The dust left by “Infinity” has barely had time to settle, but Matt Fraction and Olivier Coipel are here to kick off Marvel’s latest line-wide status quo with style.
Written by Matt Fraction
Illustrated by Olivier Coipel• After INFINITY, the Marvel Universe has changed.
• The Avengers find themselves face to face with Karnak who has discovered the secret of the Inhumans that will shake the Marvel U to its core.
The flow from event to event is par for the course in mainstream super hero books, so it should be no surprise that Marvel is keen to keep those fires of interest burning in the wake of “Infinity.” At the same time, with Fraction and Joe Madureira’s high-profile “Inhuman” on the horizon, it makes sense to give fans a teaser of what’s to come. “Inhumanity” rides that line between epilogue and prologue fairly well, crafting an engaging interlude with a wealth of potential.
There are three basic ingredients in “Inhumanity.” As I’ve already mentioned, much time is split between catching readers up on pertinent events of “Infinity,” as well as laying the groundwork for “Inhumans.” As one who didn’t follow “Infinity,” I can’t attest to whether the issue’s flashback scenes bring anything new to the table. It does certainly feel as if a reader who skipped “Infinity” is missing some key pieces to the overall story.
However, just as Blackbolt’s terrigen bomb leveled Attilan, Fraction’s new take on the history of the Inhumans blows everything you thought you knew about the superhuman race out of existence. This apocryphal tale of exile and assimilation is the second major revelation regarding the Inhumans in recent memory, coming just a few years after Hickman’s unveiling of the “Universal Inhumans” in “Fantastic Four.” Of the two retcons of Inhuman history, Fraction’s narrative lacks a certain level of gravitas necessary to make the story stick. Perhaps this is something that will be addressed in greater detail in “Inhuman” proper, but “Inhumanity” #1 does a somewaht lackluster job at selling this core concept.
With all the grand world building and exposition, it’s easy to lose sight of the issue’s strongest point, which is its terrific character work. It should be no surprise that an issue penned by Fraction would feature dialogue what masterfully toes the line between fun/witty and seriously somber. Through the lens of Karnac (the Inhuman equivalent of Midnighter), Fraction puts readers into the mind of a very alien race.
This is especially visible in his interactions with the Avengers. Unsurprisingly, two characters with huge connections to Fractioin take center stage with Karnac, Hawkeye and Iron Man. In many ways, this makes “Inhumanity” feel like stealth crossover of the Marvel Fraction-verse. Clint’s quick quips and general goofiness sets “Hawkguy” square in the middle of a Marvel flagship book which, as tangential as it is to the overall narrative, extremely refreshing. We also get bits and pieces of Fraction’s recent work on “FF” thrown in for good measure, particularly with Medusa.
If Hawkeye is the issue’s comic relief, Medusa is its dramatic anchor. Perhaps the greatest achievement (story-wise) of “Inhumanity” #1 is Fraction’s strong portrayal of the Inhuman queen. Just as Geoff Johns has done with Mera in his work on “Aquaman,” Fraction does a fantastic job of letting the character stand strong apart from her King, without undermining the strength and importance of their relationship. The fact that Fraction will carry on the story in the upcoming “Inhumanity: Medusa” one-shot bodes extremely well.
While the issue’s strong character work is a major draw, it’s Coipel’s fantastic pencils coupled with Laura Martin’s rich colors that sell the issue. As great as Madureira is, it’s hard not to pine for an ongoing Inhuman series featuring this art team. Like Fraction, Coipel moves effortlessly between larger-than-life scope and smaller character moments, often in the same scene. A perfect example is when Karnac finally finds the “fault” in things. The discovery is heralded by a stunning prophetic, bearing foreboding portraits of major players on a cosmic backdrop. This is preceded by the terrible understanding that falls across Karnac’s face, which instantly tells where the character is going to go next.
Continued belowCoipel is joined by “Infinity” alumni Leinel Francis Yu and Dustin Weaver, who handle the Inhuman and “Infinity” flashbacks, respectively. Though neither gets cover recognition, both turn in the same high quality work each is known for. It does seem, however, that each tweaks their style ever so slightly to align with Coipel’s. If this is the start of a new Marvel “house-style,” it’s certainly hard to complain.
Overall, “Inhumanity” is a terrific bridge point between “Infinity” and the “Inhumanity” banner-event that is currently sweeping through the Marvel universe. It’s been hinted at before, but there’s a distinct undercurrent of varying influences at work here. The royal subterfuge and division of “A Game of Thrones” is mingled with the marginalized minority of the X-Men, all wrapped in the cosmic high concepts of the event it stems from. Fraction has planted these seeds in extremely fertile soil, and one can only imagine that possible stories that will grow from them.
Final Verdict: 8.1 – Buy. Fraction works his magic, taking a relatively niche corner of the Marvel universe and making it easily accessible to all. Bring on “Inhuman.”
