Why do people dislike Bendis's dialogue?

[Hulk_Is]

Of course people are dumb\snarky enough to talk like Bendis writes.

Unfortunately something Marvel's 'number one scribe' doesn't seem to realise is that not every one quips, not every one talks the same, and not everyone has the same Gilmore\Buffyesque sense of humour.

When everyone sounds like they're talking with the same voice, devoid of characterisation, you've got a Bendis comic.

Or The Hills put in graphic novel.

There's an idea for his next project.

LOL at the bolded.

[Whirlwind Dinamo]

Bendis writing sucks?
It sucks?
That's what i'm saying!
R-R-really...?
REALLY!
Y-You sure?
Hey. course i'm sure
You're sure, sure? Really?
R-Really!
N-No way!
Y-Yes way! I'm like, totally sure, dude
O-ok.

I think he was fine for characters like Cage, DD and Spidey but some characters Bendis could not write at all

[Robby Robot]

I HATE reading a character stutter or say half a thought before moving on to a different one. It's jarring to my brain. I can tolerate it if it's a singular character trait. Hell, it could even be interesting in that instance. But every single character Bendis writes trips over their words like they are all Jeff Goldblum.

[HeckBoy]

Seconded.

Don't get me wrong, I like Bendis, but just in certain comics. Love his Ultimate Spidey, can't stand his Avengers. He has one style of writing and characterization, and it's not always a good fit for some titles.

Ditto. Loved his Ultimate Spidey, but his style doesn't necessarily translate to other characters. It certainly kept my away from the Avengers for a good while.

[Treqqor]

I HATE reading a character stutter or say half a thought before moving on to a different one. It's jarring to my brain. I can tolerate it if it's a singular character trait. Hell, it could even be interesting in that instance. But every single character Bendis writes trips over their words like they are all Jeff Goldblum.

I don't seem to be seeing this in his new X-Men. In Beast and Magneto especially, they seem to have pretty solid and individual speech patterns.

[MonteMike72]

Bendis sometimes has good ideas but his need to put in repetitive quippy dialog actually slows the flow of the story down that it hurts the story telling.

[Wolf_Leader]

I don't seem to be seeing this in his new X-Men. In Beast and Magneto especially, they seem to have pretty solid and individual speech patterns.

I agree that ANXM has not been a victim of the examples of Bendis' more annoying writing habits, but keep in mind he is taking over these characters at a time where they are all approaching a major crisis from different views, they are all being affected in similar but different ways, and he is writing it well, but just wait until the title(s) fall into the routine they all do after the first major arc or two.

[Pixie_Solanas]

Bendis writing sucks?
It sucks?
That's what i'm saying!
R-R-really...?
REALLY!
Y-You sure?
Hey. course i'm sure
You're sure, sure? Really?
R-Really!
N-No way!
Y-Yes way! I'm like, totally sure, dude
O-ok.

Nailed it. I don't really dislike Bendis' writing, but I do cringe when he does the interlocking speech bubbles of 100% nothing (as illustrated in the post I quoted). it's just filler.

[Pixie_Solanas]

I don't seem to be seeing this in his new X-Men. In Beast and Magneto especially, they seem to have pretty solid and individual speech patterns.

lol, his beast is so basic. Then again, the character is basic.

[Paladin King]

In itself, I enjoy Bendis' dialogue style. It's unique and generally has a nice rhythm to it.

The problem with it though is that it's also fairly labor intensive, so with Bendis writing five million books a month, it becomes obvious which books he's phoning in: in some issues, the amount of repetition and the overuse of particular sentences (like how characters always are remarking that something "is a thing") really start to grate. When he's NOT phoning it in though, it works out well - the repetition is scaled back and he doesn't dip into his bag of generic sentences, so there won't be characters asking whether something "is a thing"

[MichaelChen]

Of course people are dumb\snarky enough to talk like Bendis writes.

Unfortunately something Marvel's 'number one scribe' doesn't seem to realise is that not every one quips, not every one talks the same, and not everyone has the same Gilmore\Buffyesque sense of humour.

When everyone sounds like they're talking with the same voice, devoid of characterisation, you've got a Bendis comic.

Buffyesque...that reminds me of something: the actual Buffy show and Whedon shows in general. The thing is, only about half the characters in a Whedon-show actually speak in Buffyspeak. Giles didn't use Buffyspeak. Angel didn't use Buffyspeak. Even those characters who did use Buffyspeak, Willow and Buffy herself, had very distinct variations on that speech.

Bendis characters all sound like the same guy talking to himself.

[z1co80]

Don't know if i should be bumping an old thread but i didn't want to start a new one especially after finding this.

This is something that has been bothering me for a while now as i have been working my way through the Bendis Avengers run. I have read from the start right to where i am now. In the past couple of days i just finished Avengers Vol. 1, New Avengers Vol. 1 and Avengers: Prime and i think i am at breaking point hence why i am posting this. Prime was really the last straw as it was just a book that had Iron Man make pointless joke after joke to the point it was like it should have been Spider-Man there.

Why the hell do so many of his characters have to be quippy and snarky?.

I still have Avengers Vol. 2 and 3 to read and New Avengers Vol. 2 and 3 to read but after that i'm done. I can usually get through stuff that is annoying but i i just wont be spending anymore on his run.

I think there has been only a handful of books i have liked of his so far Secret War: Absolutely loved it but maybe the art made me overlook any deficiencies, House Of M: Enjoyed it. Dark Avengers: Liked it.

[UKFan]

Buffyesque...that reminds me of something: the actual Buffy show and Whedon shows in general. The thing is, only about half the characters in a Whedon-show actually speak in Buffyspeak. Giles didn't use Buffyspeak. Angel didn't use Buffyspeak. Even those characters who did use Buffyspeak, Willow and Buffy herself, had very distinct variations on that speech.

Bendis characters all sound like the same guy talking to himself.

You're exactly right on both points - Cordy, Willow, Buffy, and Xander talk Buffyspeak, maybe Fred too when in
babble mode. Giles, Wes, and Angel (for three examples) talk like actual people.

Bendis on the other hand makes Strange and Rogers sound like Spidey. Literally the only char he can write.

[Mr. Holmes]

He's like Joss Whedon. Forces every damn character to say "snappy" things to each other 24/7. Writers like Warren Ellis and when he's on Matt Fraction know how to do wit with a more natural and subtle touch.

[USERNAME TAKEN]

His dialogue can be repetitive.

That was especially evident during his Avengers run.

In recent times though, he's really dialed it back.

His Kitty and Ice man pretend exchange (they were pretending to be Beast and Captain America respectively) in ANXM 8 was pretty brilliant.