Anyone else think Brian Michael Bendis is overrated?

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 12:43 pm

While I enjoy plenty of his stuff, I can't help but notice the way he is stretching himself thin over so many comics per month is leading to all of his stuff becoming more formulaic and inevitably samey.

Powers is still pretty good though.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 3:20 pm

Only read some of his Daredevil, and Ultimate Spidey [the huge UK reprints you can put on a pile of smaller comics and use as a coffee table], and neither blew me away... Daredevil stuff's good, but not mind-blowingly so... no better than, say, Ann Nocenti or D.G. Chesterfield... And Ultimate Spidey's such a recycling of other Spiderman stories, but with kewl references and tren-d kids, I'm really thinking those £2 pieces can go to a better cause... Buut would't like to give a real verdict having read about 15 books across two titles

popediscordia · Post by **popediscordia** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:24 am

He's a very good writer. Torso, Fire and Fortune and Glory are all well, wort checking out. I reviewed Torso for NinthArt, and I have to say that it was probably one of the best comics that I read last year.

Review at: http://www.ninthart.com/display.php?article=209

Enjoy.

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 11:18 am

That was kind of my point though. His own stuff was (and still is where stuff like poweers is concerned) great. But he's sold his soul to marvel and spread himself too thin. For example, ultimate spidey is now fortnightly. Oh, but if you do want something that not his own creation but is bloody good (from back before he spread himself too thin), go read the first sam and twitch trade: Udaku.

popediscordia · Post by **popediscordia** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 11:22 am

Ultimate Spidey isn't my thing really, but it's easily the best Ultimate title out there. Some of his Ultimate Marvel Team-Ups were great though, especially the one with Jim Mahfood. I forget what number that was.

Thinking about it, his commercial work generally isn't as good as his creator owned stuff, but that's quite common of most comic writers. When doing worl for hire your hands are tied as to wht you can actually achieve.

Oh, and Alias is quite good. Certainly a grittier feel to it than Powers, although the art may have something to do with that.

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:08 pm

Personally I'm not keen on alias. I can see why people like it, but to me its just an inferior variation on powers.

popediscordia · Post by **popediscordia** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:10 pm

That's the reason I stopped reading it. Well, not because it's inferior, but because I already read Powers. I have a few friends who started reading Alias before Powers, and do the opposite.

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:49 pm

I just found that alias tried more for shock value, as did bendis run on hellspawn. When a writer resorts to shock value without it being neccessary to further the story, I just get bored. Its lazy writing. Powers does make use of shock value at times, but its so far been used well.

popediscordia · Post by **popediscordia** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:53 pm

The problem is that Bendis isn't a good action writer. He writes great dialogue and mystery scenes, and keeps suspense going well, but when it comes to a fight? Forget it.

I take Luke Cage's appearance in Alias 1 is what you mean by shock tactics?

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:00 pm

It was more her conversation with carol danvers about the event actually. though the actual page picturing her and cage was there entirely for the sake of "look at me I'm an adult marvel title"

popediscordia · Post by **popediscordia** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:01 pm

that's what most people thought. Sadly that scene will probably haunt him for the rest of his career. Lot's of buggery jokes...

Cyberstrike nTo · Post by **Cyberstrike nTo** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 6:42 pm

Daredevil
Alais
Powers
are
all
I
read
of
Brain
Michel
Bendis
I
hate
Ultimate
Spider-Man

Spectre · Post by **Spectre** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 7:48 pm

He really isn't that good. Compare him to say Jon Ostrander, Grant Morrison, or Roy Thomas and he is garbage.

Post by **Hound** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 12:56 pm

Originally posted by Spectre
He really isn't that good. Compare him to say Jon Ostrander, Grant Morrison, or Roy Thomas and he is garbage.

While I wouldn't call Bendis "garbage" or even "n't that good", I do think those writers are better than Bendis, with the exception of Ostrander. (who's work I've never been that impressed by)

The only thing I can recall reading of his is his first Daredevil story arc and those were the last new Daredevil comics that I picked up. I wasn't impressed by Bendis, but then I haven't read Powers.

Cyberstrike nTo · Post by **Cyberstrike nTo** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 8:41 pm

Originally posted by Hound
While I wouldn't call Bendis "garbage" or even "n't that good", I do think those writers are better than Bendis, with the exception of Ostrander. (who's work I've never been that impressed by)

The only thing I can recall reading of his is his first Daredevil story arc and those were the last new Daredevil comics that I picked up. I wasn't impressed by Bendis, but then I haven't read Powers.

Powers is probly the best thing Bendis writes right now
Daredevil has too much Matt Murdock and not enough Daredevil
Alaias is one of the most boring books to read
and Hound try Spectre (not that Hal Jordan Spirt of Redemetion garbage) to see how good of a writer John Ostrander is

Spectre · Post by **Spectre** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 2:49 am

I've not been overly impressed with Powers. About Jon Ostrander though check out the following series Spectre (volume 3), Grimjack, Eternal Warrior, Magnus: Robot Fighter, Firestorm, Suicide Squad, and Martian Manhunter.

Post by **Hound** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 4:32 pm

Originally posted by Spectre
I've not been overly impressed with Powers. About Jon Ostrander though check out the following series Spectre (volume 3), Grimjack, Eternal Warrior, Magnus: Robot Fighter, Firestorm, Suicide Squad, and Martian Manhunter.

I've read Martian Manhunter, Suicide Squad and Firestorm and while they didn't suck they weren't anything special. I'm in the process of searching for a Magnus: Robot Fighter TPB as the first 5 issues are on that Wizard Top 40 list. Didn't Ostrander write one of the X-Men spin-off books? If I'm remembering correctly I wasn't impressed by those either. Also, Spectre is on my "I'll get around to it" list...

Spectre · Post by **Spectre** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 7:53 pm

Ostrander started on Magnus with issue 21 and his run was something special. He wrote about 8 issues of X-Man. X books have the most rigid editorial staff and the editors usually determine about half the plot in them. This is why X books have typically been garbage for most of the past ten to twelve years as the editors have been people like Kavanagh, Harras, and Powers. X-Man was a steeming pile of putrid waste from the beginning. It was started by Jeph Loeb after all.

Firestorm, Suicide Squad, and Martian Manhunter aren't anything special:eyebrow: ? What do you find to be special then?

Post by **Hound** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:16 am

Originally posted by Spectre
Firestorm, Suicide Squad, and Martian Manhunter aren't anything special:eyebrow: ? What do you find to be special then?

Almost everything written by Alan Moore, Gaiman's Sandman, Frank Miller's Batman and Daredevil comics, Claremont's X-Men titles, Miracleman (which I just finished, thanks BlueBlaster:) ), Earth X, Tim Truman's Hawkworld mini, Mike Grell's Green Arrow, John Byrne's Superman, Peter David's Aquaman and Atlantis Chronicles, Giffen and DeMattius' JLI, Waid's Flash, Judd Winick's Green Lantern and several other comics all of which are better than anything I've ever read by Ostrander. I'm not saying he's a bad writer, I've heard nothing but praise for his run on Spectre and I'm sure I'll enjoy it when I finally get to reading it, but up to this point I haven't read anything by him that was better than average.

Spectre · Post by **Spectre** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 2:00 am

I strongly suggest you try out the following (although you are off to a good start on excellent comics): Jon Sable, Kabuki, Steranko's Nick Fury, Next Men, Grimjack, Eisner's Spirit, any Will Eisner graphic novel, Poison Elves, Cerebus, Any Amazing Spiderman until DeFalco started writing it, Roy Thomas on Conan, Grendel, Mage, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Batman: Contagion, Batman: No Man's Land, Starman, JSA, JLA, Carmine Infantino Flash, Jim Shooter Legion of Superheroes, most any book by Valiant, Starman, Rom, Hawkworld monthly, current Hawkman, Sandman, Doom PAtrol, Invisibles, Maus, Byrne Superman, Lone Wolf and Cub, Scalphunter, Golden Age, Truman's run on Turok, anything by Greg Rucka, Kirby FF, Kirby Thor, Simonson Thor, and too many others too list at one time.

TFARCHIVE FORUMS

Anyone else think Brian Michael Bendis is overrated?

ooh, shiny

Anyone else think Brian Michael Bendis is overrated?