Secret Warriors #26 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), IFS (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Trapped in each other’s company and facing certain death, Nick Fury and Baron Strucker have an important conversation, one that leads to a few very big surprises.

The Review:  The biggest problem I have with this issue of Secret Warriors sort of has more to do with how Hickman’s brand of storytelling in some ways makes the single-issue format into an obstacle.  With so many bits of information and important scenes having been haphazardly spread across two years worth of issues, it can be difficult to fully appreciate an issue like this one, one that draws upon moments spread across the series’ run.  Frankly, it can be hard to fully remember everything that this issue recollects, which in all honest does rob the major reveals of some of their impact.  I almost feel like once this series ends, I need to re-read the entire thing to get the full effect of Hickman’s work.

That said, the reveal this month is substantial enough to pack a mighty wallop nonetheless.  It comes right out of left field and it changes the ball-game entirely as the series heads to its conclusion.  It also shows just how damn good a spy Nick Fury actually is and seeing Strucker gasping in disbelief is so, so awesome.  Many of Hickman’s best moments in Secret Warriors have involved showing Nick Fury for the cunning badass that he is, and certainly, this is one of those moments.

It’s also hard to have a bad issue when the entirety involves Fury and Strucker locked in a room together, attempting one up each other while throwing the occasional verbal barb.  These are two great characters and scenes like these allow them to cement that fact.  The character dynamic and the conflict of personalities here is a treat to watch.  Certainly, Strucker’s quick and vaguely slimy attempt at cooperation and Fury’s steadfast and grizzled, stubborn resolve makes the conversation all the more appealing.  Of course, having a story play out with such a small cast and environment also forces Hickman to sharpen his narrative focus, which is also a good thing.

Fear Itself: Book of the Skull #1- Review

by Ed Brubaker (writer), Scot Eaton (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Sunny Gho (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Sin seeks an ancient weapon from her father’s past.

The Review: I’m often a bit wary when it comes to “prologue” issues.  Will I get a solid comic and a sign of things to come, or will I get a cash-in/extended advertisement?  Thankfully, Ed Brubaker’s Book of the Skull is entirely the former.

The script that Brubaker turns in for this one is rock solid.  While it’s largely Brubaker doing something he excels at (an old school, WWII Invaders story), it also sees him stepping outside the box, dabbling in a storyline that has occult elements.  The combination of Nazis and paranormal summoning almost feels Mike Mignola-esque.  The combination also makes the read a comfortable one, due it being a familiar Brubaker setting, but not boring or overly safe.

Tone-wise, Brubaker absolutely nails all of his characters’ voices, with each getting their moment.  Bucky battling a giant monster is a piece of the comedic charm that works so well for the character.  Namor’s rage is similarly well-portrayed, and his reaction to the tragedy that befalls his fellow Atlanteans in this issue is eloquent and restrained in execution.  Then there’s the Red Skull.  I’ll admit that I’m a Herr Skull fan and, while he’s not been dead long, it was fantastic seeing him again.  His ruthless arrogance and cackling villain persona is always awesome.

Then there’s Sin, who Brubaker continues to carve out as a unique, compelling villain.  She brings that same arrogance and ambition that distinguished her father, but injects a good amount of rabid insanity that is all her own.  Brubaker has always excelled at internal monologues, as he’s always been able to get into his characters’ heads in gritty fashion.  Seeing him give Sin this treatment this month is a real treat, though its never verbose or overwritten.  Her interaction with Baron Zemo is also solid, and a really weird team-up, leading to a parting of ways that hints at cool stuff to come.

Secret Warriors #25 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), IFS (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: The origins of Leviathan are revealed in a team-up of epic proportions.

The Review: Secret Warriors #25 is a very interesting issue, if for no other reason that it once again points to Jonathan Hickman carving his own little corner in the Marvel Universe.  His idiosyncratic SHIELD series bleeds over into Secret Warriors this month, and the result is that much of what makes that series good bleeds over.  That and, at a more basic level, it’s just pretty damned cool seeing Hickman’s hidden city and Leonardo Da Vinci in Secret Warriors.  It even threatens to make SHIELD feel less cryptic and inaccessible in a way, but I digress.  The presence of Da Vinci in particular (though he’s never actually named as such) makes everything seem way heavier and more significant and given the scope of SHIELD, it raises the game, and the stakes, as far as Secret Warriors is concerned.  Given that we’re heading to the series conclusion, that’s definitely a good thing.

As far as the plot goes, this is an issue that really lives up to the “Wheels Within Wheels” moniker.  Seeing all the power players of the Marvel spy-world working together under Da Vinci, regardless of what side they may be on, is damned cool.   Seeing Kraken, Baron Strucker, Fury, and hand ninjas all the same team is awesome and makes their shared goals seem all the more important.  Oh, and you even get to see who’s behind Kraken’s mask.

Unlike what has often been the case with the series, the story is still very large this month, but it’s also focused enough to feel excited about.  The characters are easy to root for, if for nothing but name value, and seeing the birth of Leviathan feels important.  And that’s the meat of it really: this issue feels important, not tangential or digressive.  That’s no small feat given that many of the series characters play no role this month and almost the entire issue is a flashback.  It’s an issue that feels vital and exciting and fully comprehensible, despite the massive and largely unfamiliar cast and the non-linear nature of it.

Secret Warriors #22 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), IFS (colors), and David Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Nick Fury and the Secret Warriors try to make good their escape from a soon-to-explode Gehenna.

What’s Good: I’ve made it no secret that the Night arc has been dismal thus far and a low-point for the series as a whole.  It made me question whether Hickman had let the series get too unwieldy for him to control and I couldn’t help but worry that we were heading to an unsatisfying, possibly haphazard ending.  Thankfully, Hickman does his very best to right the ship this month and ends up churning out a very good issue of Secret Warriors, one that’s probably better than it had any right to be.

Hickman makes the wise decision of letting his character’s emotions take center-stage over the fighting and running.  What results is a comic that steers far clear of the mediocrity that it could have fallen into.  Instead, we have a book that’s sincere and, for the team, traumatic.  Daisy and Nick’s reactions to Alexander’s death last month are simply expressed, but effective and the bonds between these kids are emphasized even under these hectic circumstances.

What really steals the show this month, however, is an event that is absolutely shocking, perhaps one of the biggest jaw-droppers in a series that’s been full of them.  I won’t even hint at what it is, but suffice it to say that Hickman writes a very tense scene and conversation that leads us one way, before dropping us in the complete opposite direction.  Nick Fury has never been more of an ice-cold badass and Jonathan Hickman has balls of steel.  This was the most shocking moment of any comic I’ve read this month, and I’ll leave it at that.

But it’s not just this one scene that carries the comic; much like his new issue of Fantastic Four, Hickman actually gets a lot done this month, story-wise and at a perhaps uncharacteristic speed.  JT’s betrayal of the team reaches its head and, perhaps, its resolution and the fate of Gehenna is decided.  Meanwhile, very interesting new plots are opened up: Daisy is placed in a very tough emotional situation and a power struggle for HYDRA’s top spot looks to begin, as Baron Strucker takes a stiff left hook.

Secret Warriors #21 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Mirko Colak & Alessandro Vitti (art), Andres Mossa & IFS (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Nick Fury and the kids try to make good their escape and Phobos clashes katanas with Gorgon.

What’s Good: This issue is basically one gigantic action scene or, more accurate, one extended escape attempt.  As such, the book has a fast, frenetic pace that really feels frantic and desperate.  In that sense, it’s a fun, exciting, and easy read.  Don’t expect to have your brain challenged, but this is basically Jonathan Hickman going Michael Bay on us without tumbling cars in the air.

There’s also a really cool sword fight at the end of the issue that is genuinely epic.  The conclusion of it was breath-taking, leading to a really big ending for the issue and a really important event for the series, unless we’re being baited.

Part of the reason this sword fight is so enjoyable is Hickman’s use of Phobos’ prophetic abilities, which also lends a very engaging tone to the entire issue.  Fury’s escape route’s being dictated on the fly by Alex and what he has “seen” was both effective and foreboding.

Secret Warriors #20 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Mirko Colak (art), IFS (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: The series’ conclusion looms in site as Nick Fury initiates the assault on Gehenna.

What’s Good: Jonathan Hickman does a solid job this month of establishing the scope of the current status quo in Secret Warriors.  As things come together, it is abundantly clear that there is a war going on, and it’s huge, finally exploding outward in a big way, no longer capable of being kept in the shadows.  Everything that’s made the series all cloak-and-dagger boils over in a big way.

Mirko Colak’s art does in many ways help to establish this feel.  The opening few pages are haunting in the gravity of the destruction they convey.  There’s a disquieting sense of silence and desolation despite the explosions illustrated and a grim, desperate feel throughout.

Secret Warriors #7 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), Sunny Gho (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Fury and the Caterpillars get some much needed funding and Baron Strucker asks for help from a surprising source.

What’s Good: The opening sequence of the issue, which sees Fury and the Caterpillars pulling off an old-fashioned bank heist, is easily one of the best scenes of the series thus far. It’s definitely my personal favourite, anyway. It’s just flat-out cool and sees nice touches of characterization as well. It also reminds me just how much more attached I am to the kids than I am with the older Howling Commandos. It’s great to see them being the badasses and the focus for the second issue in a row.

Hickman also continues to write a perfect Nick Fury. Gruff and uncompromising, Fury this month again shows a sense of humor in his unwavering resolve, even if that humor comes at the expense of the kids.

JT, and Alex in particular, are also given some needed characterization this issue. JT provides the usual humor, while Alex is a fun character, as “wise beyond their years” children always are. In just a couple of pages of dialogue, Hickman makes these two incredibly likable in a light-hearted way.

I also enjoyed the conversation between the Baron and Osborn. Hickman gives a good sense of the war of egos going on here, and apparently the term “it takes one to know one” applies to megalomaniacal sociopaths as well. Seeing Strucker and Osborn call each other out for their obvious failings was fun and fresh.

What’s Not So Good: Stefano Casselli isn’t drawing this. Alessandro Vitti’s art is very good overall, but coming after Casselli, it’s hard not to be extra critical of his work here.

That said, there are some obvious “first issue jitters” for Vitti. Several characters, Daisy and Osborn in particular, look different from panel to panel. Nastasha Romanoff also just doesn’t look quite like Natasha Romanoff.

Vitti’s style also shows some difficulties as well. When drawing close-ups, his work is absolutely outstanding. However, the moment the camera pans out, so to speak, there is a huge drop in detail. It’s as though Vitti puts in a huge amount of work for his close-ups, only to slack off on the other panels. At times, it’s as though the guy doing the close-ups is a different artist. It’s certainly very odd.

Furthermore, while I enjoyed the dynamic of Strucker and Osborn’s conversation, I’m still not entirely certain how Strucker is getting Osborn to do his bidding. The logic here is a little hazy and it’s never exactly clear why Osborn actually decides to help Strucker. Also, I had no idea we were entering a full-fledged crossover with the Thunderbolts; I’m a bit burned out on crossovers at the moment, and I doubt I’m the only one.

Conclusion: It’s still a good issue and a fantastic comic, but it’s hard not to see this as a transitional comic, setting up a crossover and a Dark Reign-related conflict. It’s a book that’ll read better as a chapter in a trade. Also, Vitti, while good, isn’t in Casselli’s league.

Grade: B

-Alex Evans

Secret Warriors #5 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev (Creators), Jonathan Hickman (Script), Stefano Caselli (Art), and Daniele Rudoni (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve made no secret about how much I love what at Bendis, Hickman, Caselli, and Rudoni are doing with Secret Warriors. Their series is good, very good…and it looks to get even better as time goes on.

The Story: Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos infiltrate and attack a H.A.M.M.E.R. dock in order to some nab some helicarriers. There’s one problem…Kraken, one of the heads of HYDRA, knows of the plan.

What’s Good: If you can get past one glaring issue (which I’ll get to), you’ll have one hell of a time with Secret Warriors #5. It looks incredible most of the time and reads far better than most action heavy comics as the Howling Commandos, Hydra, and H.A.M.M.E.R. collide on a former S.H.I.E.L.D. dock. In short, the latest issue of Secret Warriors is a great example of a creative team at the top of it’s game.

Jonathan Hickman does a superb job of handling the dialogue for the Howling Commandos (especially Fury and Dum Dum Dugan) and the heads of Hydra. With the Commandos, Hickman writes them in a way that makes you truly get a feel for who they are (as a group) and what they stand for. Gruff, dedicated, and no-nonsense, you’ll have little difficulty buying into the idea that the Commandos actually have a shot at getting away with the Helicarriers despite the thousands of troops manning the dock. As for Hydra, Hickman shows that he has it in him to really establish Hydra as a true threat. The brief Hydra meeting is chilling and does a nice job of setting the tone for how dangerous the heads of Hydra truly are.

There’s a whole lot to like about what Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni deliver in Secret Warriors #5. The characters look great and the action is fast, fluid, and frantic in all the right ways. The highlight though, is easily the true introduction of The Hive. The segment that shows the head of Hydra doing, well, what it does, is insanely cool and slightly disturbing (in a good way).

What’s Not So Good: So… That glaring issue I mentioned early in the review? It’s that the Secret Warriors are given exactly one page in the latest issue of their series. While it’s great to see Fury, Dugan, and the heads of Hydra duke it out, I still feel as though the titular Secret Warriors have been woefully underdeveloped. The first arc of their series ends with the next issue and I barely have their names straight, let alone their team dynamic or final roster. While Jonathan Hickman’s storytelling/character decisions are far from crippling, they are still somewhat annoying considering that, five issue in, his cast of unknowns remains a cast of unknowns.

Conclusion: Lack of Secret Warriors aside, the latest issue of Secret Warriors delivers the goods. I highly recommend it!

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Secret Warriors #4 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Story), Jonathan Hickman (Story & Script), Stefano Caselli (Art), Daniele Rudoni (Color Art)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I can’t get enough of Secret Warriors. It’s an outstanding fusion of story, script, and artwork that proves to be one of the best examples of how awesome the comic medium can be.

The Story: There’s a lot going on in Secret Warriors #4. Daisy and Sebastian head to Australia to recruit an Aborigine named Eden that can bend reality. Nick Fury does a little recruiting of his own by meeting with Dum Dum Dugan and other (former) Howling Commandos. J.T. and Alex (Phobos) go snooping in one of Fury’s offices and find something rather startling. The injured Yo-Yo remains under the watchful eye of Stonewall. Meanwhile, the heads of HYDRA take a vote that will have an impact on the entire cast….

What’s Good: The creative team behind Secret Warriors continues to impress. Jonathan Hickman writes one hell of a Nick Fury, and does a great job introducing a new character’s personality. He also makes the HYDRA members feel as threatening as they have to be in order to be taken seriously against a badass like Fury. As for the visuals, Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni make Warriors one of the best looking books on the stands. The character work is loaded with personality and style (Eden rocks), the colors are extremely eye-catching (love the J.T. and Phobos scene), and the storytelling flows well.

What’s Not So Good: Rarely do I find anything negative about artwork from Stefano Caselli. This time, I have. A few panels look a bit rushed (odd considering that the book missed it’s original street date) and Nick Fury looks like he found the fountain of youth in a panel or two. Fairly small things, I know, but worth noting regardless.

While not necessarily a negative, I must warn that Secret Warriors #4 is a fairly slow read. There’s lots of talking, no action, and a whole bunch of set up. Do I mind? Not at all. But I’m sure that some might.

Conclusion: While a little bit slow, Secret Warriors #4 lights the fuse that promises to give the series an explosive future.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny