Last night at midnight, not only did Marvel’s blockbuster event kick-off in stores and digitally with “Avengers vs X-Men”, but the launch of their new type of digital comic kicked off as well with “Avengers vs X-Men: Infinite” #1.
For those catching up, here is the gist of Infinite Comics, which was previously announced at SXSW last month: based on a comic Yves Bigerel posted on his DeviantArt page, digital pusher Mark Waid and Marvel CCO Joe Quesada have adopted a new method of comic book storytelling with the hopes of pushing digital comics in a new direction. Infinite Comics is a brand of comics made digitally and presented exclusively on digital tablet devices (for now, anyway — a print edition may come at some point) that seeks to use the storytelling capacities of devices like the iPad or Kindle et al to play up the possibilites of the medium in this new and still explorable realm. Waid himself kicked off the announcement with a free comic PDF on his website showing off the capabilities of this new storytelling technique, with the promise that he would be working on Marvel’s new digital initiative as well.
Now that time is here. The first Infinite Comic has launched, right alongside Marvel’s new AR app (which is quite fun), and is available for a whopping $0.99 on the Marvel Comics App. So hey, why not give it a go?
Check behind the cut for a few short thoughts on Infinite Comics.
Without mincing words, Marvel’s first Infinite Comic does exactly what it says it will do on the box. Using Bigerel’s set-up and execution of panels slowly unfolding over time, you click through the comic at your own pace as the story unfolds alongside your interaction. It’s an interesting way to engage in a comic, more so than one already does, and it certainly makes sense as the new direction for comics to head in in terms of creating a digital entity that feels as valuable as a print copy. Quesada, Waid et al have promised us a digital experience, and they’ve delivered fully on that promise no more and no less than you’d expect.
Despite that element, though (which is really a “you’re excited or you’re not” type thing), the comic is pretty fun to play through. The way the comic is paced through this new system does indeed add another layer to the entire concept of sequential art, as now the reader doesn’t so much set the pace in which they read comics but are instead fed it through various portions. Time is now inherently different in the span of a comic, and that’s a very intriguing element to switch up. Not only that, but to do it well in a fashion that actually offers up something to gawk at is extremely noteworthy.
All of that is, in large part, due to the fantastic art by Stuart Immonen (which should surprise no one). With vibrant colors by Marte Garcia that help the book pop off the page, Immonen remains one of Marvel’s best talent. With intricately designed scenery and a strong eye for motion and angles, the entire comic is a great sight to behold. Immonen is absolutely fantastic about “big” scenes (the best element of “Fear Itself” was arguably Immonen’s art, after all), and in a story that features a space cop flying through space while being chased by a giant mythical/firey space-bird that leaves destruction in its wake (not to mention what happens when Nova gets to Earth), there is assuredly no one better for the job than Immonen.
Even the “cover” of the comic utilizes the storytelling device via plotting from Joe Quesada and Richard Isanove, and it really does play out quite well to push Marvel towards the future they so hope to help pioneer.
As far as the actual story is concerned, that’s where the quality lessens a bit. Truthfully, while the delivery system makes it endearing, Waid’s end of the story isn’t all too great. The story is a bit of an odd read, both in its use of dubstep as something Nova misses (despite having not been home at least since “Civil War”, a pre-wubwubwub time) and its lack of acknowledgement of who the hell we’re reading about, considering the traditional Nova Richard Rider and his Nova Corps “died” some time ago. It is admittedly hard to invest in the ongoing story of a universe that doesn’t seem to keep its own history straight, and while on a certain level you can see the story is designed simply for new readers, the oddly thrown cold-shoulder to old fans is more disinviting than anything else.
Then again, this could be the introducing of Ultimate Spider-Man’s Sam Alexander as we were previously led to believe, but even then I’m not sure why dubstep had to get a namedrop.
It’s basically a throwaway story built around the Infinite Comics idea more than it is anything really special, but dammit, Stuart Immonen’s artwork just looks so damn great on the HD iPad screen that, honestly, who cares? You’re buying this for the art and to see how it plays out; everything else is just ancillary. Granted, Waid’s hand is firmly felt within the pacing and plotting of the entire book which certainly helps, but it would’ve been nice if the written material matched up with what we can assume about the unseen script and its direction.
So it’s two-fold, really. As someone who is a fan of the digital capabilities of comics being pushed, I find the product exciting and endearing, well worth the $0.99 I spent. As someone who is a fan of Marvel comics, though, I have to once again raise an eyebrow at the company having a continuity and failing to adhere to its own rules (especially with Waid at the helm, who has proven himself a continuity buff). What it ultimately ends up as something that a reader can ignore, but anyone who appreciates art, vibrant colors and a push from Marvel in a new direction can appreciate the entire effort.
Yet, for $0.99, it’s a fun little add-on for anyone already reading “Avengers vs X-Men”, or those of you who want to give this new game a spin.
