As you may recall, I had made a project of reading all 7 volumes of Essential Avengers. There were several entries pertaining to the Avengers as a result, but the last of these came at the end of June. What has happened in the interim?
Well, the last entry discussing Avengers came while I was reading Volume 6. I started Volume 7 shortly afterward, and made my way through a good portion of it. Then, I just sort of...stopped. And I haven't found the motivation to return to the book, despite being only about 10-12 issues short of the conclusion.
Why? Boy, I don't know. I just hit a wall shortly after end of Steve Englehart's tenure as a writer, and it became increasingly harder to get into the story. There's also the little fact that I was hitting the thirteenth year of the title by the time I stopped. There was an undeniable fatigue that set in on me, especially since Marvel comics never, ever end. No, Marvels just almost unfailingly lead into the next story. This inevitability can be a strength, but it can also be a weakness.
I'm sure I'll finish this book eventually. I'd probably even buy another volume. But man, how do people keep going on the same book for thirty years? I don't think I could.
hmm... I've been reading the Avengers in some form or another for over 40 years. but there are times I've taken breaks, and I don't read the new books (Wolverine an Avenger? really?) so I am not sure that counts. but I still love them and the JLA, so take that for what it is!
ReplyDeleteI can't say I ever DISLIKED the Avengers as a concept, but I just got tired by the time I had made it to 1976 after thirteen consecutive years of the book. I've followed a lot of things off and on, but sustaining my interest over such a long haul without a break would take some doing.
ReplyDeleteTo put the modern era in perspective, the JSA only had about eleven years (1940-1951) before their heyday was over.