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Fear Itself #18
Fear Itself Uncanny X-Force Deep Prem HC
As Fear Itself Hits The Marvel Universe, An Extreme Faction Of The Anti-Mutant Purifiers Believes The End Of The World Is Nigh - And That It's Up To Them To Save As Many Human Souls As They Can Before
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First published March 7, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 26, 2015
Not sure why the X-Force story was put together with The Deep story in this.
Maybe they both needed a few more issues to be sold as a volume?
Yeah, they both have to do with the Fear Itself storyline, but they don't intersect with each other.
Anyway.
It shouldn't surprise you that I loved the issues of X-Force.
Dark, irreverent, funny, and I still love the hyper-slick look of the artwork!
So win-win all around for me!
The X-Force is going after a religious zealot who is using the Fear thing as an excuse to kill. Only this guy is planning on killing not just mutants or superheroes, he wants to kind of kill off...everyone
You know, to save their immortal souls from the fires of Hell, or some such nonsense.
I loved it!
And the moral of the story is this: If you try to nuke Manhattan, Wolverine and Deapool will stab you.
The Deep was a bit of a disappointment.
It's not that it flat-out sucked, it's just that it could have been so much better.
This one had a great cast of interesting characters, but it barely held my interest.
Namor, Dr. Strange, Loa, Silver Surfer, and Savage She-Hulk!
Hello? This should have been an easy win! Instead, it was sort of boring.
The Fear (toxin? spirit? what is it?) gets Namor, and he has to *cough* learn to Fight His Fear to save the day...
Imperious Rex, bitches!
Only it wasn't that cool.
Seriously, couldn't the freakin' Silver Surfer have taken out CanofTunna?
Sorry. I mean, Attuma.
With all the heavy-hitters on the team, I never felt like only Namor can save us!, you know?
However, it wasn't an awful story, just a lot of wasted potential.
5 stars for the X-Force, 3 stars for The Deep.
May 18, 2015
A couple of lackluster stories loosely tied in to the lackluster Marvel crossover Fear Itself, resulting in an all-around lackluster book.
Uncanny X-Force - 2.5 Stars: I loved Remender's Uncanny X-Force run, and it was kind of nice to see that team return in this little side story. However, the wild, multiverse jumping storytelling of Remender's run is nowhere present in here, instead just focusing on the fact that this X-Force is all about killing people. Additionally, this story doesn't seem to have any real connection to Fear Itself at all. There's some fear involved I guess, but that's really the extent of its alignment.
The plot jumps around like crazy for a story that's only 3 issues long, as well. There are several moments where the X-Force seems to just know exactly where to go and what to do next without any sort of reasoning or deduction, and then there are other times where they literally have no idea what to do and just sit in their spaceship waiting on something to happen. There is an actual scene where they do this. They just sit in a spaceship and are like "Welp, now what?" "Guess we'll just wait on something to happen." It's terrible storytelling.
The only real redemption here is Simone Bianchi's art, which I really enjoyed. It allows the action sequences to really shine in an otherwise dull waste of time.
The Deep - 1 star: I'm sorry, but I just can't get behind Cullen Bunn's writing style, and I am floored that he's given as much to do as he is. He doesn't have fresh ideas. He can't write dialogue. His characters are flat as hell and all speak the same. It's very, very rudimentary comic book writing, and this story is no exception. As an added bonus of shittiness, this story also exclusively features tertiary characters almost no one cares about and doesn't bother to explain who they are or what their power sets are.
You've got Loa, a woman who can do something when she touches people (she changes them or makes them evaporate or something? Who knows.). The Savage She-Hulk, who appears to be different the the Standard She-Hulk, and I guess is strong. The bad guy is Attuma, who I think might be a member of Namor's rogues gallery, but I don't know? He has a hammer in this. Great. Then there's Dr. Strange and Namor, who are famous to some degree, but don't behave anything like themselves in this storyline, so who cares.
This story mostly plays out like this: everyone talks about what is going on instead of anything actually happening, then there's a big fight that is impossible to follow, then everyone reconvenes to talk about stuff some more. It's terrible. I am not looking forward to reading some of the other Cullen Bunn stuff I own, and I might even just get rid of it without bothering after the past few things of his I've read.
Uncanny X-Force - 2.5 Stars: I loved Remender's Uncanny X-Force run, and it was kind of nice to see that team return in this little side story. However, the wild, multiverse jumping storytelling of Remender's run is nowhere present in here, instead just focusing on the fact that this X-Force is all about killing people. Additionally, this story doesn't seem to have any real connection to Fear Itself at all. There's some fear involved I guess, but that's really the extent of its alignment.
The plot jumps around like crazy for a story that's only 3 issues long, as well. There are several moments where the X-Force seems to just know exactly where to go and what to do next without any sort of reasoning or deduction, and then there are other times where they literally have no idea what to do and just sit in their spaceship waiting on something to happen. There is an actual scene where they do this. They just sit in a spaceship and are like "Welp, now what?" "Guess we'll just wait on something to happen." It's terrible storytelling.
The only real redemption here is Simone Bianchi's art, which I really enjoyed. It allows the action sequences to really shine in an otherwise dull waste of time.
The Deep - 1 star: I'm sorry, but I just can't get behind Cullen Bunn's writing style, and I am floored that he's given as much to do as he is. He doesn't have fresh ideas. He can't write dialogue. His characters are flat as hell and all speak the same. It's very, very rudimentary comic book writing, and this story is no exception. As an added bonus of shittiness, this story also exclusively features tertiary characters almost no one cares about and doesn't bother to explain who they are or what their power sets are.
You've got Loa, a woman who can do something when she touches people (she changes them or makes them evaporate or something? Who knows.). The Savage She-Hulk, who appears to be different the the Standard She-Hulk, and I guess is strong. The bad guy is Attuma, who I think might be a member of Namor's rogues gallery, but I don't know? He has a hammer in this. Great. Then there's Dr. Strange and Namor, who are famous to some degree, but don't behave anything like themselves in this storyline, so who cares.
This story mostly plays out like this: everyone talks about what is going on instead of anything actually happening, then there's a big fight that is impossible to follow, then everyone reconvenes to talk about stuff some more. It's terrible. I am not looking forward to reading some of the other Cullen Bunn stuff I own, and I might even just get rid of it without bothering after the past few things of his I've read.
August 31, 2020
This one was surprisingly good. I read this more as a part of Uncanny X-Force rather than as part of Fear Itself, so that may make a difference as it seems to be the Uncanny X-Force story was very much on the fringe of Fear Itself rather than a major part of it.
In the X-Force story we find a splinter cell of the Purifiers (and how crazy can it be when the main group is nuts and this splinter group is even too nuts for them??) trying to destroy all people with super powers as a misguided take on God's will. The whole Fear Itself thing has everyone acting weird so some of it can be chalked up to that, but this group was nuts before Fear Itself. The art is really nice on this story and the story is more like the great stories that kicked off this run of X-Force.
The Deep section is a little more important to Fear Itself as we see Namor and a group of makeshift Defenders battling Attuma, who has received one of the seven hammers that are key to the fear itself story.
Overall I was very impressed with this, particular because so many of these big Marvel event tie-in series usually suck, to put it bluntly. This was an exception to the rule, at least in my opinion.
In the X-Force story we find a splinter cell of the Purifiers (and how crazy can it be when the main group is nuts and this splinter group is even too nuts for them??) trying to destroy all people with super powers as a misguided take on God's will. The whole Fear Itself thing has everyone acting weird so some of it can be chalked up to that, but this group was nuts before Fear Itself. The art is really nice on this story and the story is more like the great stories that kicked off this run of X-Force.
The Deep section is a little more important to Fear Itself as we see Namor and a group of makeshift Defenders battling Attuma, who has received one of the seven hammers that are key to the fear itself story.
Overall I was very impressed with this, particular because so many of these big Marvel event tie-in series usually suck, to put it bluntly. This was an exception to the rule, at least in my opinion.
October 17, 2013
Two separate limited series are collected here and neither is very good. The first, starring the Uncanny X-Force, has next to nothing to do with the actual crossover its supposed to be a part of. This story could have taken place at any time and the Fear Itself story played almost no part in it. The team, who I really enjoy, were in character here but Simone Bianchi's art is, as usual, depressingly overdone and muddled. Added to that, the coloring was so muted that the art was actually hard to make out what was happening panel to panel. The second story was directly related to Fear Itself but sadly pretty generic. A hodge-podge of heroes battle Attuma's forces and are terribly over-matched. Then, throw in a couple McGuffins and the heroes win. Bland plot and forced dialogue. The art by Lee Garbett was pretty good and has potential. Overall, a pointless collection that can be skipped.
December 27, 2018
Fear Itself took place during my year off from comics, so whie I did collect them when I returned, I never got around to reading them. Or, maybe I did and just blocked it all out of my memory.
The story is an ugly, uninteresting mess. It's about nothing, and features Bianchi's soulless, stylized art. I skipped The Deep portion, even though it's referenced in the Uncanny X-Men portion of Fear Itself, because I just don't care at all about any aspect of this story.
It's awful ,and yet not awful enough to be in consideration for The Worst X-Arc ever.
The story is an ugly, uninteresting mess. It's about nothing, and features Bianchi's soulless, stylized art. I skipped The Deep portion, even though it's referenced in the Uncanny X-Men portion of Fear Itself, because I just don't care at all about any aspect of this story.
It's awful ,and yet not awful enough to be in consideration for The Worst X-Arc ever.
July 17, 2024
Reprints Uncanny X-Force #1-#3 and The Deep #1-#4 (each issue individually reviewed). If you have not read any of the Fear Itself storyline you may want to give it a look. Absorbing Man (AM), Attuma (A), Grey Gargoyle (GG), Hulk (H), Juggernaut (J), Thing (T) and Titania (TI) all acquire 'hammers' that are very much like Mjölnir (Thor's hammer). So they all have their own powers PLUS the power of Thor (T)! And they are being controlled by Cul Borson (CB); the Norse God of Fear, AKA the Serpent (S)! Nuff Said!
June 18, 2018
Continuing the great x-read of 2017/2018... (and I am really far behind with my reviews so I will be putting up a bunch of quick-takes to catch up...)
Another boring Fear Itself tie-in. I somewhat enjoyed the X-force issues but hated The Deep...
Another boring Fear Itself tie-in. I somewhat enjoyed the X-force issues but hated The Deep...
November 16, 2019
The X-Force story is fairly standard fair, greatly elevated by excellent artwork by Simone Bianchi. The Deep story is, as all Defenders stories, very boring.
August 15, 2020
Context is important, I guess.
February 8, 2018
The two stories presented here were unrelated except that they were both tangential to the same big event. Personally, I found the Deep part, with its Defenders reunion rather more interesting than the somewhat less polished and believable story (also, isn't Wolverine in like four other places for this rather brief event, as well?). I would have given the Deep four stars, and the X-Force story two (because there were some terrible jokes to go along with the terrible art), so it averages out to being rather average.
August 11, 2024
So glad I finally read this. When I read the main GN I was like "Who TF is the dude from the water!?"
Read
March 1, 2017Simone Bianchi's art for the X-Force part is awesome. The rest is just functional.
May 23, 2015
These were pretty short and not very deep. Just kind of average superhero fare with some amazing art in the X-force books. The Fear Itself event was way in the background of the X-force story so definitely not mandatory reading if you're trying to keep up with things. The Deep story didn't really resolve so I'm curious where that finishes.
In another of the Fear Itself series' a bunch of monsters were released under the sea so I assumed "The Deep" was going to handle that but it didn't happen.
Another kind of strange thing is that many times the covers of the comics portrayed scenes that never happened in the actual story. Not sure if there was a disconnect or if they were supposed to be more metaphorical OR maybe just made to induce suspense and worry about the heroes.
In another of the Fear Itself series' a bunch of monsters were released under the sea so I assumed "The Deep" was going to handle that but it didn't happen.
Another kind of strange thing is that many times the covers of the comics portrayed scenes that never happened in the actual story. Not sure if there was a disconnect or if they were supposed to be more metaphorical OR maybe just made to induce suspense and worry about the heroes.
January 23, 2013
The X-Force do what they stand for: a kill crew. In this story there is not a direct connection to Fear Itself. The X-force face a antimutantgroup who want to benefit from the chaos Fear Itself created (by organising a suicide epidemic). The Deep tells what happens in Namor's Atlantis. He faces Attuma,one of The Worthy, and is confronted by his own.... fear. To retake his princedome he gathers a group of friends and allies (Dr.Strange, the Silver Surger, She-Hulk Layla and Loa), calling themselves The Defenders. Can they face their fears ? Can they fight Attuma ?
August 17, 2013
I did not enjoy half of this book. While I really love all the X-Men titles, I did not like this story. I liked the artwork, but the story just wasn't very good. The Deep, however, I really enjoyed. The Defenders was the most enjoyable part of the book, and making Namor himself feel the fear really made the story for me. The Secret Defenders appearance was pretty cool, but extremely brief. It's a shame that it was the X-part of the book that was the real let-down.
April 19, 2012
Two star story bumped up to three stars because of good dialogue and great art by Simone Bianchi. Continue to be entertained by the chemistry of the new x-force, particularly Fantomex and Deadpool.
The Deep was just ok. Never been a big Namor fan, but always enjoy Dr Strange. As the backup story to X-Force in this edition it was fine
The Deep was just ok. Never been a big Namor fan, but always enjoy Dr Strange. As the backup story to X-Force in this edition it was fine
May 15, 2013
Uncanny X-Force : Cool story, although I can't quite see where it stands in terms of continuity.
The Deep : I wouldn't have had any interest in this team where it not in the same volume as Uncanny X-Force, but it's actually quite interesting. Doctor Strange is quite cool, I still like Namor, and it was nice to discover this She-Hulk.
The Deep : I wouldn't have had any interest in this team where it not in the same volume as Uncanny X-Force, but it's actually quite interesting. Doctor Strange is quite cool, I still like Namor, and it was nice to discover this She-Hulk.
August 27, 2016
This truly is a mixed bag. As noted in other reviews, there are two separate, unconnected miniseries here, neither of them particularly good, though the X-Force one does have its moments and sets the stage for Rick Remender's run on the title. The Defenders half is pretty bad in most respects. Why the two were put together in one volume is beyond me...
August 15, 2012
Uncanny XForce is violent as usual, and its intriguing to see how they react to fear. The Deep is basically a Defenders story with them trying to save New Atlantis. The deep was more entertaining, the interplay between the characters was a lot of fun. A good read.
November 8, 2013
I really, enjoyed this. The story was good. However, While the Defenders ties in directly with the Fear Itself arc, the X-Force story is just filler for the book, by itself they're enjoyable and Deadpool is great as always. Still overall, they were great.
July 13, 2012
I enjoyed The Deep but didn't much like the Uncanny X-Force portion. The Deep is an enjoyable to read adventure, while the rest is trying too hard to be dark and edgy.
July 27, 2012
Was not expecting a X-Force "book" to include a B list Avengers.... I mean Defenders story!
November 12, 2012
Ugh, Fear Itself, you took good things and made them bad.
February 1, 2013
I only read The Deep and it gets five stars because a) it was great and b) I miss the Defenders so much :( :(:(
April 23, 2013
Uncanny X-Force: 2/5 stars - a one-off story that is unnecessary to the Fear Itself arc (aren't most tie-ins?), and I love Deadpool!
The Deep: 4/5 stars - the Defenders are back!
The Deep: 4/5 stars - the Defenders are back!
February 15, 2014
Individual issues on marvel unlimited
May 8, 2014
Maybe I've just read to many lol
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews