Wacky Power #21 – The aura sensing is back!

So yes, I’ve been giving Brian Bendis a hard time lately. Some day soon, I’ll make up for it by posting my top ten moments from the Bendis/Maleev run. Before I get to that though, there was a moment in last week’s New Avengers #33 that I can’t just let slide without poking a little harmless fun. 😉

If you’ve been following this series of posts, you may remember that Matt once had the ability to sense people’s “auras.” We’re not talking about purple, sparkling halos or anything (as far as I know), but whatever it is villains radiate to make them come across as villainous. Apparently it’s like a gaydar for sniffing out criminal masterminds or random psychos.

However, judging by New Avengers #33, with art by Michael Avon Oeming, the aura sensing is back! And, it’s been extended to cover general instances of “wrongness.” According to Matt:

There’s something wrong. There’s an aura.

I don’t know what this aura is supposed to be. Maybe it’s the same kind of energy that Spider-Man’s spider sense taps into. Maybe Bendis is just making this up as he goes along. Maybe Matt feels he has to impress his fellow Avengers. Either way, I do find the contrast between what Bendis says the radar sense is (a combination of Daredevil’s four remaining heightened senses, making it – in theory – the most naturlistic option available to any Daredevil creator), and what Daredevil actually ends up doing on the page to be pretty extreme.

Speaking of New Avengers #33 more generally though, I have to say that I found Oeming’s art here to be pretty darn intriguing. I can’t decide if I hate it or love it. Maybe both? It’s highly stylized and somewhat crazy-looking, yet really cool at the same time. And, you’ve got to love the below panel of Daredevil falling on his ass as the team goes into action. 😉

Check back Monday for The Other Murdock Papers Podcast #4, which features a very special guest in the form of none other than Chris Samnne! It’s part interview with the guy who – holy crap! – draws Daredevil every month and part just geeking out with a fellow fan. I hope you’ll enjoy it!