Hickman (w) and Epting (a)
Wow. Yes. That's the way I'm starting this review. Because I'm a professional. I've been looking forward to this book since they teased it as the Illuminati's return. I have been pretty vocal on here already as to my distaste for Bendis' run on Avengers and New Avengers. Still, he did some things well and the guy's smart and clearly can be a good writer. One of the things I liked from his run, perhaps the thing I liked most, was the Illuminati. I like it because it's exactly what those characters would do; each one of them would consider himself worthy of making decisions for the world's behalf. Some might even be right in that assumption, not that they necessarily should do it. Black Panther walking out on the team upon his invitation was ALSO within character. It doesn't hurt that I'm particularly fond of Black Panther, and I like the rest of the team very much (Reed Richards not withstanding). So when Marvel showed that New Avengers would focus, at least to start, on the Illuminati returning, I was very excited. Excited enough that this could have been a big disappointment to me.
It's not. I mentioned the book in my top ten anticipated series list for 2013. One thing I didn't mention because I kept forgetting and I get a new wave of delight every time I remember is that Steve Epting is drawing the series. His run on Captain America was incredible and I have nothing but compliments to give. He does not disappoint here. Frank D'Armata does a great job as colorist, great enough that I noticed it instantly. There are only a handful of colorists that I really notice (I'm sorry, I'm usually focused on writing more than art and that makes me a bad fan for plenty of artists), like Bettie Breitweiser and Jordie Bellaire. So it really speaks to how gorgeous it is when I mention it here.
Now the story. I love seeing Wakanda. I love being a part of Wakanda. We get a good taste of a sort of ritual in Wakanda to lead the story, along with a view of T'Challa's new role as King of the Necropolis of Wakanda (instituted in Hickman's run on Fantastic Four), including a mention of feeling the pride of a former Wakandan king whose spirit he carries. More of that is bound to appear in this comic, hints at Wakanda's past and at its line of royalty. I'm onboard. Anyway, the story progresses and a portal opens in front of Panther and three young Wakandans from what appears to be an alternate reality or dimension. When they enter the portal, they find themselves facing a group of people, soldiers of a sort, and a lead woman. There is a version of Manifold, the former Secret Warrior who Hickman has re-introduced in his Avengers book, that is clearly not the 616's version (tip-off, he's white) with the head villain. She makes some ominous threats, her people kill the three Wakandans (who were shown as the strongest of the future generation of Wakanda after the short ritual to start the book) and she kills her Manifold before using a device he delivered to her to set the world floating above them on fire. Panther stops her a moment too late. He returns to his Wakanda, his earth, asking who answers the call of desperate men.
After a very movie-like two page spread, all black (spare a dark gray symbol), with white lettering that reads "New Avengers: Illuminati," the comic continues. We see Panther's feelings about each member of the Illuminati. Righteous men (Tony Stark), thinkers (Reed Richards), summoners (Dr. Strange), midnight kings (Black Bolt), and the devil himself (Namor). The comic ends with his plea for the goddess to save him "from what we are about to do." Surprise team-shot, Captain America leads the procession. I don't expect him to stay on this team, eventually he'll likely be replaced by Beast (who appears silhouetted on Jock's cover), but he became a part of it in Bendis' Avengers run.
It's an intriguing story with plenty of places to go and lots to say going forward. Because I'm dumb, I honestly hadn't even connected the fact that Namor would be coming to Wakanda, his first appearance there since the Phoenix-possessed Sub-Mariner destroyed the nation. Boy did that "and the devil himself" bit change that. The first entry in this series is majestic and huge. It's foreboding, it's a bit confusing (it is a Hickman book, after all), but in a good way. It makes you want to understand more and to read more. I really want to read more. And frankly, I want to see more. I cannot overstate how great the art was. Definitely worth buying and, even though it's been one issue, subscribing.
Daredevil: End of Days 4
Bendis and Mack (w) and Janson and Sienkiewicz with one page by Maleev (a)
I had a chat with the guy at the comic store about this series as I bought it. We talked about Marvel's attempts at doing these kinds of series every once in a while, these "the end" or "a character dies in the future that might could possibly happen" kind of things. They usually fall flat. We also talked about Bendis, agreeing that he's a good writer, but that his team books recently had started to sound the same. He said "I just don't see the Sentry quipping like Spider-Man, but there it was." It's entirely how I feel about Bendis. This review is not going in that direction.
This book has been startlingly good. I'm a Daredevil fan and I'm really a David Mack fan. His stories in Daredevil were some of my favorite, I adore Echo, and his art is unbelievable. That's not me trying to take away from Bendis to give this book a good review. I like Bendis. I often want to like Bendis more, but I agree with my comic book retailer's perception; with free reign and a team, he tends to quip more than write. Daredevil was a good book for him when he was the writer on it and his run there is the one I cite most frequently when arguing in his defense. I think he understands the darkness in Daredevil and I think he's better with a small cast. Avengers books tend now to feature a huge roster to bring as many fans in as possible. Smaller books don't have to do that. They can, but they don't have to. Daredevil is a prime example. Daredevil: End of Days is a sort of examination of that smaller cast. We see everyone. Well, we haven't seen Foggy, but we must at some point. We've seen Echo, Elektra, Typhoid Mary, Milla, and few others from Daredevil's past, as led by Ben Urich. This issue shows us Bullseye and Punisher, with a quick glance at one-time comic relief/low-level hood Turk. That probably makes the book sound more fun than it really is, but there is that level of fun to it. There's something going on just under the conspiracy of Daredevil's murder at the hands of the now suicidal Bullseye that's worth waiting around for. People are losing their grips. The word "Mapone" is floating around and making people extraordinarily tight-lipped. Every female from Matt's past has a red-headed child. To make matters more interesting/confusing, someone in a Daredevil suit is following Urich's investigation, just out of sight, and still catching criminals. There are things afoot.
Klaus Janson and Bill Sienkiewicz are doing a fine job in illustrating the book. It honestly feels like a mix of Daredevil's past just within the styles. There are hints of Frank Miller in the facial expressions, the broody shadows and rain of Alex Maleev, the sometimes painted look of Mack, and the occasional big and hectic scene shots inherent to the book overall. Maleev has one page in this book, a full page look at Bullseye tossing aces at the camera and looking crazy. It's kind of amazing.
If I had a complaint, it was that things are moving a little slowly. I like seeing this many people and I like the time they're given, but this is book four of eight. I'm not sure what the final payoff will be here, as excited about it as I am, but at current I'm having trouble justifying the eight issues. That could change as the series goes on and as more is revealed. However, right now it feels like we built up to the things we needed to build up to a couple issues ago and now we're kind of simmering, adding more to it, sure, but nothing we couldn't have guessed. Still, the art is worth checking out and the story is at a good point, it's just been there for a little bit now. I don't know if this will strike home with a lot of non-Daredevil fans, but why would you be reading about Daredevil's death if you didn't care about Daredevil anyway? Very fun, though, for a Daredevil fan.
Come back tomorrow for Morbius 1, All New X-Men 5, and Iron Man 5
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