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With the overflowing amount of cross over events from various comic companies flooding the shelves, the people have cried out for help in keeping up with the many-issued madness! Well, that call has been answered by two guys who have answered a call or two in their lives! Infinite Man and Aron Fist are here to save your sanity, and hopefully save you from picking up that really crappy tie-in book that has absolutely NO REASON to exist! So sit back and check us out as we give you SCARED S#!@LESS: THE FEAR ITSELF EDITION on just about everything pertaining to this event, while we also try to figure out what the hell everyone is so afraid of!

Fear Itself #1
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Cover: Steve McNiven

“The Serpent pt 1″: “Tastes great!” “Less filling!” “Tastes GREAT!” “Less FILLING!”

If you were to argue with your father over what’s best about Miller Lite, would it come to a knock-down-drag-out? Probably not. But when Thor argues with Odin over whether to rebuild new Asgard or to rebuild old Asgard, that’s what happens. This issue gives us Thor versus Odin. Again. And Marvel’s newest “greatest event ever” gives us a Thor/Asgard based story. Again.

Don’t get me wrong, Stuart Immonen’s art is thrilling. But, so far, Matt Fraction’s story is like a dental drilling. Also, Red Skull 2 (Sin) gets a hammer and fights some sea serpents. At the starting gun, I’m left only with fear of another dud event. Prove me wrong, Matt Fraction. Prove me wrong. 2/5 – AW

This issue was damn good! Fraction executes Fear Itself #1 with the right amount of reveal and mystery needed for the beginning of a major event. We get forty-four pages of actual story, and a couple of big moments when we see Sin’s quest for the hammer of Skadi (I have no idea who that is!) and Thor’s throw down with his dad, Odin. Also, the mass violence starting to sweep over the country is played out well, as much of it could mirror current real world events and paranoia. My only complaint is that if you’re currently reading New Avengers, you know what’s going on with Mockingbird, but as you see in this issue she’s perfectly fine and looks ready to fight. Not cool. What’s also not cool is Tony Stark trying to work an angle in the story, but I like the fact that Fraction doesn’t shy away from the fact that Tony is an ass at times, and he’s always a business man.

Immonen is one of my newer favorite artists and he brings his “A” game to this issue right here. Every page and every panel has something that’s just great, and a lot of that is due in part to Laura Martin’s colors, as well. Now, only time will tell if my fear of this event being a dud will come to pass, or if Fraction will continue to deliver on the remaining six issues. 4/5 – IS

Fear Itself: Home Front #1
Publisher: Marvel
Writer(s): Christos Gage, Jim McCann, Peter Milligan, and more
Aritst(s): Howard Chaykin, Mike Mayhew, and more
Cover: Marko Djurdjevic

If you’re going to read Home Front, then I’d suggest you pick up Fear Itself #1 first. At least the extreme amount of seething anger that’s slowly building up in the city will make a bit more sense to you. Christos Gage and Mike Mayhew kept me interested in a character that I’ve never really liked when it came to their Speedball story, and the art from Rain Beredo took it to the next level. Peter Milligan’s Agents of Atlas tale was harder for me to get into because I’m not too familiar with the cast of characters. It was still a nice intro to the four-part mini running in this series, and the artwork from Elia Bonetti gave it a kind of retro feel that looked great. Chaykin delivers one page of inner dialog that is pure J. Jonah Jameson, while Jim McCann introduces us to the toughest old waiter Broxton, Oklahoma has to offer as he sets some tourists straight.

A series like Home Front isn’t a necessary read to enjoy the core title by any means, however, it does offer a look at how events in Fear Itself #1 are beginning to affect the world. I was expecting another Frontline series to do this like in Civil War and Secret Invasion, but I like this format better. There are many who roll their eyes at tie-ins like this, but if written well and made relevant, Home Front has the potential to be an asset to the Fear Itself event instead of being a waste of time and money for the fans. The only thing I really didn’t like was Speedball using a pair of glasses and a baseball cap as a disguise, knowing that his face was plastered all over TV and the internet during his trial. The rationale behind that just falls short to me when the guy has access to image inducer technology that could change his appearance all together.

If you’re one of those fans who likes to peek behind the curtain to see what else is going on during a huge Marvel event, then definitely pick up Home Front. If you’re a fan of the more obscure characters and the regular people that inhabit the Marvel U, then snatch up a copy of Home Front. It’s a more balanced and focused issue than similar titles that have come before it, and delivers a bit more fun than expected. 3/5 – IS

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Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net

Aron White
aron@comicattack.net