Written by Matt Fraction
Illustrated by Stuart ImmonenThe blockbuster Marvel event of the year continues! AFTERMATH: the heroes reel in the wake of last issue’s shocking finale. Thor finds himself unwelcome in two homes. Steve Rogers makes the decision of a lifetime. And Iron Man prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice. Every move the heroes make just serves to make The Serpent stronger– and the feat he accomplishes in this issue will rock the Avengers.
Much like its DC counterpart Flashpoint, I’ve only had lukewarm feelings for Fear Itself so far. The story just doesn’t seem “urgent” enough yet – sure, big things are happening, but I’m not getting the reactions that one might expect in such a end of the world scenario from the characters involved. Then again, that’s how I felt last issue. Did things change with this issue? Well, you’ll have to follow the cut to see.
First, I’d like to discuss a change in this issue that has some people just as upset as they were with the death of Bucky. Don’t like spoilers? Then skip the following paragraph, because it definitely needs addressing.
Tony’s back on the sauce. Well, kind of. In this issue, in order to get Odin’s attention, Tony got smashed and pissed on Odin’s lawn. At least, with how poorly some readers are summarizing what Fraction wrote, because that’s what is going to get you to pay attention. What really happened? Tony gave up his sobriety as an offering to a god in order to receive his aid. Regressive storytelling, say some. I, on the other hand, maintain that it’s quite the opposite. Matt Fraction understands alcoholism. Read Invincible Iron Man #505.1. Read the back-matter of the Casanova reprints. It’s something he’s experienced firsthand, and he’s experienced it hard. Do you really think it’s something that he’d use as a cheap trick for drama? Of course not. A lesser writer would have Tony lapse just because things have gotten too “heavy,” but this is something completely different. Here, we have a character who has been sober for decades, giving up the one thing that he prides most for the sake of the world in a symbolic gesture. It’s moving, it’s human, and it’s goddamn heroic. Ever since Civil War it has been easy for the casual reader to call Tony things like “fascist” or “betrayer,” but through his work on Stark’s character in past years Fraction has been proving them wrong. Beating the odds and crushing wave after wave of enemies? That doesn’t make you a hero. Sacrificing the things you cherish for the good of others? That does. And if you think sobriety is a shallow thing for an alcoholic to cherish… I’m sorry, but you’re about as wrong as wrong can be.
But that’s just two pages out of quite a few more. The rest? Hey, it ‘aint bad. My main problem with the past three issues of Fear Itself was that for a comic full of larger-than-life characters smashing up all of creation with magic hammers and the help of nazis piloting mechas, it was pretty dull. Even Bucky’s death, which outraged many, just left me going “eh, so what?” Now, though, Fraction has pulled himself together a bit, and while this is still just another issue of a summer beat-em-up, it’s a pretty fun issue. Fraction’s focus is more centered in this one – except for a few panels that set the stage in the beginning of the issue, the flow of the story is rarely interrupted, sticking close to Marvel’s trinity of Iron Man, Thor, and Cap. Once the three split up, Fraction knows that our attention is already divided, and is smart enough to avoid dividing it any further (unlike some event books I might name). Each of the trio brings us to a different area of the conflict, and on a different scale: Tony is handling diplomacy (of sorts), Thor is taking the big bad head on, and Steve is on foot in the heat of the action. Where else would he be? That being said, the transitions are still handled with a bit of carelessness. The previously mentioned spoiler would have benefited from a bit more lead-up before plopping ______ on ______’s doorstep, and there are some half-page cuts that really don’t work for me, but these don’t hurt the comic too much. Sure, it’s essentially just a summer action flick in comic form – which, to me, means even at its best it can’t have a 100% buy recommendation – but if Fraction keeps it up it will hopefully be more like Thor and less like Green Lantern.
Continued belowOf course, we all know who really deserves the lions’ share of the praise for this issue. Stuart Immonen is one of those artists who seems to only get better with time – which you would normally, you know, expect, but lately I’ve been led to wonder that comic illustrating (and writing) talent has an expiration date. His core “look” – while incredibly recognizable – is significantly malleable, unlike other artists who rely on heavy stylization, allowing him to hit a variety of tones. You can tell that this is the same guy who illustrated Nextwave, but even someone who knows next to nothing about art and illustrating could tell you that he’s trying something different in this comic. And oh my goodness is it working. I couldn’t tell you how – I’m one of those previously mentioned someones who know next to nothing about art – but Immonen’s art is breathtakingly grand, in the sense of how immense it makes that small comic book in your hand seem. Immonen has the widescreen comics look that Brian Hitch and Warren Ellis pioneered down to a science, giving the reader everything they might desire upon hearing the words “summer comic blockbuster.” He isn’t alone, though. It takes a whole team of fantastic artists to make a comic that looks this good, and with the help of longtime inker Wade Von Grawbadger and colorists Larry Molinar and Laura Martin – the incredible Eisner-winning colorist of Planetary – they have managed to make the comic visual equivalent of Avatar.
Yeah, Fear Itself isn’t “deep.” It probably won’t be a mini that I pull out frequently after its publication. Still, it’s entertaining, and good lord is it gorgeous. I can understand those who pass on this, but I can also sympathize with those who can’t. Even for people like me who stick with buying what they want rather than what they think is “important,” this issue does what event comics do best: you realize that there are probably better things you could be spending money on, but you don’t care.
Final Verdict: 6.5 – Buy it, if only for the wonderful art.
