I can't say I'm surprised. Marvel has announced that this series will be cancelled with issue #5, and really, I'm just not surprised. I was shocked to see it solicited as an ongoing at all, actually. Was the world really clamoring for a series starring Agent Brand, lion-Beast, and Lockheed? I think sales could have jumped a tad if Death's Head was touted as a regular cast member, but that is certainly debatable. It's too bad, because this series is another example of just how good Kieron Gillen is at writing in the Marvel U.This issue picks up wit Henry Gyrich's plan to deport all aliens from Earth. This being Marvel, there are a LOT of aliens being rounded up and kept in storage cells on SWORD's satellite. Gyrich takes things to a new level when he captures Agent Brand too. Gyrich is such an interesting character. He constantly makes bone-headed move after bone-headed move, but the reader always gets the impression that he really does think he's doing things for the greater good. Gillen captured Gyrich's arrogance and disconnect from reality nicely in a scene where the Beast is incredulous that Gyrich thinks this deportation is a good idea. For a book featuring explosive decompression and space-mercenaries, Gillen keeps things nicely bureaucratic too. The red tape here almost helps though, as the Beast is able to utilize the budget for some unforeseen spending. I am looking forward to some sort of resolution of that cool robot in solitary confinement too. His coldly rational logic about his directives is awesome: if he is victorious, then the ends justify the means. If he fails, then he is one of the worst monsters in history. Cool stuff.
Steven Sanders is a tad too cartoony for me. He's got a fun style, but his Beast looks ridiculous. He really does sell the comedy aspects of the title nicely, and his facial expressions are wonderful. His style doesn't exactly fit right in a core Marvel U book though.
Good
1 comment:
i like this book too. i think of it as a sister book to Nextwave. doesn't take itself too seriously but you can lose yourself in it. i think video game designers call it "immersion."
i'm with you on Sanders too. and even the Beast in particular. but i can't help myself. i enjoy this book--and Marvel labels it an X-book. that's about as close to an X-book as you'll ever find me.
with Parker's AoA, Remender's Doctor Voodoo, and Gillen's S.W.O.R.D. being cancelled or put on hiatus for rejiggering, here's hoping Hickman's S.H.I.E.L.D. series catches on. he's managed to keep Secret Warriors afloat.
Jason Aaron was right to choose Wolverine and Punisher as the object of his initial forays into launching titles with Marvel.
Post a Comment