Secret Invasion: Dark Reign Special Preview

[goldenfist]

The reveal of Marvel's Dark Reign storyline has made for some busy, busy times here at IGN. Our Dark Reign Mini-Site has seen some major stories launch in the last 24 hours, and more are coming today. Be sure to check out our first video feature (a second is on its way) as well as the reveal of covers and text for the first three months of Dark Reign. And now here we are with a first look at the opening shot of Dark Reign, a one-shot by Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev looking at Norman Osborn's first meeting with his villainous (?) cabal.

Here's Marvel's description of the issue:

"The Invasion is over!! There are winners and there are losers and in this major one-shot from the Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev, (New Avengers: Illuminati, Civil War: The Confession) the stage is set for the next major era in Marvel Comics. Hold onto your beanies, boys, because you have never seen your universe turned upside down like this!!"

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[freedomfighter]

This may be the single worst portrayal of Namor I've ever seen.
The art makes him look like some middle aged accountant who went to a costume party dressed as Namor.
The dialogue makes him seem equal parts stupid and hesitant, which Namor is not. He should sound as arrogant as Doom and be twice as easy to anger.
I find it funny that all it takes to beat The Hood is one telepath. Dude, the Avengers really need a telepath...
I don't understand how some of this stuff goes past editorial without someone saying something.
Ugh, this preview totally soured me.

[Tana Nile]

FF, I thought maybe you were exaggerating, then I looked at the preview.

Holy crap. That's Namor?! Has he somehow become a balding, emaciated drunk? Seriously, what is the story here?

My god, this stuff just gets worse and worse.

[spiderwasp]

Ha! I hadn't bothered to look at the preview either since I have no real interest in the book but the comments made me check it out. This is so bad it actually looks like a parody of a Marvel comic. The leader of the X-Men recieves a letter from the Green Goblin so she responds and has a chat with Dr. Doom. Soon Al Bundy shows up after a bad weekend and claims to be the Sub-mariner. He hits on Loki, who has recently had a sex change. The Hood shows up and continues the running gag of telling Emma Frost to "Get out of my head" and then the Goblin, uh Norman Osborne shows up to call the meeting to order. If I written this up as a story suggestion a year ago, you guys would have told me to it would only work if we brought back Brand Echh.

[freedomfighter]

Dec 5, 2008 23:28:39 GMT -5 spiderwasp said:

Ha! I hadn't bothered to look at the preview either since I have no real interest in the book but the comments made me check it out. This is so bad it actually looks like a parody of a Marvel comic. The leader of the X-Men recieves a letter from the Green Goblin so she responds and has a chat with Dr. Doom. Soon Al Bundy shows up after a bad weekend and claims to be the Sub-mariner. He hits on Loki, who has recently had a sex change. The Hood shows up and continues the running gag of telling Emma Frost to "Get out of my head" and then the Goblin, uh Norman Osborne shows up to call the meeting to order. If I written this up as a story suggestion a year ago, you guys would have told me to it would only work if we brought back Brand Echh.

The Al Bundy reference...if I'd been drinking milk, I'd be wearing it right now.
Have to exalt you on that!
"Peg, I'm goin' out to take over the surface world..."
"How you gonna do that when you can't make a splash in the bedroom?"

[Shiryu]

This may be the single worst portrayal of Namor I've ever seen.
The art makes him look like some middle aged accountant who went to a costume party dressed as Namor.
The dialogue makes him seem equal parts stupid and hesitant, which Namor is not. He should sound as arrogant as Doom and be twice as easy to anger

I totally agree, word for word. Couldn't believe that's Namor...

[Doctor Doom]

I was only interested in it for Doom at first, and he seems to be written better here- so far- than he was in Bendis' 'Mighty' arc earlier this year, though still not great. And overall, the special is looking good, but not fantastic, to me.

But Namor..... WHAT. THE. HECK. IS. GOING. ON. THERE.?

[woodside]

I'll pick it up just because of the X-Men connection and I'm vaugely curious about "Dark Reign." Though underwhelmed as I am, there is something neat about having all those villians getting together and ruling the world.

[sharkar]

Variety reports that casting is underway for "Suffering Shad! The Sub-Mariner Saga," slated for release in summer 2010. Leading contenders to portray the Atlantean prince include luminaries such as:

David Paymer


Kevin Pollak

[Dr. Hank Pym]

ANY David Paymer reference gets a +1 from me! Mr. Saturday Night was good, despite what everyone said!

[Tana Nile]

Oh my god, they do look like that Bizarro Namor ....