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“M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games” #1

By | December 4th, 2020
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

With a surprising amount of nuance and clear affection for the anti-hero, Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum give us much more than a mere teaser in “M.O.D.O.K: Head Games” #1 (Warning: contains minor spoilers.)

Cover by Cully Hamner

Written by Jordan Blum
and Patton Oswalt
Illustrated by Scott Hepburn
Colored by Carlos Lopez
Lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham

From Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum, showrunners of the upcoming animated Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. show on Hulu, comes a journey into the mind of one of the biggest heads in the Marvel Universe! M.O.D.O.K. is the ruthless and brilliant leader of the terrorist organization AIM, outsmarting heroes and outmaneuvering his cutthroat colleagues gunning for his position… but when he begins to be haunted by memories of a family he never had, it leaves him unsure if he is losing his freakishly-large mind, or if perhaps there is a lot more to this enormous mind… or if there is something more sinister behind these visions.

“M.O.D.O.K: Head Games” #1 completely snuck up on me. I came to it completely cold, not knowing a thing about it, other than the fact Patton Oswalt is one of two co-writers.

Huh. Turns out there’s a stop-motion animated series in the works from Hulu simply called “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K” (Mobile Organism Designed Only for Killing), an acronym for the titular villain who happens to be voiced by Oswalt. The series is said to focus on what the villainous floating head does when he’s off the clock, taking a much needed break from fighting Avengers and trying to take over the world. Oswalt is also a showrunner, along with executive producer and co-creator Jordan Blum.

With all of that in mind, it’s not much of a leap to think this debut issue could be little more than a 23 page teaser for the forthcoming series. Happily, that’s far from the case. Certainly, the book partly serves as an introduction to this updated iteration of M.O.D.O.K, but in the process we also get a funny, action-packed and surprisingly nuanced comic.

Blum and Oswalt expertly establish M.O.D.O.K’s snarky, superior tone right from the jump. After M.O.D.O.K bungles his role in a heist that would’ve earned billions, his literal partner in crime demands to know, “What the hell’s wrong with you, you baby-limbed imbecile?” Rather than incinerate her on the spot with his psionic mind-beam, M.O.D.O.K silently ponders the full 324.5 ways he could possibly kill her, not acting on any of them. Later, as M.O.D.O.K is forced to endure a “trivial meeting” about his failed mission, he mentally hacks into 2,000 separate laptops and earns enough money to cover the shortfall – plus interest. “What have you done to benefit A.I.M. in the last fifteen minutes?” he snipes, publicly demeaning his colleague.

Nonetheless, it’s not all snappy comebacks and wry observations. Through M.O.D.O.K’s interior monologue, we also see him struggling with his past and his dual identity of M.O.D.O.K and George Tarleton. Even amidst the explosions, mind beams and E.M.P. gels, there’s actually some tenderness and hint of self reflection. Of course, it doesn’t last very long and soon we’re back in the thick of high tech hand-to-hand combat.

Yes, of course, some of the action sequences are over the top, but that’s all part of the fun. I mean, the main character is basically a giant head flying around on a floating disc. I don’t think photorealism was ever on the menu. Illustrator Scott Hepburn and colorist Carlos Lopez deliver bold, energetic art that remains well grounded in the story. Stylistically, it falls short of gaudy or zany, while still popping off the page and giving us plenty of eye candy.

M.O.D.O.K’s purplish hues contrast nicely with the other characters’ green and gold palette, as well as bright yellow explosions. Hepburn renders the main characters with clear definitive lines, which are further enhanced by Lopez, whose work lifts them off the page. The backgrounds are detailed enough to give a clear sense of place, without getting bogged down in minutiae. Motion lines, in particular, do a great job of intensifying well composed panels and pages. VC’s Travis Lanham does a solid job with letters on M.O.D.O.K’s inner monologue, which is occasionally overwritten in a purposefully attention-grabbing handwritten font.

If there’s any complaint, it’s that when some of the exposition isn’t paid off with a quip or sarcastic comment, it can be a bit cumbersome. To a lesser degree, some of the dialogue is also a bit overwritten. It’s a minor quibble, though, for such a well-paced and engaging debut issue. Often, you can already hear Oswalt’s voice in M.O.D.O.K, especially when we’re hearing his thoughts, which is where the real comedy lies. It’s like a fantastical sitcom, but instead of a working stiff, we’re inside the world of a supervillain bent on total world domination – at least when he’s not dealing with office politics and his family.

Final Verdict: 8.5 “M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games” #1 may run parallel to the upcoming animated series on Hulu, but with a solid script and great artwork, it’s rich enough to stand on it’s own.


John Schaidler

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