Last summer, MARVEL Comics unleashed one of the most monumental crossovers in the companies storied history. Avengers Vs. X-Men was a massive 12 issue crossover within the MARVEL comic book universe that had several spin off series and set in to motion several story lines that are still having lasting consequences in many of the company's ongoing comic book titles. Not to mention, AVX made the company a lot of money.
What If... is one of MARVEL comics longest standing traditions. What If... has numerous times been a regular comic series, and a frequent fan favorite, mostly because of the simplicity of the concept. What If... books look back at high points in MARVEL comic book cannon and explore the possibilities of what would have happened if events had occurred differently.
In this 4 issue limited series, legendary comic book writer Jimmy Palmiotti changes things up from the very first page. Palmiotti assumes that the reader is already familiar with the story and begins to surgically alter most of what you know. The basic framework is essentially the same. The Phoenix force is headed towards earth, and this living energy force is headed for one person in particular, Hope Summers. The Avengers find this out first and move to bring her in to protective custody in order save her life and potentially the lives of billions others. However, the X-Men view this move as a direct threat to the mutant race and have no intention of going along with the plan.
While the basic premise is still intact, this AVX story has a body count from the beginning. The first fatalities didn't even appear in the original story, but this groups appearance and sudden demise adds weight and a deep sense of desperation to this version. Palmiotti illustrates a very good grasp of the original story and uses that understanding to deconstruct the original narrative and yet leave all of the key points still intact. However, he adds in two amazing gotcha moments to the first issue that are sure to drop jaws. This kind of brutal conflict is something of a hallmark of the What If... series. Without a doubt, the end of issue one will leave your jaw firmly on the floor and have you begging for issue #2.
Jorge Molina steps up his game and adds a visual punch to Palmiotti's knock out story. The original Avengers Vs. X-Men series featured a great deal of art provided by John Romita Jr. which was frequently very good, but often left this reviewer wanting for a little more consistency. In What If...AVX, Molina never once drops the ball. What Molina may lack in detail, he more than makes up for in consistency. The splash pages are amazing and in two key places the art lends a cinematic feel to this truly outstanding story. Norman lee provides effective inking, but if I do have a complaint in the art it is only with two choices in character coloring that struck me as odd. Otherwise, Rachelle Rosenberg does a great job as colorist.
Jimmy Palmiotti's writing is reason enough to pick up this book. But, with solid art and an approach to the story that carefully dissects the original narrative, there may be more to this series than just another AVX money grab. It just so happens that when everything is considered, What If... Avengers Vs. X-men could actually be a critical companion piece to the original 12 part series. What If...Avengers Vs. X-Men is available in print at your local comic book retailer and for digital download on MARVEL.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment