Scan barcode
aceinit's review against another edition
2.0
I haven’t read a lot of company-wide crossovers. I try rather actively to avoid them because I don’t feel like chasing down enough of the titles to get the full impact of a 50+ issue story. So, prior to this installment, my knowledge of Fear Itself came from Journey Into Mystery, which I read a while ago, and which tells a very different piece of the story than depicted here.
The thing about this particular volume is, it has potential. Even for someone like me, there are a lot of important events going on that grab the attention. However, the frame story of the Avengers and New Avengers sitting in front of a video confessional a la every reality show ever made, is so damn passive, and takes up so damn much time, that by the point we stop talking about the story and actually GET to the story, I’ve more or less lost interest.
And I get that the destruction of Avengers Tower is this series big 9/11 moment, but we really don’t need to see the same event retold and retold from the viewpoints of entirely too many characters. And, as an individual volume, we are left with almost zero resolution. Because, of course, Marvel wants you to read the rest of the Massive!Company-Wide!Crossover!Spectacular! the likes of which we have never seen before, and never will again ... until the next Company-Wide!Crossover!Spectacular!
Despite the obligatory poignant moments of everyone getting past their differences with one another (and their own inner demons) to work as a team, as an individual volume it is a collection with too many repetitive moments, too much reflecting, and too little doing.
The thing about this particular volume is, it has potential. Even for someone like me, there are a lot of important events going on that grab the attention. However, the frame story of the Avengers and New Avengers sitting in front of a video confessional a la every reality show ever made, is so damn passive, and takes up so damn much time, that by the point we stop talking about the story and actually GET to the story, I’ve more or less lost interest.
And I get that the destruction of Avengers Tower is this series big 9/11 moment, but we really don’t need to see the same event retold and retold from the viewpoints of entirely too many characters. And, as an individual volume, we are left with almost zero resolution. Because, of course, Marvel wants you to read the rest of the Massive!Company-Wide!Crossover!Spectacular! the likes of which we have never seen before, and never will again ... until the next Company-Wide!Crossover!Spectacular!
Despite the obligatory poignant moments of everyone getting past their differences with one another (and their own inner demons) to work as a team, as an individual volume it is a collection with too many repetitive moments, too much reflecting, and too little doing.
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
2.0
Most of the story was taken up by various Avengers being interviewed for some book. It just seemed like lazy storytelling to me.
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the "interview" format of these with action in-between interviews. I'm still a little confused on the timing because Thor was in the first issue and he was dead at the end of the main Fear Itself series. So I'm not sure how he could be sitting around talking about events. Overall though this was very cool. Also it was my first experience with Squirrel Girl and she was fun (I really thought I would totally hate her).
copperbeardtom's review against another edition
3.0
Not a massive fan of Bendis, he tends to yammer on a bit too much with the dialogue.
What I do like is that some 2nd-string heroes had more page time than the heavy hitters.
Thor, despite being on the cover, does not appear in this collection.
What I do like is that some 2nd-string heroes had more page time than the heavy hitters.
Thor, despite being on the cover, does not appear in this collection.
tabman678's review against another edition
4.0
So if you’re here then I’m assuming you’ve read the previous volumes. Remember that oral history thing that the issues did where they recounted Avengers history orally through the mouths of the characters. This is that but with art and for the recent event of fear itself. And while if you lay out the plot here it isn’t super interesting it focuses it through the lense of the characters dealing with these events after they’ve happened. It takes the teeth out of the situation but it’s compelling and interesting, and I actually really enjoyed myself.
The stories don’t necessity flow into each other very smoothly but both Avengers teams members recount the events of the Fear Itself event and it’s done well. Other than the Spider-Man tie in this is the most worthwhile Fear Itself tie in I’ve read. At times more enjoyable than the event itself.
4 stars, worthwhile tie in and good character stuff.
Other then an oddly forced Hawkeye and Spider-Woman.
The stories don’t necessity flow into each other very smoothly but both Avengers teams members recount the events of the Fear Itself event and it’s done well. Other than the Spider-Man tie in this is the most worthwhile Fear Itself tie in I’ve read. At times more enjoyable than the event itself.
4 stars, worthwhile tie in and good character stuff.
Other then an oddly forced Hawkeye and Spider-Woman.
yoyology's review against another edition
2.0
This book represents what I hate most about being a casual comics reader: prior knowledge. It becomes especially glaring with Marvel titles, because most of my comics education came from a college roommate who was a DC fan. He gave me a good enough grounding in the DC Universe that I can usually get the references and follow the story, even if I miss some of the in-jokes and Easter eggs for the hardcore fan.
Reading this title, I was almost completely lost from the beginning, because characters I didn't know were making references to events I hadn't heard of and other characters I was unfamiliar with. This was compounded as the story went on because characters were drawn differently enough by other artists that I couldn't recognize them. And then there's Spider-man, who switches from his standard black/red/blue costume to a white/black one with no explanation, then back and forth again. Surely one of the purposes of costuming is to MAKE a character more identifiable, right?
The only thing that redeemed the book for me was Squirrel Girl, who showed up in the middle of the story, introduced herself, and had an actual by-God story arc. I wanted to kiss her.
Reading this title, I was almost completely lost from the beginning, because characters I didn't know were making references to events I hadn't heard of and other characters I was unfamiliar with. This was compounded as the story went on because characters were drawn differently enough by other artists that I couldn't recognize them. And then there's Spider-man, who switches from his standard black/red/blue costume to a white/black one with no explanation, then back and forth again. Surely one of the purposes of costuming is to MAKE a character more identifiable, right?
The only thing that redeemed the book for me was Squirrel Girl, who showed up in the middle of the story, introduced herself, and had an actual by-God story arc. I wanted to kiss her.
poljack's review against another edition
5.0
Any appearance of Squirrel Girl gets five stars. 'Nuff said.
birdmanseven's review against another edition
2.0
I hated the interview setup. It felt like very self-indulgent writing.
billykaplan's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0