Infinity #2 – Review

Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Jerome Opeña, Dustin Weaver (Artists), Justin Ponsor (Colorist)

The Story: Things heat up as Corvus Glaive wants to claim a tribute from the Inhumans and the Avengers are off with the rest of the Universe against the Builders.

The Review: Cautious optimism is an attitude that many readers learn to have when dealing with a great many things. Sometimes, despite the fact that many elements are lining up together in a way that feels too good to be true, it is normal to have some kind of defensive mechanism against too much hype. This kind of position is one that is very connected to event comics, as those type of stories are usually much hyper, with key sentences like ”nothing will ever be the same again” or ”this will have key repercussions across the whole line and the future of the shared universe”. With so many events failing to actually live up to their potential, it seems normal to adapt our desires to being a bit disappointed, as many events begins on a strong note only to falter in its own conclusion as each chapters reveals flaws that just kill the hype for its readers.

By having this attitude, a reader can also receive something that is not the norm to see, yet is always utterly pleasant when it arrives: surprise. This issue of Infinity definitely fits that very description, as the strong, yet mysterious direction does serve the story and the themes quite well. As the two fronts are given some attention, both of them receive either a ton of action and emotions, while the other receive mystery and revelations that really do make for two distinct stories that never really clash against each other.

The first angle being covered is the one on Earth, as Thanos and his Black Order are invading and seeding chaos everywhere they can. Opening up with a scene featuring Abigail Brand and Sydren of S.W.O.R.D., the comic swiftly switches to the Inhumans, then finishes up with the Illuminati. The second angle, all the while, features the Avengers and the Shi’ar with favourites like Mento and Gladiator fighting against the Builders. If there’s one thing that Hickman is doing right in this event so far, it’s selling the point that this is a story encompassing the Marvel universe, with a special emphasis on the universe part.