure who to blame. Anyway, like Ultimate Spider-Man, Bendis has a chance of losing my attention, but in this case it might not be his fault.
• Fury: Peacemaker 3 (Marvel) - Garth Ennis doing what Garth Ennis does best, an historically authentic (a far as my limited knowledge can tell) war title, masquerading as a Marvel hero book, by putting a "superhero" in the main role. This series seems to be a slow build, allowing for many characters to be defined before the machinations of plot really kick in, which they start to in this issue. The satisfying cliffhanger at the end just confirmed that I would follow this title to its conclusion. Artist Darick Robertson, who is very traditional - never forsaking storytelling for showing off - is also having trouble keeping consistent character design. I noticed this toward the beginning of his long run on Transmetropolitan, but here it's frustrating when most the characters are wearing some form of military uniform. Journeyman work, but it fills the needs of the title.

More tomorrow.