Toss the “Infinity” gauntlet : Pop Culture Leftovers

Toss the “Infinity” gauntlet

September 5, 2013 2:11 am | Leave your thoughts

Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read Infinity issue #1, I am about to ruin it (that is if you don’t count the ten pages that were already printed on free comic book day).

Infinity #1, written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Jim Cheung, opens with the Illuminati destroying an alternate Earth to save our own, not that the casual reader would have any idea what was going on if they had not been reading the recent run of New Avengers. Two whole months after the last universe shattering event that will forever change the face of the Marvel Universe; we are now subjected to another blockbuster for the ever so small entry fee of $4.99. This would not be so bothersome to me if the previously mentioned ten pages were not reprints. In addition, nine of the pages in this issue are dedicated to text only chapter breaks in an attempt to make the book feel more epic in the onward lockstep march toward cinematic synergy in Marvel NOW!

Hickman does an excellent job of weaving a story that is the promised payoff to plot lines established in his New Avengers and Avengers titles. A bold choice indeed but it greatly limits the accessibility of this summer event to the casual reader who can be reenergized by jumping on to something like the return of Thanos to his cosmic villainous glory. And before you call bullshit, I know he has been featured heavily in the recent Thanos Rising and Avengers Assemble. But neither of these titles ever did his character justice.

Cheung’s art is beautiful, but four different artists provide inking duties on this book. The resulting inconsistency is stark. The Outrider portion provides gorgeously textured imagery, but all this accomplishes is highlighting what the artistic experience of this issue could have been.

The Builders and their minions attack the planet Galador in the most colorful chapter of the story. The Spaceknights defend their planet with glorious fan fare, but the searing omission of ROM due to legal wrangling is extremely disappointing. I will eat my words and take back my entire toss of this book if ROM returns through this series. The Builders, an ancient and advanced alien race that takes direct involvement in the development and extinction of whatever planetary system that suits their fancy, are almost a deux ex machine in that they merely facilitate the opportunity for Thanos to attack an Earth that is not defended by Avengers. I expect better from Jonathan Hickman; because we have never heard of ancient beings in the Marvel Universe playing god with lesser beings before, right?

The Outrider travels to Earth on a mission to find that which is hidden. We can only assume that it has something to do with the infinity gems; because he hits pay dirt when scanning the mind of the king of the Inhumans, Black Bolt. This sequence was the strongest in the issue. If you are fan of the Inhumans, pick up this book. Black Bolt shows his normal level of badassdom in dealing with the Outrider. I guess when you can destroy planets by shouting at them, a cosmic space assassin doesn’t really ruffle your feathers. When the Outrider returns from his fact finding mission barely alive, he is awarded a swift death, and it is decided that Earth will be attacked; because the Avengers have gone off planet.

My favorite panel of this issue was Captain America and Hawkeye bursting in on a Skrull hideout as they sat around a table eating dinner. It was made all the more humorous since it was such a stark contrast to the heavy handed presentation of the rest of the story. In addition to the annihilation of one of the best planets in the Marvel cosmic universe and a box delivered to Thanos full of severed heads, there was a whole conversation about how the Avenger Smasher had been recalled to the Shi’ar home world; because their leaders were going to need reinforcements for all the people that were going to die in the defense of their world.

Though there were moments I enjoyed, I am reminded of so many first issues of big Marvel events that promise paradigm shattering changes only to drag out the action until something major happens that was announced two weeks before the issue actually came out. Gentlemen, I am the face of event fatigue. Trinity War was only a leadoff man for another event. Avengers vs. X-men was three times as long as it should have been. Even the mighty Thanos cannot kill the sting of countless events that have gotten me excited only to peter out or be completely inconsequential given the fact that anyone who dies is inevitably brought back to life within a years time. Battle of the Atom might even feature the glorious return of one of my favorite X-men, Nightcrawler, and I don’t care to read it. I am voting with my wallet on this one. I’m tossing down the “infinity” gauntlet. In honor of the Scarlet Witch I curse you Big Two. No more events.

Toss the “Infinity” gauntlet

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