Arriving: Telegraph for Gamora
Art Team: Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin,
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Marvel Comics
Release Date: August 1, 2018
Cover Price: $5.99
Infinity Countdown has ended, Infinity Wars Prime set us all up with an OK issue followed by a huge cliffhanger, and now we've finally arrived at the big summer main event, Infinity Wars. So will this be another, in a long line of late, uneventful Marvel event series, or is this something different? At first glance I see it has a 100 tie-ins nobody asked for so I'm hesitant but lets find out anyway.
So I'm going to get right into the big reveal here, and explain a few issues with this series so far, because not a lot happens here otherwise to be honest. Most of this issue revolves around two main scenes; the first featuring a meeting of the 'new Infinity Watch', which picks back up at the end of the book, and provides a huge WOW moment. SPOILER ALERT, Requiem is Gamora. I don't have a huge issue with the twist per se at the surface level, I just feel it was poorly setup in the previous Countdown series leading into this title, and then telegraphed from page one when you opened this issue. Gamora has been with the Guardians this entire series so I don't understand the twist, unless it's her 'Soul-Self' out and about, how she's seemingly able to pull this two places at once trick off, to manipulate all the cards the way she has thus far. Other than her stating she "wants to go after the Soul Stone" there are just too many blanks to fill in and dots to connect to believe she's done everything. This also takes away all the mystery and intrigue built up involving this Requiem character, because the story needed to make a twist personal, by issues end I guess.
The second event that gets a lot of the focus, and now has the majority of my attention, is Loki struggling with his role in these events, as they unfold in front of him. Again this is where my intrigue in the series now lies, which I think unfortunately will venture heavily into the tie-in territory I so didn't want to enter. After the disappointing tie-ins to the preceding Infinity Countdown series (with the exception of Darkhawk which I personally enjoyed) I just promised myself I wouldn't do that again.
The issue concludes with a huge and surprising 'death', the second in as many issues of this series so far, that could have lasting implication on the Marvel cosmic universe, but we will have to wait these deaths out to see if there are any effects at all. Mostly because 'death' doesn't mean too much in comics these days, especially when Infinity Stones are involved.
Overall, Infinity Wars issue one was alright, but only that. It's just not a series at the moment that is on track to shake that 'Marvel Event Curse' label that has befallen the company of late, even on the heels of a very successful movie with the same namesake. Some of the surprises this issue are very telegraphed, and it looks to be veering very heavily into tie-in territory to get the "full" grasp of a story, which all makes me hesitant to follow through with continuing to pick this up at all. Hopefully my concerns are eased in issue two, but for right now I'd suggest borrowing a buddies copy to see if this is up your alley.
The art is typical Deodato Jr. Marvel work, and while still very very good, I expected it to have a bit of a different feel while dealing with so many different forces and entities. The paneling and everything else are tricks he's was using on Old Man Logan, which fit that series better, but here feels a touch out of place.
Bits and Pieces:
I have some complaints about this first issue, mainly that this series feels like it will be heavily dependent on upcoming tie-in books, based on the Loki act of the story, and the rest of the surprises came off either flat or telegraphed. If you're in the mood for a tie-in heavy, cosmic summer comic event series, this might be up your ally, but it really feels very much like a cash in event book Marvel doesn't want to admit to at the moment.
5.5/10
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