New Avengers Vol. 3: Secrets and Lies [Hardcover]

Brian Michael Bendis (Author), David Finch (Illustrator), Frank Cho (Illustrator), Rick Mays (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2006 | Grade Level: 4 and up

The debut of the mysterious New Avenger everyone has been talking about all year! Who is Ronin and why has Captain America recruited him into the fold? Bet it has something to do with Hydra helping the Silver Samurai get out of the country after he broke out of prison. And what is Ronin's true identity? Here's a hint: He's not Daredevil! Plus: Spider-Woman's dark secrets revealed! Captain America catches her double-dealing the Avengers and corners her! How did Spider-Woman get her powers back and to whom does she answer? It's all here! Collects New Avengers #11-15 and Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Marvel (March 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785119396
• ISBN-13: 978-0785119395
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,050,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Michael Bendis is an award winning comics creator and one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For the last eleven years, Brian's books have consistently sat on the top of the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel's popular AVENGERS franchise by writing every issue of the NEW AVENGERS plus debuting the hit books MIGHTY AVENGERS and DARK AVENGERS along with the wildly successful 'event' projects HOUSE OF M, SECRET WAR, SECRET INVASION, and SIEGE.
This summer will see the blockbuster new line-ups for AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS.
Other recent projects include the groundbreaking SPIDER-WOMAN MOTION COMIC, that debuted number one on iTunes TV sales chart and the New York Times best selling HALO graphic novel.
Brian is one of the premiere architects of Marvel comic's Ultimate line of comics. A line of comics specifically created for the new generation of comics reader. He has written every issue of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN since it's best selling launch in 1999, and has also written ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR, X-MEN, MARVEL TEAM UP, ORIGIN, SIX and the ENEMY trilogy.
He is creator of the JINX line of crime comics published by image comics. This line has spawned the graphic novels GOLDFISH, FIRE, JINX, TORSO (w/ Marc Andreyko) and TOTAL SELL OUT.
Brian's other projects include the Eisner award winning "POWERS" (w/Mike Oeming) from Marvel's creator owned imprint ICON, and the Hollywood tell all "FORTUNE AND GLORY'. Entertainment Weekly gave both projects an "A." SONY and FX networks are currently developing POWERS for series with Brian as exec producer.
Brian is currently adapting his spy graphic novel FIRE for Universal Pictures as a starring vehicle for Zac Efron.
Brian is a member of Marvel studios creative committee, which consults on their numerous ongoing film projects. He has consulted on IRON-MAN and IRON MAN 2 and is currently consulting on THE FIRST AVENGERS: CAPTAIN AMERICA, THOR and THE AVENGERS
Brian has won five prestigious EISNER awards, including 'Best Writer of the year' two years in a row. He has also won over two dozen Wizard comic awards. Brian is the recipient of the Cleveland Press 'Excellence in Journalism' Award and was named "Best Writer of the Year." by Wizard Magazine and Comic Buyer's Guide for three consecutive years.
He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Alisa, his gorgeous daughters Olivia and Sabrina and his dogs Lucky, Max and Buster.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Revelations and resolutions; kind of, March 19, 2007

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: New Avengers Vol. 3: Secrets and Lies (Hardcover)

The third collected volume of Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers is nowhere near as good or enjoyable as the first two volumes. In saying that, what we get here in Secrets & Lies isn't bad at all, it's just not as compelling as one would hope. Secrets & Lies starts off in familiar territory with the New Avengers taking on Hydra who is trying to free the Silver Samurai, and leads up to Captain America recruiting a mysterious new member named Ronin. As the TPB continues, Spider-Woman's secrets get revealed, as Cap learns the truth behind the return of her super powers, as well as just who she is working for. The entire synopsis that you just read is actually more interesting than the actual events taking place here in Secrets & Lies, because Bendis just doesn't seem to be that into the story himself. Ronin isn't that interesting of a character in my opinion, and the book focuses on too many single members (particularly Cap) than the group as a whole. David Finch's artwork is his usual great stuff, as is the work by Frank Cho which is featured here as well. All in all, Secrets & Lies isn't at all bad, but Bendis has done much better with the series, and this is his low point so far.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars calling all spider-woman fans, January 7, 2007

By 

spacedog "spacedog7" (boston, ma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Avengers Vol. 3: Secrets and Lies (Hardcover)

bendis is always a reliable writer, and he does a good job with these stories that w/ another writer would've just been filler. the first three issues (#11-13) bring the team to japan where hydra and the hand are trying to use the silver samurai to join forces, but the ending is too abrupt and clearly leaves the situation open to future story arcs. we do have the plus of some great fight scenes, attention given to spider-woman, and the reappearance of a character that fans of the daredevil series will enjoy seeing back in action. the 8-page story from giant-size spider-woman #1 and issues #14 and 15 are more interesting, w/ the full story about how spider-woman got her powers back and who she's working for, the public debut of the new avengers, as well as some insight into where ms. marvel's headed. david finch's art is as good as ever, and frank cho's is worthwhile as well. not one for the ages, but a good read and it'll have you looking forward to vol. 4.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smokescreens Everywhere, November 28, 2009

By 

Mel Odom (Moore, OK USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: New Avengers Vol. 3: Secrets and Lies (Hardcover)

I have to admit, Frank Cho's pencils on Spider-Woman in this graphic novel are absolutely eye-popping. No one has ever drawn a sexier looking superhero. Spider-Woman just glistens with menace. Brian Michael Bendis outdoes himself with subterfuge in this one. Is Spider-Woman a double agent? A triple agent? Or something so complex readers may never know? One thing for sure, she's being totally victimized.

Bendis obviously has a lot of fun writing this one. And I'll bet he's had it planned since the beginning. Spider-Woman is a favorite hero of his, one of those fractured and broken types he seems especially fond of.

Borrowing a lot from his run on Daredevil, Bendis brings in Matt Murdock and all the problems that hero is currently having in his own comics. Bendis also provides a new hero, Ronin, that also comes from the pages of Daredevil. That's another mystery that lies within the pages of this graphic novel. There's little doubt from the onset why this volume is called Secrets & Lies. Not only are the characters lying to each other, but Bendis conceals a lot of information from the reader, although much of it is there on the page if you go back and look through the issues after reading them. I couldn't figure it out, but when I went back and looked through the pages, the clues are all there. He played that mystery fairly.

The artists provide a lot of action in this story arc. We have ninjas galore, which constitutes a lot of Spider-Man's one-liners and humorous exchanges with Luke Cage. The attack on the penthouse in Tokyo is awesome. Of course, having all of the comedy going on at the time between the characters would have been impossible. The bit with Luke Cage returning on the elevator after being knocked off the building and falling 20 floors is amazing. Even more humorous, the elevator music from the 1980s reflects Cage's dark mood and the impending violence he's about to unleash.

Then we get to the betrayal part with Spider-Woman and Bendis kicks his readers in the teeth with unexpected surprise after unexpected surprise. The arrival of the Silver Samurai immediately suspends the readers' curiosity about Spider-Woman, though.

Aboard the Quinjet, Spider-Woman's duplicity surfaces yet again, and this time she almost manages to kill Captain America. Not surprisingly, Captain America is highly suspicious about the prisoner's escape.

The segue into a backup feature from an issue of Spider-Woman shoehorns neatly into the overall arc in this graphic novel.

Then Frank Cho steps in to do the penciling the last two parts. He showcases Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel, two of his favorite heroines to draw. Bendis keeps the story coming fast and furious, and when he wraps the arc up, it's hard to tell exactly how Spider-Woman is going to come out of everything. Yeah, this is just another reason I'm going to keep reading The New Avengers graphic novels.