New Comics!: The Avengers (aka "What the *%&^ is Bendis Doing?") Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Avengers #20:  Have I mentioned I hate Hawkeye's new costume?  Because, I do.  Now, with that off my chest, let's get to more reasons why I hated this issue.

First, I do at least get something I wanted:  Bendis finally explains who Squid Lady is.  The problem, however, is that the resolution of this issue just winds up confusing me all the more and becomes an object lesson in the problems we've seen in the Avengers titles since "Fear Itself" ended.  Since the re-introduction of Norman Osborn in "New Avengers" #16.1, Bendis has done an abysmal job telling a coherent story.  As the history of Squid Lady demonstrates, he moves us between the past and the present so often (and so ineptly) that it's difficult to place the events of both "Avengers" and "New Avengers" since "New Avengers" #16.1 in any sort of continuum.  For example:

A Brief History of Squid Lady:
Squid Lady first appears with little fanfare in the background of "New Avengers" #16.1.  Norman Osborn then calls a squid-less Madame Hydra by name in "New Avengers" #17.  (In my review of that issue, I mention that I'm confused about Squid Lady's role in H.A.M.M.E.R., so I'm pretty sure I didn't make the explicit connection between Squid Lady and Madame Hydra yet.)  Squid Lady then appears in "Avengers #18, but, again, only on the last page, with little fanfare.  A squid-less Madame Hydra appears in "New Avengers" #18 and #19, though she isn't mentioned at all in "Avengers" #19, published between those two issues.  Squid Lady now appears in "Avengers" #20, and Bendis connects her directly to Madame Hydra.

Reviewing those issues again, it's clear that "New Avengers" #16.1 and "Avengers" #18 (and the Squid Lady scene in "Avengers" #20) happen before the events of "New Avengers #17-#19 and "Avengers" #19-#20.  I now realize that Bendis uses Madame Hydra as Squid Lady to signify that we're dealing with the events that take place after Osborn is freed and before he begins appearing in public.  But, finally sorting out those details doesn't necessarily shed any light on which arc happened first.

For example, Norman shocks everyone by appearing at Cap's press conference at the end of "Avengers" #19, implying that he's just now revealing himself to the world.  As such, it's logical to assume that "New Avengers" #19 happens after this issue, since Norman holds a press conference at the end of that issue as well (so people probably wouldn't be so shocked by his appearance in this issue, if the events of that issue happened first).  However, in this issue, Iron Man refers to the events of "New Avengers" #17-#19.  So, if the events of this issue happen after the events of that "New Avengers" arc, then why is everyone so surprised when Norman appears at the press conference?  The world at that point would know that he's returned and that he's positing himself as the leader of an "independent" team of Avengers.  Why act surprised?  (Moreover, as I'll detail below in my "New Avengers" review, am I really supposed to believe the press buys the drivel that Osborn is selling?)

At this point, in terms of placing the events of these issues in a timeline relative to each other, I'm now totally confused.  But, the main problem with that is not that I'm confused.  The main problem is:  who the *%&^ cares?  I shouldn't be this distracted by such small plot points, like who Squid Lady is and which press conferences happened when.  But, the fact that I am is a great example of why Bendis has just really cocked up this whole "Normal Osborn RETURNS!" plot.  By bouncing between various Osborn schemes in "Avengers" and "New Avengers," Bendis is making it really, really hard to know what's happening when.   With both teams confronting Osborn directly, with little reference to the other team, it's almost like you're reading about parallel Universes of Avengers teams.  Given that Bendis controls both books, you wouldn't think it'd be hard to do a better job of coordinating the story.  If we're really supposed to believe that Osborn is engaged in an all-out assault on the Avengers, we need to see some level of coordination between these assaults.  Osborn is a tactical genius, so we shouldn't really be seeing him attacking each team ad hoc.  I'm worried Bendis is waiting to reveal Osborn's master plan until much later in this overarching arc, similar to what he did in the 1959 Avengers arc in "New Avengers" a few issues ago.  The problem is that this approach -- waiting until the end to tell us what had been happening all along -- was annoying enough for the five issues of the "New Avengers" run.  It's going to get really annoying if we're left in the dark in two series over the course of an entire year.

OK.  [Deep breath.]  Looking at the positive, I am digging the idea that H.A.M.M.E.R. is using the genetic material stolen by Dr. Washington to create its own super-soldiers.  I also applaud Bendis for dividing up the team into squads because, as I've said ad nauseum, I find his use of ten-person teams to be seriously detrimental to character building.  But, if Bendis truly wants to leave us with an amazing story, he needs to do a better job making sure the chapters make sense in relation to each other.

New Avengers #19:  [Sigh.]  OK, I was on board when Bendis re-introduced Osborn as the big bad for the next few months in "Avengers" and "New Avengers" because he seemed to be giving us a different take on Norman.  Previously, Norman used his craftiness to infiltrate existing power structures to further his ends.  Given that he was exposed at the end of "Siege" as a traitor (or, at least, as someone not exactly working in the best interests of the U.S. Government), Bendis seemed to be promising us a more unleashed Norman who was no longer going to be confined to pretending that he was a good guy.  I mean, we're talking about a guy who now heads an umbrella organization consisting of A.I.M., H.A.M.M.E.R., the Hand, and HYDRA.  He's not exactly going to have an easy time convincing anyone he's on the side of angels.  As such, I was a little confused last issue -- and even more confused this issue -- when Norman decides to do the same thing again, creating a new and improved Dark Avengers team.  He insists that his new Dark Avengers are going to be more successful this time because they're more powerful than his previous team or either current Avengers team.  OK, sure, they'll be more successful in battle maybe (though, you'd think Norman would be smart enough to know that a group of megalomaniacal super-villains might not exactly be the best judges of their abilities).  But, they're not going to be more successful in convincing the public that they're actually the Avengers, BECAUSE EVERYONE ALREADY FELL FOR THAT TRICK.  I mean, seriously, does Bendis want us to believe that the world is so crazy that it's going to support a Norman Osborn-supported group of Avengers over a Steve Rogers-supported group?  Really?  (He really does, apparently, because he also implied it through the idiotic press questions in "Avengers" #20).  But, yet again, on the last page, we find Norman holding a press conference like he's not an ESCAPED SUPER-VILLAIN.  I just wish I knew what Bendis' angle was.  I just don't see how any storyline that involves Norman yet again pushing a Dark Avengers squad as the real Avengers is going to make sense.  Plus, to add to the crazy, we've got a group of "Occupy Avengers Mansion" protestors protesting the Avengers because they don't...save the world enough.  Did I mention that Squirrel Girl also tries to get Daredevil into bed in this issue?  Yeah, I don't even know what to say at this point.