New Avengers 20, 21

Someone screwed up.

Marvel's Comics Civil War crossover arc is a big thing. We're talking potentially re-writing the mythos big. Not Ultimate-update of franchises big, but bigger -- like "so-and-so-who-could-never-reveal his-identity-just-did" big.

So why all the miss-steps?

I mean, Brian Michael Bendis is amazing. Even more so, considering how prolific the dude is, and he's arguably redifined a big chunk of the Marvel Universe recently.

But there must be some problems with scheduling, planning or something with this Civil War thing.

The last several issues of New Avengers have been intense -- this weird "Collective" uber mutant entity comes back to earth indescriminately wipes out a town, and even kills Canadian super hero team Alpha Flight (with no more than a page's treatment, no less). Puck. Finally. Dead.

Then in issue #20, we get a faxed-in story. Seriously.

New Avengers #20:

Everything got tied together, in an overly neat, overly faux way (though with an admittedly possible opening later with The Sentry). Too much was crammed into this, including a disservice to the character of Magneto, and a non-believable change in character for beurocratic bad girl(and Head of S.H.I.E.L.D.) Agent Hill. Not very Bendis-like.

Which was probably all to get to the New Avengers #21 Civil War tie-in.

New Avengers #21:

Now, don't get me wrong, this issue is good. Bendis showcases his talent for dialog, and showing some chinks in Captain America's/Steve Roger's confidence, and a little more of his humanity, is pretty cool. And the relational banter between Cap and Falcon is really well done, shows their personalities, and why they complement each other.

(And I'm probably the only guy in the world who isn't a real fan of Howard Chaykin's art, too. But at least it's OK for this issue. Beside, he's like a artistic hero to Bendis, so that's probably why he's there.)

But where does the issue fit in the Civil War? It's almost like it's supposed to come out before Civil War #2 (and maybe even #1), but shipped after both. And the tease for New Avengers #22 sounds like it's supposed to happen before Civil War #2, also, but will probably ship after #4.

C'Mon, Marvel, get with the program! Bendis is good, but you need enough oversite at the program level to schedule these better.

And stop spoiling the stories before I read them! I am so pissed that you, USA Today, and the local paper all gave away the end to Civil War #2 before it shipped! You don't give away the end of a movie or TV show in the preview -- why do it to comic fans!

So my review has turned a little pissy. Fanboys are pretty intolerant. Deal with it.