Thunderbolts #160
Written by Jeff Parker
Illustrated by Declan ShalveyFEAR ITSELF TIE-IN! The Raft prison has been destroyed. Hundreds of the most powerful criminals in the world are on the loose. But their threat is nothing compared to that of the one man who was already unstoppable and now wields godlike power. XXXXX XXXXXX is tearing a path across the United States, obliterating everything before him– and now the Thunderbolts are going to stand in his way. Can XXXXX XXXXXX’s team stop him? Can anything…?!
Uncanny X-Men #540
Written by Keiron Gillen
Illustrated by Greg LandFEAR ITSELF TIE-IN! The X-Men are used to being feared. When FEAR ITSELF finally reaches the west coast, they’re going to become well acquainted with the emotion first hand. The unstoppable power of an old foe renewed is heading their way, and they have all the time in the world to realize how little they can do to stop him. And even more time to think about exactly how he’s going to destroy San Francisco and everything it stands for.
Two issues, one Juggernaut. A gun to your head, a raspy voice whispering: “Choose one.” What do you do? Maybe reading past the cut will help you decide.
Three issues into their tie-ins, Thunderbolts finally inches closer to the core of Fear Itself. This is not to say they rush into things headlong — Jeff Parker and Declan Shalvey are still only interested in keeping to their own. The catch is that one of their own is currently empowered by ancient Asgardian whatevers to be an avatar of fear or destruction or something. The alpha team — as A-List as Thunderbolts ever really gets — is tasked with the simple and totally uncomplicated mission of stopping the Juggernaut in his tracks. Piece of cake, right?
The fact that Uncanny X-Men is also more or less about stopping the Juggernaut is a bit of a spoiler (but then, Juggernaut presumably will continue all the way to Fear Itself itself). The Thunderbolts’ effort is, in all likelihood, doomed to failure. This doesn’t stop it from being a damned interesting take on the “______ must stop the Juggernaut” story, which is practically a subgenre unto itself within Marvel history. Jeff Parker brings the ideas, but it’s Declan Shalvey’s art that makes it all work: check out the Futurist trip into Juggernaut’s mind, where an art style obsessed with motion and power is co-opted for the mental landscape of a man who just can’t be stopped.
Shalvey really is one of the best talents to fly under Marvel’s radar. It’s at the point where I look forward to his issues more than Kev Walker’s — not that Kev Walker is anything less than great himself, but Shalvey has three things going for him. First, his way with a brush gives the darkness on his pages terrific atmosphere, which is something a book like this really needs. Second, his character acting is unfussy but clear-headed, with a wide repertoire of faces and body language. Third, and best of all, he has a real gift for laying out a page. Look at the fight scene with Juggernaut and tell me that this guy doesn’t know how to block out an exciting brawl. If you do, by the way, you will be lying and that is horrible of you.
And thus we go from Declan Shalvey to Greg Land. I’m not a huge fan of Greg Land’s artwork, but I’m also not really keen on repeating the same four points as the entire rest of the internet, so just look up any other article about the guy and you can get your kicks in there. The nice thing, at least, is that there’s no real photo reference to be had for a figure as distorted as the Juggernaut’s (even if he’s as prone to WWE poses as everyone else). Another thing is that Keiron Gillen seems to be writing to Land’s style, rather than forcing Land’s style into his own mad ideascape (like a certain writer who preceded a certain Gillen appeared to do). I’m still not a huge fan of Land’s artwork, but this is an issue where his tics and tricks still allow a fighting chance.
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The X-Men give themselves over more wholeheartedly to Fear Itself than Thunderbolts does, and not just because their old enemy-turned-ally-turned-whatever has a magic hammer now. Namor swings in more or less to plug Fear Itself: The Deep and try to sow discord between Emma Frost and Cyclops, I guess because he’s a prick. (That said, his attempt seems like it shouldn’t even really work; Emma doesn’t exactly come off as the type to get stressed about wedding rings.) Cyclops, meanwhile, is having a bit of a rough go with the local San Francisco bureaucracy, and Colossus is angsting about his sister being evil demonspawn etc. Around all this, Juggernaut is using his new magic hammer powers to possess people (what?) and wage war on San Francisco.
I’m not used to this revival of X-Men comic books that can be read in one sitting and without consulting Google. Likewise, ones that stick to a relatively small cast of characters and don’t feature cameos from every possible person they can possibly fit in there. I could get to like this. (Of course, there’s, what, four issues left on the run?) It bears stating, though, that readable does not mean automatically great. It’s a huge improvement, but it’s not desperately exciting yet — but it’s hard not to come across as busywork in the middle of a company-wide crossover. Maybe as Schism gets closer, more of that will seep in, but for now, the wheels are spinning place. It’s just that someone’s finally oiled them.
Final Verdicts: 8.5 (Thunderbolts), 6.66 (Uncanny X-Men)
