Magen Cubed's Blog, page 17

Comic book review: Avengers #21

INFINITY TIE-IN – “AVENGERS UNIVERSE: IV.” The final battle for the Marvel universe begins. The fall of a Galactic empire. The rise of a new one. From Jonathan Hickman and Leinil Francis Yu.

Despite Thor’s defeat of the Builder occupiers on Hala in Infinity #4, the war to save the universe is still taking a turn for the worse in this issue from Hickman and Yu. The Kree Supremor foresees the failure of the coalition despite their renewed optimism, even as the Galactic Council plans another strike in the face of mounting opposition. Losing worlds and manpower at an alarming rate, the coalition makes the unthinkable decision to open the Negative Zone. Annihilus, now freed, turns his ravenous horde onto the Builders, only to see the enemy swat his forces away like flies. With no other options remaining, the coalition prepares to take their last stand, ready to die on their feet in one last frontal assault on the Builders.

Meanwhile, Abyss and the Gardeners gather to wake Captain Universe, who remains comatose as the universe dies around her. Ignored by Captain America and the rest of the coalition in favor of another tactical strike, the combined life-giving power of Abyss and her siblings wakes their mother, sending her to face her wayward children. As she kills the Builders for their warmongering and defiance, one of them teleports away to the safety of another universe, calling out for all the Alephs scattered across conquered worlds to self-destruct. Even with the Universe awake, the Builders are prepared to take their victory by any means necessary, closing the issue in a dire cliffhanger ending.

Once again, Hickman delivers a solid script, carried to fruition by Yu’s artwork. Hickman’s handling of pace and scope is great here, covering every angle of the war with appropriate tension and composure. The stakes, even with the enormity of the situation, still feel high, the threat of the Builders still imposing. Yu’s pencils, with Gho’s color palettes and Alanguilan’s inks, drive the book with dynamism and strength of framing and design. There’s just such a wealth of talent on this book and it shows in every page, from tense conversations in darkened rooms to the intricacies and scope of explosive battle scenes. Overall, I have no real complaints about the writing or the artwork, which live up to the consistently high standards this creative team has been living up to issue after issue.

Avengers #21 is another strong issue in a great event. With its solid scripting and gorgeous artwork, there’s little bad about this one. Definitely worth picking up.

Comic book review: Hawkeye #13

After a lifetime of decisions both good and bad, Clint and Barney Barton have to realize they are brothers and ultimately, they’re the only ones who can save one another. I mean if they don’t kill each other first. Good luck with that, Barton brothers. From Matt Fraction and David Aja.

We finally get Clint’s side of the story following Grills’ death, Kate’s departure, and the arrival of his brother Barney. Still reeling from the one-two punch delivered by his messy love life, Jessica’s not speaking to him, and Natasha and Bobbi aren’t his biggest fans either. Unfortunately, Clint doesn’t have any time to deal with that as he finds out about Grills’ murder, and heads to tell Grills’ father the news himself. Guilt-ridden and reclusive, Clint shuts Kate out until she finally leaves for California, taking Pizzadog with her and setting up Barney’s arrival. With his life in total upheaval as the tracksuit mob looms in the margins, Clint finds himself lost and unsure of what he can do to solve any of the trouble he’s gotten himself into.

After a production hiatus, Fraction and Aja are finally back with another slick and emotionally resonate chapter in the life of the greatest sharpshooter known to man. Even for the interruption, the book doesn’t suffer for it in the least, not even missing a beat in filling in the blanks of recent events from Clint’s point of view. Told entirely in dense nine-panel grids, this issue quietly unfolds as Clint struggles (and fails) to catch up with the events threatening to swallow him, shying away from nothing in a poignant scene-by-scene dissection of his life. Dialogue fades into silence as he draws away from those around him, haunted by dreams of those he’s failed, punctuating the loneliness of Fraction’s air-tight scripting and perfect tempo.

As always, Aja’s artwork expertly carries this book in subtle yet affecting ways. The dream sequence in the middle of the book is an especially striking scene, as Clint finds himself haunted by Grills’ death in a series of exquisitely framed panels that follows him into a flooded house during Hurricane Sandy. The scene lasts only a single page, abandoning the book’s trademark cool purple color scheme to dive into the red world of Clint’s well-intentioned failings, but makes the most of it in its evocative illustration of guilt and memory. Hollingsworth and Aja make a formidable pair in delivering another issue that is gorgeous from start to finish.

Another great issue from Fraction and Aja, with its flawless pacing and fantastic artwork. No matter the delay, Hawkeye #13 is definitely worth the wait. I’m so glad it’s back and eagerly await the next issue, whenever that happens to be.

Comic book review: Captain America #12

LOOSE NUKE PART 2 Nuke on a rampage! The Weapon Minus program revealed! Meet Dr. Mindbubble, the unbelievable Super Soldier created in the 1960s! Written by Rick Remender with artwork by Carlos Pacheco.

The second arc of Marvel NOW’s Captain America is in full-swing in this issue, with some solid scripting from Remender and compelling art from Pacheco. Shifting gears for a moment, Remender pulls back the focus on Steve’s struggle to resume his old life for some exposition. The story opens in China in 1968 to tease some background information on the Weapon Minus program, setting the stage for Nuke’s psychotic, politically-fueled rampage in Nrosvekistan. This apparently plays into a larger arc surrounding Dr. Mindbubble that Remender’s working on for another book, but, at the moment, it’s all a bit vague. Back in 2013, Steve is still reeling from the deaths of Ian and Sharon, trying to reconcile his twelve years in Dimension Z. A friendly visit from Falcon ends in a confrontation with Jet, who’s staying with Steve until she adapts to life in his dimension, as Sam tries to reach out to Steve. After a sparring session, Steve finally breaks down and tells Sam the truth about his experiences in Dimension Z, talking about his son for the first time.

A definite break in tone from the last arc, this latest story is unfolding nicely so far, balancing the mystery of Nuke and Weapon Minus with Steve’s personal story. Remender manages to strike an interesting equilibrium with this issue, moving the plot along and still giving Steve some space to grieve. I imagine some readers might find the slow pace of the issue a bit trying, but I’m enjoying watching this story play out as Steve comes to terms with everything that happened in Dimension Z. It’s heavy on exposition, from the Mindbubble monologues book-ending the issue to Nuke’s ranting, but for me the pacing works. If I had to find fault with this one, it’s the usual soft spots in Remender’s dialogue, which aims for a more dramatic execution and fall shorts as hokey and long-winded at times. Otherwise, it’s a good script.

Pacheco’s artwork has become a nice addition to this book since beginning this storyline, helping to really establish the tone shift from Romita and Dimension Z. The aerial sequences across New York City during Falcon and Cap’s sparring session are particularly visually pleasing, making the most of some dynamic framing and panel transitions. While the action is quite well-executed, Pacheco’s pencils, with the complement of White and Rosenberg’s color palettes, do the script a service by enveloping Steve’s storyline in an appropriate sense of melancholy. For me, this makes Steve’s emotional journey all the more immediate, and I enjoy this visual exploration of his internal state.

Overall, this is another strong issue in an otherwise interesting storyline. Despite the usual pitfalls, this arc is coming along nicely. Remender seems to be gearing up to something much bigger with his peculiar choice in antagonists, and Pacheco continues to please. Solid stuff all around with this one.

Comic book review: Infinity #4

Negotiating the fall of worlds. The Illuminati versus Thanos. Thor, God of War. Written by Jonathan Hickman with artwork by Jerome Opena and Dustin Weaver.

As the Builders prepare for their victory in the fight for Earth, the resistance mounts their final stand and Thanos’ lost son discovers his true nature in this latest chapter of the Infinity event. With the Galactic Council shocked by Captain America’s decision to surrender, he gets his parlay with the Builders, assuring the coalition that his strategy will work. Sending Thor to Builder-occupied Hala as their diplomatic representative, he tries to negotiate a truce. The Builder representative has no interest in negotiations and, after ordering Thor to cast Mjolnir out, forces him to bend a knee in submission to their conquest of Earth. The Builder doesn’t realize that Thor isn’t human, however, nor does he realize that he’s just been had. Mjolnir, tossed out of Hala’s atmosphere, slingshots around the planet to gain speed before returning to Thor’s hand, bursting through the Builder’s torso in a splatter of green gore. Thor then beats the Builder to death, proving Captain America’s belief that not only can the Builders be hurt, but they can be killed. With Hala now freed from occupation after this very public defiance, the Kree pledge their allegiance to the resistance once again, and the Galactic Council prepares a new strike against the Builder fleet.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Attilan crashes into New York City. Thanos staggers from the debris of the Inhuman throne room, only to realize Black Bolt’s voice had unleashed a Terrigen Bomb. Converted from sound to light by Maximus’ machine, the ensuing Terrigen cloud caused a chain reaction all over the world, instigating Terrigensis in any human with Inhuman DNA. Hidden away in a lost Inhuman city, Thane, Thanos’ son, is also changed by the bomb. His birthright revealed, Thane is instantly transformed from the healer he once was into a purely destructive being, killing everyone in his tiny city. While we don’t get very well-acquainted with Thane from his brief appearances here and in New Avengers so far, his transformation is quite compelling and tragic. Thanos beats Black Bolt and sets out to find his son, not yet realizing what awaits him as hegoes to dispose of his bastard heir.

Hickman offers another tightly-scripted chapter in this unfolding event, taking what could otherwise be a fairly slow issue and keeping the momentum building instead. The length and scale of this event continues to work well in these segmented chunks, dividing each part of the story into smaller, digestible pieces. This strikes a great balance of perspective, affording the reader all the necessary points of view without bogging down the story in exposition or window-dressing. Hickman also raises the stakes with the Terrigen Bomb and Thane’s transformation, an increasingly risky move on Black Bolt’s part with some very dire consequences. I’m not sure about forcing Terrigenesis on hundreds of unsuspecting people in the midst of an already ongoing global catastrophe, so we’ll see how that plays out. It will be interesting to see how these issues are addressed moving forward, especially as Thanos has no idea of his son’s true potential. With so many regions on Earth still reeling from Ex Nihilo’s forced evolution, however, I hope Hickman has a plan to reconcile all of this mounting cataclysm, without sweeping anything under the rug.

As far as the art is concerned, Opena and Weaver knock it out of the park once again. Their styles complement one another, meshing well from segment to segment to provide a stunning reading experience. While Weaver’s pages possess a great sense of movement and energy, the scope and stoicism of Opena’s work is just as lovely in its own right, as each artist brings something engaging and visually pleasing to the table. I can’t stop raving about this team, especially when unified by Ponsor’s dramatic color choices, developing the lush alien backgrounds and brooding settings of the book. Ponsor’s palettes really do help to make this such a cohesive read, reinforcing the keen technical execution and production value of the title issue to issue.

Infinity #4 does its best to raise the stakes for human and alien alike, and is pretty successful on all accounts. The strength of Hickman’s scripting is the backbone of this title, and is again wonderfully executed by the efforts of Opena and Weaver. As the event reaches its inevitably dramatic climax, I look forward to seeing where this story goes, and how far its affects will span across the Marvel Universe at large.

Agents of SHIELD, podcasts, articles, oh my

Nope, sadly, there will no comic book reviews this week. None of my books came out this Wednesday, so I’m taking a bit of a break from review business. Next week I get back to my regularly scheduled pull list, snarky commentary and Instagram hijinks included. But until then, here’s some of what I’ve been up to in the meantime:

A face for radio: Chaos Theater

I was invited by Chris and Pedro of MAHQ to sit-in on their latest podcast of Chaos Theater to talk about ABC’s new Agents of SHIELD. Despite all my vaguely intoxicated stumbling and stammering, it was pretty fun, and I’d love to come back and do it again sometime. You can listen to it here. Revel in my smokey baritone!

Secret: A Fascinating Title, If You Don’t Mind the Wait

This week on eCharta.com’s blog I posted a little write-up of Image Comics’ Secret by Jonathan Hickman and Ryan Bodenheim. A peculiar title, this is one of my favorites that I don’t get to talk about very much, due to its inconsistent publishing schedule. The recent release of issue #3 gave me a chance to do a little write-up and review:

Beginning in April 2012, this peculiar mix of espionage fiction and corporate intrigue saw just two issues. By the end of the summer it went on a year-long hiatus due to a series of production snags. The book, which had gained quite a bit of buzz and critical interest, was considered abandoned by readers. In the meantime, Bodenheim seemed to vanish from comics, and Hickman continued with other projects, such as Manhattan Projects, East of West, God is Dead, and championing Thanos’ return to the main stage in Marvel Comics’ timeline-shattering Infinity event. In August, the long-awaited third issue of Secret finally hit the shelves, as Miller dealt with the fall-out of the London murders. While an intriguing issue that explores Miller’s complex web of professional and personal relationships, I can’t help but keep my expectations low, even as I hope for more from this strange little world Hickman has cooked up.

You can read my article and review of Secret at eCharta.

Comic Book Reviews: 9/25/2013

Uncanny Avengers #12

The dark origin of the Apocalypse Twins! Kang’s true motives revealed. A secret of pact between Ahab and The Red Skull that will bring horror to all mutants. Bring on the bad guys! From Rick Remender and Salvador Larroca.

After the surprising events of the last issue, we find the team racing to stop Uriel and Eimen as Scarlet Witch struggles to sway Wonder Man to the twins’ cause. The twins’ plans come to fruition here as the climax of this arc closes in, offering some intriguing character insight along the way. This issue has some really good moments going for it, such as the twins’ origins and their ties to Red Skull, and Captain America’s run-in with the recently resurrected Banshee. Remender offers a solid script and Larocca’s pencils are quite dynamic and affective.

My only real complaint, as it has been from the start, has been Remender’s handling of Scarlet Witch, who feels a bit stagnant in this issue. To be honest, she spends much of the issue simply justifying her decision to work with the twins, to herself and the audience, and clinging to Wonder Man. I appreciate that she’s in a fragile state given recent events, but Remender has been pretty determined to push Wanda into some kind of relationship with somebody in this book. Having her ask Simon’s protection, and how his actions “win her heart forever,” just ring a bit cheesy to me. So far, she’s spent most of this series being kidnapped, fighting with Rogue, or being drawn into romantic entanglements of some kind. For someone whose romantic and family life has been manipulated by so many people, I just want to see Wanda stand on her own two feet for a while, you know?

Other than that, this is a solid issue and an interesting read.

Avengers #20

INFINITY TIE-IN – “AVENGERS UNIVERSE: III” Unexpected overtures from the Builders. A meeting of Ex Nihilos. Total, unconditional surrender. By Jonathan Hickman and Leinil Francis Yu.

The war takes a surprising turn as the coalition, outnumbered and outgunned, seeks parley with the Builders. Meanwhile, Ex Nihila reaches out to Abyss and Ex Nihilo to reveal some surprising truths, and the Builders prepare for victory on Hala. We learn that the Abyssi have all died off, leaving their siblings the Gardeners, banned from creating new life, to serve as slaves to their creators. As Captain America surrenders, Ex Nihilo and Abyss swear to put an end to the subjugation of their kind.

A lot of drama, a lot of intrigue, with some solid scripting from Hickman and amazing artwork by Yu. It’s an enjoyable read, with a few interesting twists and turns along the way. Overall another strong chapter in the Infinity event.

FF #12

HULK VS THING — and it’s one for the ages! As the kids in the FF start growing apart, their adult supervision seems to be having some issues of their own…Written by Matt Fraction, Lee and Mike Allred, and pencils by Mike Allred.

Tensions in the team rear their ugly head as the kids drift apart over Adolf Impossible’s arrival. While the team works with Maximus the Mad and Caesar to bring the Fantastic Four back home, Doom moves his plans forward and Ant-Man continues his downward spiral. The relationship between Scott and Darla reaches it inevitable romantic  crossroad and, of course, nothing quite goes according to plan. An issue with growing pains from every end of the spectrum, this is another engaging chapter in a fun and offbeat series.

Fraction takes a step back from writing in this issue, focusing on other projects to let Lee Allred step in as script writer. The narrative shift is minimal, and overall Allred keeps with the tone that Fraction established in the last eleven issues. The heart of the book is still very much present, in scenes such as Adolf and Luna bonding over anime, or Darla and Scott’s abortive romantic interludes, and still feels really cohesive. As I said, it’s a slight departure from what we’re used to, but it’s certainly not enough to cast a shadow on such a fiercely enjoyable title.

Young Avengers #10

It’s Mother’s Day. Don’t worry. You won’t forget. She won’t let you.Who’s bringing Mother presents? From Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie.

Shifting narrative gears to focus on Mother, this issue sheds light on the back stories and motivations of numerous intriguing players. We get our first real insight into Mother and all her horror, as well as the mysterious reality-warping Patriot, who raises more questions than he answers. Teddy, separated from Billy and the team as he becomes embroiled Leah’s schemes, inadvertently falls victim to Mother’s trap in a compelling cliffhanger of an ending.

A really intriguing issue, Gillen and McKelvie achieve some great visuals through clever narrative convention. All the fun and witty interplay we’ve seen the last few issues is gone, in lieu of furthering the magical, dimension-hopping  aspects of the plot through some well-executed horror elements. This is just smart writing, buoyed by great artwork and the fantastic partnership between Gillen and McKelvie.

Housekeeping: Horror, comics, and some general news

So, a lot has been going on the last month or so. I’m back in school for the fall, mean I’m as sleep-deprived and irritated as ever. I’ve also picked up a gig reviewing comics for eCharta, an online paper auction house specializing in everything from books to posters, stamps to manuscripts. I’m kind of the comic book correspondent there these days, writing articles and conducting interviews on anything that strikes my fancy. You can keep up with my stuff here, on their blog.

I’m also still writing reviews for MARVEL Disassembled. There I mostly cover books like Avengers, Captain America, Hawkeye, X-Men, as well as any important events. Currently I’m covering the Infinity event from Jonathan Hickman, which has been a blast so far. With my class-load and writing (I am still working on two novels at the moment, because I’m stupid and allergic to sleep) , I’ve had to cut down on my review pull list, from twelve titles to around six at the moment. That’s where this bit of housekeeping comes in.

How does this effect your site?

Rather than repost my favorite title reviews here all month, I’ll do a weekly round-up of my pull list. Likely put up every weekend, these posts will cover everything I’ve read for the week. The good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly.

But I fear change!

If you still want to follow my weekly write-ups and articles, follow eCharta and MARVEL Disassembled on Twitter. They’ll keep you abreast of my nonsense, I promise. Cutting down my review list frees me up to cover more random, offbeat stuff for eCharta, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

Aren’t you supposed to be a novelist or something?

Yes, I am, thank you. In the world of proper fiction, I have an update on my debut horror novel, Flesh Trap. Rather than be released in October as originally planned, it’s been pushed back a few months to a December drop date. Yeah, I know I’ve kind of talked up as coming soon, so I’m sorry about that. Don’t worry, though: Everything’s fine and it will be in your hot little hands in time for Christmas. So put it under the tree this year! Frighten the in-laws! Impress your friends! Use it as a doorstop! Whatever! Just buy a damn copy!

What about these other books you keep talking about?

For those of you who are curious about Flesh Trap’s sister book, White Bull (yes, all three of you), yes, I am still working on it. As I’ve mentioned before, White Bull is not a sequel per se, so much as it is a thematic sibling, following ideas and motifs in the same universe. No Casey Way or faceless dads or boxes made of flesh and teeth, but new stories around characters inhabiting the same world as Casey does. There may be a few guest appearances along the way, just for funsies, but I won’t get ahead of myself just yet.

I’m also working on my superhero fiction series, The Crashers, which you can read more about here.

So, there you have it. Horror, comics, and other things of interest. Nothing too terribly new or frightening, just some general housekeeping.

Comic book review: Infinity #3

Prison break. Stealing a worldkiller. The fall of Attilan. Written by Jonathan Hickman with artwork by Jerome Opena and Dustin Weaver.

The ramifications of the attack on The Behemoth are felt in this issue, as the galactic coalition is scattered and millions of refugees die. Seeing no point in continued conflict, The Builders issue a message: Surrender and live, or fight and die. In the aftermath planets across the galaxy begin surrendering to The Builders, as even the Kree yield in order to spare themselves further loss. Back on Behemoth, the fissures developing in the Galactic Council caused by J-Son’s meddling are temporarily set aside. Unwilling to accept defeat, the Avengers form a strategy to strike back and rescue the Captain Marvel, Captain Universe, and the other prisoners of war aboard the Builder flagship.

In events mirrored in this week’s Captain Marvel #16 tie-in, the coalition manages a bold surprise attack. Seizing control of several Builder ships, The Builders flee, leaving Ex Nihila behind to make a final stand. With the prisoners taking over the abandoned flagship, the Avengers free Starbrand, who is then able to mount a proper retaliation. Meanwhile, with Earth’s defenses overrun and the Illuminati sidetracked with another incursion, Black Bolt ushers the Inhumans to safety in Maximus’ secret pocket dimension. When Thanos arrives for his tribute, the head of his illegitimate half-Inhuman son, Black Bolt unleashes a devastating scream as Maximus arms his device and destroys Attilan.

Another strong offering from Hickman, this well-paced issue strikes an engaging balance of action and intrigue, as the war tips in the coalition’s favor and the Inhuman court falls. The two plots of this event coincide fluidly for a really exciting read that seamlessly addresses multiple perspectives in this colossal, unfolding drama. How the events of Infinity, Avengers and New Avengers come together issue by issue, and continue to feel like one unified story, is both highly enjoyable and a testament to Hickman’s strength as a writer. I’m curious to see how the arrivals of both Thanos and The Builders on Earth will finally come together. It seems like too much for one writer to pull off, especially with the stakes so high, but if the event keeps up this pace, it could make for a very interesting conclusion.

The fluidity of Opena’s and Weaver’s individual artwork continues to be a big plus for this series. Their styles mesh together impeccably from segment to segment, solidifying the overall sense of visual and narrative continuity through eye-catching settings and thoughtful page design. The art maintains a careful balance of action and intrigue, drama and adventure through dynamic panel-to-panel tension and a unifying undercurrent of anticipation. There’s nothing particularly shocking or unforeseen that happens here, but the reading experience is still just as satisfying. Complemented by Ponsor’s color palettes, this issue is another visually striking chapter in an already engaging series.

With strong artwork and scripting, this is another must-read for those following this event. Even if you’re not, it’s just lovely to flip through.

Comic book review: New Avengers #10

Inhuman secrets reveal the desires of Thanos. The machinations of Maximus the Mad. The battle for Earth continues…what an awful time for an incursion. From Jonathan Hickman and Mike Deodato.

Picking up where Infinity #2 dropped off, Black Bolt reveals the true origins of Thanos’ lost son in this issue, and makes a decision that will change the fate of the Inhumans. As we learn, tensions in the royal family caused a fissure centuries earlier, splitting the kingdom in many tribes that scattered all over Earth and beyond. The descendants of one of the lost tribes ran into Thanos’ forces, and through “dark things in dark places” one of them returned to Earth pregnant with the Titan’s illegitimate son. As Black Bolt prepares his final stand against Thanos, the rest of the Illuminati disperse to find the son. Cracks in the team are momentarily tempered, even as the strain further threatens its solidity. Doctor Strange, still operating under Ebony Maw’s influence, travels to Greenland to find Thanos’ son in a secret Inhuman city and involuntarily leads the Black Order to the young man. Before anything can be done about it, however, another incursion begins, and Black Bolt squares off against Thanos face-to-face.

Another well-plotted issue, this script just simmers with dramatic tension as Namor and Black Panther come back to the table. The implications of the postponed Wakanda/Atlantis war aside, the stress of these events weigh heavily on the key players, and make for some interesting interplay that meaningfully underscores the tenuous nature of this alliance. I enjoy seeing how Black Bolt’s plotting pans out, emerging as a strong force amid all of these conflicting personalities and egos, as Strange continues to struggle with Ebony Maw’s psychic influence. There’s just so much going on for each of these characters internally, and Hickman balances these external pressures with a skilful touch.

The strong scripting aside, Deodato’s pencils continue to really sell this story. His clever use of layouts and visual design make the narrative pop, and the strength of his compositions remain truly engrossing throughout. Deodato finds a way to bring a great deal of quiet dignity to these characters, even with the sweeping tone of the story. His artwork evokes a lot of emotional subtly, which is quite a feat in a team book with so many players on the board. There’s just something about his use of shading that really draws me in, and maintains a somber mood that encompasses the story. As always, Martin’s color palettes serve as an appropriate complement to Deodato’s pencils both in tone and depth.

With a good script and solid artwork, this issue serves as another strong chapter in the unfolding Infinity saga.

Comic book review: Avengers #19 Infinity tie-in

The Avengers, prisoners of war! One last desperate plan. Betrayal in the Galactic Council. From Jonathan Hickman and Leinil Francis Yu.

Another intriguing Infinity tie-in from Hickman, with pencils by Yu and some lovely coloring work by Gho. Captain Marvel and Hawkeye are among those captured by The Builders after the Battle of Corridor, held captive by the Gardener Ex Nihila. Captain Marvel is brought before The Builders to explain how humans came into contact with Starbrand, Nightface, Abyss and Captain Universe, all in stasis in Builder custody, and why they fight for Earth. Meanwhile, the intergalactic coalition is losing ground against the unstoppable Builder fleet, and the recent suicide of Ex Nihilii is weighing heavily on their minds. Captain America brainstorms a new strategy, but schisms in the Galactic Council fuel further tensions as J-Son of Spartax seeks private counsel with The Builders.

Seeing no point in war, he offers a ceasefire. The Builders, however, aren’t looking to win a war. Instead they want to destroy Earth and save this failing universe. It appears that the Earth is some kind of nexus point in the destruction of our timeline, and we finally get some hint to the endgame as The Builders try to cleanse the universe of our potentially harmful planet. Hoping to avoid further conflict, J-Son promises to deliver Earth to them, but the gesture is swiftly rebuffed. When the opportunity presents itself The Builders trace his signal to the coalition’s location, launching an immediate attack. The entire fleet appears to be destroyed as the issue closes on a final scene of violence.

With some strong dialogue and intriguing political interplay, Hickman provides a successful script. The underlying tension of the plot is well-executed by Yu, whose engaging panel transitions and page designs make for a tight, dramatic reading experience. Yu and Gho work together well to offer some truly stunning pages that cash in on the uneasy but inherent beauty of characters like Ex Nihila, and make The Builders both fearsome and visually appealing. Overall this is another compelling tie-in with some lovely visual components and solid scripting, keeping this event moving at an interesting pace.