Doomwar #1
Bill Gladman on the issue
Forget Norman Osbourne, if you have been reading Marvel Comics these last few months...Doctor Doom is the Man! Good ol' Victor Von Doom has been popping up everywhere here of late. Everywhere but the Fantastic Four. He's been in the Incredible Hulk, Hulk, Fall of the Hulks, Siege: Cabal, X-Factor, Doctor Voodoo, Thor and if you want to go back a little farther he's reared his disfigured, metal covered head in Captain Britain and MI 13, Mighty Avengers, Dark Avengers, and Black Panther. Even in Captain America.
Personally I love Doom. He's one of the best comic book villains ever created and I don't mind seeing Vic get much love as of late. That's also why I got a little excited when I heard about this Doomwar limited series. I mean it has Doom in a starring role, The Black Panther (both of them), the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. And then I noticed the story would also have Deadpool in it as well.
Excitement to disappointment in less than three seconds. As soon as I learned that Doomwar went off my must pull list and off my radar. I had every attention of skipping it now.
Until yesterday when we got the new comic shipment at the shop. As Scott and I were putting out the new books I flipped through Doomwar #1. A certain Merc with the Mouth (but no brain) was not in the first issue at all!
I stood in the middle of the shop as a spotlight appeared down on me from out of nowhere and a chorus of Heaven's finest angel's sang. I could read this after all! But I still thought I would read it only, and put it back on the shelf, I really didn't plan to buy it...I mean that Wade guy was still on the cover. I have a premium collection to thank about and I have to uphold my usual standard of collecting. I mean my reputation is on the line here.
But once again, after reading this book, I had to re-consider that as well. I mean I was engrossed in this from the very beginning. To be quite honest I never heard of writer Jonathon Mayberry and barely recognize the names of the two artists that worked on the book (Will Conrad and Scot Eaton) but I vouch for their work. This was a great story and it was drawn beautifully.
Doomwar #1 takes place after the conclusion of the latest Black Panther series but evidently also after issue # 20 of the Hulk (which hit the stands the same day). In the first time in the history of Wakanda the ruling party has forcibly been removed from the throne by another party, although it is still a party within the borders of the nation itself.
But apparently a political power backed by a certain ruler of Latveria.
As this takeover occurs T'Challa and his sister Shuri. (the current Black Panther) are forced to flee the country without many of their closest friends and family members including their uncle, their mother, and Storm, T'Challa's wife and Queen of Wakanda (not to mention former member and leader of the X-Men).
How Storm was captured by these "Rebels" is a nice touch as is her trial where she is actually accused of being a witch and for which the punishment is death. T'Challa and Shuri are forced to ask for assistance from the X-Men who are hesitant to get involved seeing how their newly formed nation does not need this type of "press". Also there are members of the group not overly enthused about what looks to them T'Challa leaving Storm behind as T'Challa, his sister, and a few others turned tail and ran.
Great characterization is the main strength of this book. T'Challa and Shuri are perfectly written as are the X-Men. Matter of fact this is the first time the X-Men came across this good since the glory days when Claremont and Byrne were on the book. This is helped by the fact that most of the X-Men is the "classic" group that includes Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Emma (the only one that I don't really like but she's tolerable in this story and well written). Psylocke also makes an appearance.
Doom himself has never been better as the man shows that he will not be denied anything that he wants, and use any means necessary to get it. Storm's stubborn defiance first in court, later as a prisoner is very impressive....but she learns the hard way and at a very high cost that nobody defies Victor Von Doom. And in the process Doom makes a new enemy that will not rest until he is dead.
Not much action if that's looking for, but it's a great build up of things to come. The last page is a literal killer as it is made clear how far the Panthers are willing to go to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. This story is set to explode in the next few issues. The book sold out yesterday in just a few hours and we already had to place a new order of additional copies.
The Fantastic Four does not appear in issue #1 but it's certain they will soon get involved and if the rest of this series is a solid and sharp as this first issue, I'm sticking around even when that one idiot shows up.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Writer: Jonathan Maberry
Pencils: Scot Eaton
Inks: Andy Lanning & Robert Campanella
Colors: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
Letters: VC's Cory Petit
Covers: John Romita Jr., Janson, White & Jelena Djurdjevic
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Wakanda has been conquered, its Vibranium reserves plundered. Storm faces execution in the next 48 hours. And Dr. Doom stands triumphant. It will take the combined forces of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the two Black Panthers to stand against him. A war has begun that will pit the world's most relentless super-villain against a collection of the world's most powerful super heroes -- one that will span the globe, offering twists and turns and surprise players (hello, Deadpool!) that neither side will see coming. Rated T
PRICE: $3.99
IN STORES: February 17, 2010
blog comments powered by Disqus
