The Thanos Imperative #1 – Review

By: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (writers), Miguel Sepulveda (artist), Jay David Ramos (color artist)

Canadian comic book reviewers maintain bold opinions, despite Memorial Day in the US! News at 11.

The Story: The forces of the Cancerverse (the universe where Death was defeated and life reigns uninterrupted) spew through the rift, into our universe, ripping through the strongest Kree defenses. At the same time, Thanos, a psycho so dangerous that sometimes Death throws him back, seems to be the key to facing the invasion. And, it only gets worse….

What’s Good: Sepulveda’s art, paired with Ramos’ color work, is awesome. Marvel has lined up a great art team that has delivered the goods. Rocket Raccoon looks positively feral as he stares down Thanos (with a threat to keep him alive!), while the space battle around the extrusion at the Fault is worth poring over for a good few minutes. My reading experience slowed even more to watch Gladiator fight one of the invaders head on. The villains are creepy and disturbing, and the Silver Surfer is distant and regal while staring at the same thing I was: the streamers of power spilling through the Fault like prominences on a star. Brilliant, brilliant work (no pun intended). I could go on about the art, but I don’t want to short-change the writing in the review.

Abnett and Lanning are quickly becoming two of my favorite writers. They have been delivering solid, surprising, cosmic-scale adventures in the Marvel U for years. They juggle tension, humor, death, epic invasions and personal losses in as deft a manner as any of the best writers of comics today. I’m not a huge Inhumans fan, but watching Medusa and her entourage react to the invasion had me fascinated. I loved the character moments between Richard and Robbie (and Namorita). I was riveted by all of the Thanos moments, and how different Guardians managed him, or filled their pants with bricks. The panel devoted to Thanos and Drax deserves a bit of a writing award for the freshness of the scene and the desperate, paradoxical longing that Abentt and Lanning have managed to soak into both characters. And I can’t miss mentioning the nods that Abnett and Lanning always seem to give to past classics, like the last-minute arrival of the Cancerverse Defenders.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Green Lantern #54 – Out of a very solid week (my reviews were, unusually, B’s and A’s), Green Lantern takes the crown. Hal Jordan, arguing and bickering with Sinestro and Carol Ferris, while they all try to figure out an impending doom, was just awesome. And the collection of the entities from the different batteries cranked up the tension and mystery. Tune into Brightest Day!

Most Anticipated: Brightest Day #3: The last installments of the Brightest Day event (GL #54 and GLC #48) have me chomping at the bit to see what happens next.

Other Top Picks: Red Robin #13, Red Hood: Lost Days #1 (of 6), Adventure Comics #12, Thanos Imperative #1, Avengers Prime #1, Darkstar and the Winter Guard #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Madame Xanadu #23 – A solid conclusion to a really fun arc.  Great art and continual little winks and nods to its readership make for a great time, along with a cast that is universally lovable.

Most Anticipated: iZombie #2 -With a first issue that was almost entirely introduction and set-up, I don’t think we’ve really gotten enough to sink are teeth into from iZombie.  Hopefully this issue will give us more to gauge.  For this reason, this issue carries much of the same excitement for me that #1 did.

Other Picks: Brightest Day #2, Sweet Tooth #10

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Amazing Spider-Man #632 – A combination of GREAT art with a really nice reimagining of a classic Spider-man rogue (The Lizard) to make him much scarier than he used to be.  ASM has been on a great run for the last 6 months or so.

Most Anticipated: The Thanos Imperative #1 – I was looking forward to Thanos Imperative: Ignition last week and it was really good.  Marvel doesn’t keep us waiting by bringing out the first issue of the Cosmic event this week.  I can’t wait.  This will be the first book out of the stack this week!

Other picks: Red Robin #13, I, Zombie #2, Dust Wars #1, Bulletproof Coffin #1, Avengers Prime #1