July 9, 2008

Summer Reads: The Undergrad's Graphic Novel Collection

The Avengers: Disassembled

By Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch

Call Number: 741.5973 B433ac

One could say that the current events rocking the Marvel Universe began here with this groundbreaking series. The Disassembled storyline marked the "end" of one of Marvel comics' flagship titles and it's premiere superhero team, but more importantly, signaled acclaimed writer Brian Michael Bendis's essential creative control over the major events of the Marvel universe. The massive cross-over events of the last few years such as 2005's "House of M," last year's "Civil War" and this summer's "Secret Invasion" are all either the brainchildren of Bendis or involved his collaboration. Rising to the top ranks of Marvel writers from indie series such as Powers, and an ongoing, celebrated run on Ultimate Spider-Man, Bendis has presented himself as a writer unafraid to shake things up or write off a few important characters in the name of keeping things exciting and Avengers: Disassembled sees him in fine form.

The Avengers, comprised of Marvel stalwarts such as Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, face perhaps their greatest challenge in this thrilling story. Events culminate in the destruction of Avengers mansion, the death of several team members, and the revelation of the identity of the team's most shocking foe. With Disassembled, Bendis adds an emotional and psychological depth to the quintessential comic storyline of heroes facing their "greatest challenge." The shocking revelation of the story's antagonist interrogates the infallibility of the "superhero" archetype. The extraordinary abilities which define a hero, can just as easily cause the sort of insanity born from the burden of responsibility. And it's these themes of darkness and paranoia which were introduced here and have eventually come to characterize Bendis' take on the core characters of the Marvel Universe. In fact, this volume provides an excellent introduction for readers interested in the current Avengers ongoing series New Avengers also written by Bendis and picking up right where this series left off. The newer, grittier, Marvel Universe begins here. Get into it this summer.

If You Enjoyed Avengers: Disassembled You Might Also Enjoy:

The Avengers: Ultron Unlimited

by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez

Call Number: 741.5973 B964s

In this classic Avengers story the team faces off against Ultron, an all-powerful, hyper-intelligient robot bent on the eradication of the human race. After witnessing Ultron wipe out an entire Eastern-European country, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, The Scarlet Witch and others must battle through an army of Ultron robots to save the human race. Busiek has a gift for team adventures, balancing the personalities of each equally throughout the story. George Pérez remains the premiere Avengers artist, and his incredibly detailed illustrations never fail to capture the majesty of the world's greatest superhero team in this action-packed volume.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Power and Responsibility

By Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley

Call Number: 741.5973 J398up

In this acclaimed series Bendis demonstrates his innate ability to hone in on exactly what makes a classic character appealing. Restarting the Spider-Man story in a contemporary setting, with a young Peter Parker still in high school, Ultimate Spider-Man hearkens back to the classic Stan Lee era of everyone's favorite wall-crawler, when the drama of Parker's life rivaled his high-flying fist fights above the New York city skyline. Mark Bagley stands as one of the top Spider-Man artists, equally capable of illustrating an agile fight sequence or a heart-rending moment. The Undergraduate Library owns almost the entire run of Ultimate Spider-Man, easily one of the most compelling super hero titles being published today.

Posted by undergrad at July 9, 2008 2:06 PM

Comments

wow, really great collections!

Posted by: Candle Glass at February 18, 2009 12:06 PM

UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY