Post by goldenfist on Jul 3, 2008 7:49:57 GMT -5
Ign.com reviews Sceret Invasion Front Line #1.
The Front Line limited series have always been about providing a street-level angle of Marvel's events like Civil War, M-Day, and World War Hulk, but I'm not sure I've seen it work as effectively as in the first issue of this series. Rather than ask "Who do you trust?", Brian Reed utilizes a cast of compelling characters to ask "What in the hell would you do?"
There's been a lot of talk about Secret Invasion's B-movie roots, but that can sort of get lost when you mix in a hairy Canadian with claws and a mullet with the power of a million exploding suns. All the superpowers and capes flying around dilutes the core sci-fi appeal of it all. It's refreshing, then, that never has SI felt more like little green men (or rather, scary hyper-powered beefy green men) climbing out of their space ship and shooting death rays at us than in the pages of SI: Front Line.
Obviously the character assortment in a project like this is key, and Reed manages to pull it off. Most intriguing are old standby Ben Urich and the subject of one of his interviews, Dr. Molly Young. Dr. Young is one of those bleeding heart characters, but Reed manages to make it inspiring rather than sickening. In the span of just one issue, SI: Front Line finds a way to make you invested enough in these characters' well-being that you care when things start blowing up around them.
Art comes from GG Studios and it has the polished, digital effect that Avengers: The Initiative usually sports. That's not a complaint, really, since everything in this book looks very nice. Backgrounds are realistic and characters are detailed. There's a splash page for the arrival of the first Skrull ship that is nothing short of awesome, especially considering the work done to establish the world of SI: Front Line as very detached from the supernatural world.
I was pleasantly surprised by Secret Invasion: Front Line, as I've never really been able to love any other Front Line-centric series before. I wouldn't say it's required reading for anyone only mildly interested in Marvel's shenanigans, but it's at least as good as most of the other event tie-ins (Avengers books notwithstanding).
Review Score: 7.7 Good
The Front Line limited series have always been about providing a street-level angle of Marvel's events like Civil War, M-Day, and World War Hulk, but I'm not sure I've seen it work as effectively as in the first issue of this series. Rather than ask "Who do you trust?", Brian Reed utilizes a cast of compelling characters to ask "What in the hell would you do?"
There's been a lot of talk about Secret Invasion's B-movie roots, but that can sort of get lost when you mix in a hairy Canadian with claws and a mullet with the power of a million exploding suns. All the superpowers and capes flying around dilutes the core sci-fi appeal of it all. It's refreshing, then, that never has SI felt more like little green men (or rather, scary hyper-powered beefy green men) climbing out of their space ship and shooting death rays at us than in the pages of SI: Front Line.
Obviously the character assortment in a project like this is key, and Reed manages to pull it off. Most intriguing are old standby Ben Urich and the subject of one of his interviews, Dr. Molly Young. Dr. Young is one of those bleeding heart characters, but Reed manages to make it inspiring rather than sickening. In the span of just one issue, SI: Front Line finds a way to make you invested enough in these characters' well-being that you care when things start blowing up around them.
Art comes from GG Studios and it has the polished, digital effect that Avengers: The Initiative usually sports. That's not a complaint, really, since everything in this book looks very nice. Backgrounds are realistic and characters are detailed. There's a splash page for the arrival of the first Skrull ship that is nothing short of awesome, especially considering the work done to establish the world of SI: Front Line as very detached from the supernatural world.
I was pleasantly surprised by Secret Invasion: Front Line, as I've never really been able to love any other Front Line-centric series before. I wouldn't say it's required reading for anyone only mildly interested in Marvel's shenanigans, but it's at least as good as most of the other event tie-ins (Avengers books notwithstanding).
Review Score: 7.7 Good