Fear Itself #5 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Laura Martin & Milla Molinar (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Thor fights for his life against the Worthified Hulk and Thing, Cap grapples with Sin, and Tony Stark cuts a deal with Odin.

What’s Good:  Do you like big, explosive, set-piece action sequences?  Well, if you’re picking up a big summer event from either of the big two, somewhere deep inside you, the answer should be yes.  Fear Itself #5 is possibly the issue that most delivers on this front thus far.  The fights are big, exciting, and important.  At some level, seeing Thor rumble with Thing and Hulk is the sort of pure fun that superhero comics are made of, or at least have lodged deep in their core.  All the superhero punching leads to an energetic, fast-paced read.

Certainly, this is helped along by Stuart Immonen’s pencils and Laura Martin’s vibrant colors.  Immonen’s art is by its nature dynamic and quick-witted, which lends itself well to an issue like this.  Honestly, I think that Immonen may very well be the best thing about Fear Itself, thus far.  It’s great to seeing an artist of his particular style getting a spot on Marvel’s biggest stage and he’s really capitalized on the opportunity by being remarkably consistent from issue to issue.

There’s also a really cool moment involving the Serpent, what that really garners an “oh no you didn’t!” reaction.  The Serpent may not be the most developed baddie in many respects, but he’s certainly a legit one.

Fear Itself #3 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Stuart Immonen (penciller), Wade von Grawbadger (inker), Laura Martin & Larry Molinar (colorists), and Chris Eliopoulos (letterer)

The Story: A major Marvel hero dies at the hands of Skadi/Sin, the final member of the Worthy is chosen, and Thor tries to escape prison and rush to Midgard’s aid.

The Review:  I’ve really been enjoying Fear Itself thus far, but I’ve been pretty honest in saying that the sub-text and tone of the story was often more interesting than the hammer-laden story itself.  I’ve really loved that inclusion of desperation and anxiety that has made the book feel relevant, current, and a surprisingly smart read.

So yeah, cue my disappointment when Fraction basically forgets about that sub-text altogether this month, instead focusing on the Worthy stomping about with their hammers and a crapload of action scenes.  It’s not a bad comic in itself, but certainly a letdown given what we’ve been getting, as the book immediately becomes less nuanced and a whole lot simpler.  It’s dangerously close to going from being a book that’s a reflection of the times, to being “just another” superhero comic event.

There’s a lot of fighting, yes, but things also seem to move slowly.  Thor’s inevitable escape from Asgard seems a little more long-winded than it needed to be, for example.  In other cases, pre-event hype hurts the book: the identity of the last member of the Worthy, crowned this month, has been known for quite some time now.  I mean, even the book’s cover more or less gives it away.

On the other hand, there are definitely things to like about the issue.  The ending, for example, is very well plotted and sequenced and delivers the “shit just got real” effect that was clearly intended, particularly given the deceased characters’ identity and his/her last words.  Things definitely feel a lot more dangerous and the superhero community, and the world itself, continues to look vulnerable and truly in danger, not an easy feat in superhero comics.   While some might have predicted it, the death is nonetheless one that’ll hit home for a lot of readers, as it should.

The end result is one that shows much of what the last page of last month’s issue told.  That is, it emphasizes the powerlessness of the Marvel Universe’s heroes in the face of this threat.  From the Hulk running rampant and tossing Betty around, to the major Marvel characters who die and transform to join the Worthy, to a pitiful last stand late in the issue, the point is driven home.

Fear Itself #1 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writing), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Laura Martin (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Sin awakens an ancient power, Odin is happy about Thor and Tony’s plan to rebuild Asgard on Earth, and the Avengers try to find their place in a disillusioned and divided America.

The Review: In judging a comic book event, I often find myself seeking the balance between status quo and actual narrative.  What I mean by this is that weaker, or downright crappy, events often feel less like an actual story, and means to move the Marvel or DC Universe from point A to point B.

At the very least, Fear Itself #1 promises an event that avoids this pitfall.  It certainly isn’t a mere vehicle for simple status quo change;  Fear Itself presents itself as pure story, one that’s big and with a large cast, certainly, but a story nonetheless, not a mere marketing ploy or editorial shuffle, which makes it feel honest and more engaging.  Furthermore, in keeping it to one clear, concise story avoids the chaos that can result from such a large cast and setting.

Beyond that, there’s a definite sense of relevance to this comic.  It truly feels like a comic event that could only be written in 2010-2011.  In factoring current events and the climate of America into the comic, Fraction puts the “sort of real world” element of the Marvel Universe to good use, while also making a comic that feel a bit more real and important despite hammer wielding gods.  But this also reflects the other way around; much as Fraction uses superheroes to reflect on the social climate of our world, he also does the opposite as well.  There’s a sense of powerlessness in Fraction’s portrayal of the Avengers, faced with enemies like social issues, recession, and political tension, things that superheroes aren’t necessarily built for and certainly can’t be combated like a Dr. Doom or Galactus.  It’s a nice reflection on the nature, and limitations, of superheroes that make the story feel special.  They’re faced with things that they understand, but can’t really do much about, and end up left to wonder at the nature of their place in America.

With all of this in mind, Fraction tells a simple superhero comic book story that has both heart and sincerity.  That carries through to his writing of the actual plot as well; the tension and animosity between Thor and Odin is both violent and real.  It’s the sort of thing I wish we’d seen in his last couple of issues of Thor, solid character-work that it is.  The divide between the two has never been clearer, and Fraction does particularly good work on the rueful, frustrated, and hopeless Odin.