Post by goldenfist on Jan 8, 2009 9:09:00 GMT -5
Here's what Ign.com had to say about Secret Invasion: War of Kings
I should start by saying that I don't really go for the whole space drama thing. Often I find that it all feels too similar, and there aren't really many things for writers to say with the concept other than "my, aren't these aliens wacky?" But Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning somehow managed to suck me into Nova during Annihilation, followed it with Conquest, and continue to entertain me monthly with Guardians of the Galaxy. And predictably, they've worked the same magic with the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot... or as I lovingly refer to it, Inhuman As Hell And Not Gonna Take It Anymore. (Sorry.)
This one-shot is the natural extension of what happened to these characters during the alien infiltration last year. The Inhumans are understandably not feeling so jolly about Black Bolt being abducted, tortured, and used as a Skrull weapon during Secret Invasion, so they set out to exact their ruthless, explosion-laden revenge on their enemies. And then go ahead and exact some more revenge. And then some more.
Abnett and Lanning use the events of SI: Inhumans to springboard the Inhuman race into a real, bona fide threat. It's a necessary step if they're meant to take on Vulcan and the Shi'ar Empire in the War of Kings series, particularly considering Vulcan's a character who's essentially been vindictive since he was ripped from the womb. It's a bit of a jarring shift for the Inhumans, then, but not one that feels unnatural or forced. The writers find a nice, brisk rhythm of progress for the characters, cut expertly by the use of Crystal as the hand-wringing pacifist who would rather just forgo all the blowing-up business and have a nice cup of tea.
Paul Pelletier's artwork is his usual traditional fare. It tells a solid story, even if Crystal finds herself in some deeply awkward Victoria's Secret model poses from time to time. But the key emotional beats and plot moments come off as well as they're meant to, and so it's easy to call his work a success here.
Secret Invasion: War of Kings, as the title suggests, does a fantastic job bridging the Inhumans's story between Secret Invasion and the upcoming War of Kings. Fans of the characters should find more than enough reason to be pleased, and if nothing else it's a strong indication that the crossover storyline on the horizon will be better than average - at the very least.
Review Score: 8.8 Great
I should start by saying that I don't really go for the whole space drama thing. Often I find that it all feels too similar, and there aren't really many things for writers to say with the concept other than "my, aren't these aliens wacky?" But Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning somehow managed to suck me into Nova during Annihilation, followed it with Conquest, and continue to entertain me monthly with Guardians of the Galaxy. And predictably, they've worked the same magic with the Secret Invasion: War of Kings one-shot... or as I lovingly refer to it, Inhuman As Hell And Not Gonna Take It Anymore. (Sorry.)
This one-shot is the natural extension of what happened to these characters during the alien infiltration last year. The Inhumans are understandably not feeling so jolly about Black Bolt being abducted, tortured, and used as a Skrull weapon during Secret Invasion, so they set out to exact their ruthless, explosion-laden revenge on their enemies. And then go ahead and exact some more revenge. And then some more.
Abnett and Lanning use the events of SI: Inhumans to springboard the Inhuman race into a real, bona fide threat. It's a necessary step if they're meant to take on Vulcan and the Shi'ar Empire in the War of Kings series, particularly considering Vulcan's a character who's essentially been vindictive since he was ripped from the womb. It's a bit of a jarring shift for the Inhumans, then, but not one that feels unnatural or forced. The writers find a nice, brisk rhythm of progress for the characters, cut expertly by the use of Crystal as the hand-wringing pacifist who would rather just forgo all the blowing-up business and have a nice cup of tea.
Paul Pelletier's artwork is his usual traditional fare. It tells a solid story, even if Crystal finds herself in some deeply awkward Victoria's Secret model poses from time to time. But the key emotional beats and plot moments come off as well as they're meant to, and so it's easy to call his work a success here.
Secret Invasion: War of Kings, as the title suggests, does a fantastic job bridging the Inhumans's story between Secret Invasion and the upcoming War of Kings. Fans of the characters should find more than enough reason to be pleased, and if nothing else it's a strong indication that the crossover storyline on the horizon will be better than average - at the very least.
Review Score: 8.8 Great