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!
Avengers #13
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Chris Bachalo
Cover: Alan Davis
Oh. My. Goodness. This had to have been one of the worst comic books I’ve read in my lifetime. This issue was just a bunch of talking heads. Characters talking one-on-one to a camera, documentary style, about the events leading up to the press conference in Fear Itself #1. I paid four bucks for this?! Thanks, Bendis. I thought you were supposed to be a brilliant storyteller. Chris Bachalo did the art? For the most part, he drew a bunch of faces. Boring. Lame. Stupid. 1/5 – AW
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Herc #3
Writers: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
Artist: Neil Edwards
Cover: Chris Stevens
With The Raft destroyed during Fear Itself #2, some of the world’s most dangerous super criminals are free again. Several of them decide to head out to Brooklyn to do a little robbing and stealing of their own, only to come up against Hercules. Though things are a bit different for the the son of Zeus who is now depowered, that doesn’t make him any less of a hero. So with the shield of Perseus and sword of Peleus, he charges into battle to stop a bank robbery being committed by some C- and D-list bad guys. Things quickly take a turn for the worse when Kyknos shows up with the intention of killing the escaped criminals, which forces Herc to save them from the son of Ares. From here on, things get a bit crazy as the wave of fear and madness seems to come over the Brooklyn crowd. And if you know Brooklyn, it doesn’t take too much to get the people in the streets going. So now Herc has to save himself from them along with a surprise.
I haven’t been keeping up with the Herc title, so the news of him being depowered was new to me. I do like the fact that Edwards has him armed with the ancient mythical weapons that will help give him an edge, and as far as his personality he’s still the same fearless Hercules he’s always been. The story itself was fun and a lot of the dialog made me laugh out loud. Though, Man-Bull’s dialog became very annoying as it just devolved into really bad Hulk-speak. The artwork from Stevens is pretty strong throughout the issue, and even the new costume for Herc looks pretty good. I wasn’t liking the skirt and sandals look for quite some time anyway. Herc #3 isn’t an essential read for Fear Itself, but it’s a solid issue for a tie-in to the series. 3/5 – IS
Invincible Iron Man #504
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Salvador Larroca
Cover: Salvador Larroca
The last Invincible Iron Man issue didn’t deserve to carry the Fear Itself banner, nor was it an enjoyable read. Things have definitely turned around here, as we focus on the Grey Gargoyle’s transformation after receiving one of the hammers that fell to Earth. Tony volunteers to go to Paris to investigate, when he notices the streets are filled with citizens turned into statues. This causes a serious problem when he ends up facing the transformed Grey Gargoyle in the streets and is sent crashing into the stone civilians. Though none of this compares to what he sees at the end of the issue.
It’s very refreshing that this issue doesn’t seem rushed, and Fraction has time to flesh some things out which make it an exciting read. Even the parts where Tony and Pepper are arguing about the company don’t slow the story down one bit. It was a nice touch that Fraction has Tony slightly freaking out about killing the people he was being tossed into, adding an emotional level to the fight scene, and making it that much better. This issue also has very nice artwork from Larroca, and D’Armata’s colors make Tony’s flight over Paris look great. The actual fight between the two is just brutal, and that last page is a serious kick in the teeth. This is a complete turn around from last issue, as I enjoyed reading this issue since it actually ties into the event. An issue like this will keep me coming back to the title on a more consistent basis. 4/5 – IS
Infinite Speech
infinintespeech@comicattack.net
Aron White
aron@comicattack.net
Aron, I 100% disagree with you on Avengers. I’d have given this issue a 5/5. I thought it was great. Bendis nailed the dialogue and portrayal of the cast throughout the years.
Did you get that it was the same reporter interviewing these characters throughout the decades? I liked the different interpretations of Thor and Cap, and how Wolverine was the same smug bastard throughout. Just well done.
This was also one of Bachalo’s best issues I’ve read. He nailed the storytelling with Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel. The looks they give each other during the press conference were played out nicely.
I’d have to agree with Andy on this one! I don’t even like the regular Avengers title and I’d still say this one was a perfect issue. From the Bachalo’s art to Bendis telling a great intimate story about the team. This is the kind of greatness he brings to New Avengers and I wish he’d bring it a lot more this title.
The way he had Cage express his issues was just perfect and I loved how Volstagg attempted to put his mack down on Ms. Marvel lol That entire sequence was great. I wasn’t expecting anything from this issue but I’ll be damned, Bendis impressed me!
I didn’t like it.
Booooo!
I puked on it.