Infinity Countdown #1
Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artist: Mike Deodato, Aaron Kuder
Cover Artist: Nick Bradshaw
Publisher: Marvel Comics
In case anybody was wondering what the scale of this event is going to be, Infinity Countdown #1 makes it very clear that that we will be seeing everything from cosmic clashes with giant monsters to plotting and intrigue with street-level spies. Though this issue primarily focused on the former, it's obvious that every dangling plot thread carries some weight. As the main focus of the issue, however, the Guardians of the Galaxy were definitely pulling their weight. Bouncing between the Groot centric battle against the Gardener and Drax's struggle to protect the Power Stone, almost every character got their moment on the cosmic side of things. From Richard Rider making tree puns to Drax walking out of an explosion unscathed, and from Rocket's rampant vulgarity to Groot gaining the ability to speak in full sentences, this was packed with little character moments.
This is in large part because of the creativity and smart writing of Gerry Duggan. Though the Drax plot was significantly less exciting than the Gardener fight, it was still packed with great ideas and fun moments. All around, this team of Guardians feels right and in character, something which fans have not seen until very recently from Marvel. Watching the team play off of each other makes this feel like like an event comic and more like a tightly focused Guardians issue, and that is not a complaint. Instead of an event comic starting out with a dramatic death, ultra-powerful supervillian, or some other dramatic twist, Infinity Countdown is beginning on a fun, lighthearted, and character-driven foot. This change is not only welcome, but also much needed for Marvel. Instead of an event filled with infighting and tragedy, this feels like something new and refreshing.
The art here is also very well done. Kuder knocks it out of the park on some panels, especially those of the Gardener battle. Though most of the page is dominated by tree people of all shapes and sizes, the greens and browns never feel overwhelming. Every character is easily distinguishable, and and action is easy to follow. On top of this, the character work in the writing is really complemented by the expressive facial work that is present across the board. It helps each character pop off of the page and makes their emotions easier to empathize with as a reader. Hopefully this art stays consistent once the event really begins kicking into gear. If it does, we could have some historic and iconic panels ahead of us.
Overall, this issue made a lot of smart decisions. Bouncing around the universe to check in on each Infinity Stone worked well for the purposes of Infinity Countdown Prime, but continuing that trend would have spread the story very thin. Having a tight focus on the Guardians and on one Infinity Stone was a wise decision, and keeping the tone of the issue lighthearted instead of jumping to a grimdark plot device immediately also served it well. I highly recommend this book.
Artist: Mike Deodato, Aaron Kuder
Cover Artist: Nick Bradshaw
Publisher: Marvel Comics
In case anybody was wondering what the scale of this event is going to be, Infinity Countdown #1 makes it very clear that that we will be seeing everything from cosmic clashes with giant monsters to plotting and intrigue with street-level spies. Though this issue primarily focused on the former, it's obvious that every dangling plot thread carries some weight. As the main focus of the issue, however, the Guardians of the Galaxy were definitely pulling their weight. Bouncing between the Groot centric battle against the Gardener and Drax's struggle to protect the Power Stone, almost every character got their moment on the cosmic side of things. From Richard Rider making tree puns to Drax walking out of an explosion unscathed, and from Rocket's rampant vulgarity to Groot gaining the ability to speak in full sentences, this was packed with little character moments.
This is in large part because of the creativity and smart writing of Gerry Duggan. Though the Drax plot was significantly less exciting than the Gardener fight, it was still packed with great ideas and fun moments. All around, this team of Guardians feels right and in character, something which fans have not seen until very recently from Marvel. Watching the team play off of each other makes this feel like like an event comic and more like a tightly focused Guardians issue, and that is not a complaint. Instead of an event comic starting out with a dramatic death, ultra-powerful supervillian, or some other dramatic twist, Infinity Countdown is beginning on a fun, lighthearted, and character-driven foot. This change is not only welcome, but also much needed for Marvel. Instead of an event filled with infighting and tragedy, this feels like something new and refreshing.
The art here is also very well done. Kuder knocks it out of the park on some panels, especially those of the Gardener battle. Though most of the page is dominated by tree people of all shapes and sizes, the greens and browns never feel overwhelming. Every character is easily distinguishable, and and action is easy to follow. On top of this, the character work in the writing is really complemented by the expressive facial work that is present across the board. It helps each character pop off of the page and makes their emotions easier to empathize with as a reader. Hopefully this art stays consistent once the event really begins kicking into gear. If it does, we could have some historic and iconic panels ahead of us.
Overall, this issue made a lot of smart decisions. Bouncing around the universe to check in on each Infinity Stone worked well for the purposes of Infinity Countdown Prime, but continuing that trend would have spread the story very thin. Having a tight focus on the Guardians and on one Infinity Stone was a wise decision, and keeping the tone of the issue lighthearted instead of jumping to a grimdark plot device immediately also served it well. I highly recommend this book.
A Look Inside
