Bendis' Justice League run is finished. Your evaluation?

[protege]

It was kind of nothing. It seemed that the only thing it did was set up Adam as a hero

I really don’t know what they’re dozing with black Adam, and the marvel family in general. First they try to reform him, now they’re trying to replace him?

[Primal Slayer]

Started out semi interesting then quickly lost interest.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

Started strong, ended middle of the road to bad. Too much focus on checkmate for too long. Too many continuity inconsistencies (it's Bendis).

And honestly, when the Royal Flush Gang shows up, we know the run is gone.

I haven't read any of Bendis'' JL, but to be fair, the Royal Flash Gang showed up in like issue 3 of Giffen and Dematteis' Justice League and that turned out pretty well.

[Blue22]

Despite my usual issues with Bendis, I was actually looking forward to this run. Aside from him taking a moment to stroke his own ego in the very first issue, I thought it had a solid enough start. Too bad it didn't stay solid for very long. Easily one of the most forgettable books I've ever read. Not the worst. Just....forgettable. Boring even. And to me, that's even worse than being bad. I can at least have fun with something bad.

[OBrianTallent]

It wasn't the worst thing I have ever read, but it was just not up to what he could have done, but then I feel that way about almost everything he has touched since coming to DC. I had hoped for Alias/Avengers Bendis, but definitely did not get that.

[married guy]

I picked up the first issue and dropped it immediately.
I haven't enjoyed a Justice League book in a decade.

[Jackalope89]

I picked up the first issue and dropped it immediately.
I haven't enjoyed a Justice League book in a decade.

There was a stand alone issue shortly after Rebirth began where the League pretty much did a Make-A-Wish sort of thing. It was really good. But actual runs... Yeah. Ones that started promising, just bottomed out. Others didn't even get that far.

But yeah. When I saw Bendis taking over, I just didn't bother.

[Johnny]

There was nothing to it. Another forgettable run from a writer past his prime. This clearly wasn't USM, Avengers or Daredevil Bendis, it just felt like someone doing it for the paycheck and little else. But hey good for him. Moving on.

[Matt Rat]

It's crazy to think the writer who single-handedly revitalized the Avengers.

Bendis ruined the Avengers

[j9ac9k]

I was more excited to see David Marquez on a JL book and he was really good. Not a big fan of how they prettied up Black Adam once he was meant to be more heroic or sympathetic though. And am I the only one who was getting a vibe between Supes and Adam? There were several significant glances between them.... I thought they were going to go somewhere with it.

Bendis's Whedonesque dialogue really grated on me though. (he even threw in a "shiny" to make it more apparent) It just kept repeating the same cadence and the jokes did not work. Whedon at least knew to base his humor off character, and each actor's delivery rather than be quippy for the sake of it and without an actor's nuance, all the jokes came across as sounding like the same voice.

I dropped the book once it didn't have Marquez's pretty art to make it palatable.

[exile001]

I still am a fan of Bendis on solo books, but after a few years reading his Avengers I knew what this would be and stopped reading after a few issues (I skim at my LCS).

His early New Avengers was all action with character beats breaking it up, but then he changed the format to all character with action as a backdrop and it's just not as interesting to me. He tries to write a team book like one of his solos and it just doesn't work on Avengers of Justice League (though does okay for smaller teams, like Checkmate or Defenders). I also don't really enjoy the type of threat he chooses for big team books.

This is like his Superman run in that it felt like he's just getting started but was pulled off the book suddenly. I guess Didio was his biggest fan and if he's not pulling in the numbers he's dead weight.

Patented Bendis non-endings aside, I actually liked all the Checkmate stuff as it is what he does best. A small group of focused characters talking a lot. I hope DC gives him a little part of the universe to play in where he can do his thing properly over 50 issues or whatever, while making use of excellent but ignored characters (Kate Spencer's Manhunter!!!).

Actually, just give the guy a Green Arrow/Black Canary book already! He's obviously dying to write them.

[charliehustle415]

Bendis ruined the Avengers

[Matt Rat]

A disagreement to be sure, but a welcome one

[Nomads1]

Bendis ruined the Avengers

A disagreement to be sure, but a welcome one

I, for one, agree 100%. Bendis got rid of everything that made The Avengers unique, in favor of a cheap cash-grab. It's a very weak read, with lots of in-continuity plot holes. However, as always seems to be the case with him, he had full editorial support, the pick of top-tier artists and an unprecedented marketing campaign behind him. It sold because Marvel was determined to sell it. The general market was also much more favorable back then. But, as awful as his run was, IMHO, of course, it's not the worst in Avengers history for me. That dubious honor goes to Chuck Austen, that came before Bendis. Thankfully, it was very brief, unlike Bendis', which lasted more than enough to make me quit for the first time in almost 30 years my favorite Marvel book. He had the same effect when he took over my favorite DC book. Bendis may be good writing street-level characters (I believed that once, having briefly enjoyed his USM, which was never a character I tended to follow, but I have my doubts if that is still true), but he's always been awful at writing high-octanage fantasy. He doesn't fit well with larger than life characters, often showing in his writing that he has no respect for them, and that he even finds them silly.
Alas, I've ranted to much.

Peace

[Digifiend]

Actually, just give the guy a Green Arrow/Black Canary book already! He's obviously dying to write them.

That I'd support. Street level is his wheelhouse, and Ollie and the rest of the Arrow family could do with a book of their own.