Writer: Keith Giffen
Artist: Scott Kolins & Ariel Olivetti
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99
And so it begins…
Marvel Comics basically invented the “cosmic” storyline, thanks to creators like Jack Kirby and Jim Starlin. And, over the years, they’ve built up quite the pantheon of extraterrestrial heroes and menaces. And now, with the Annihilation event, Marvel is revisiting old concepts, to put a modern spin on them.
When dealing with a story like the Prologue, one really has to approach the book from two perspectives: that of the longtime fan, and that of the new reader. And, from either perspective, the book can best be described as a limited success.
Despite the fact that it’s designed to set up the four subsequent miniseries, the Prologue is primarily about Richard Rider, the Man Called Nova. Unfortunately, the storyline requires him to be treated like an absolute rookie, unfamiliar with the methods and technology of the Nova Corps, despite the fact that he’s helped the Corps rebuild more than once. Indeed, they, and/or their home world, have required re-construction in most of their appearances.
Naturally, Rider redeems his enforced naiveté by coming up with an unorthodox solution to save the day, although as everyone who witnessed it dies anyway, it seems rather pointless. This act serves the purpose of putting him in the position needed for his miniseries, much like the various one-page cameos of Ronan, Super-Skrull, and the Silver Surfer do for their respective storylines. Oddly enough, characters who’ve already had re-defining miniseries (Thanos and Drax) get more page time than the new lynchpin characters.
However, as suggested above, one can also approach this story from the perspective of a new reader. However, the book does not acquit itself well from that perspective, either. For a story about alien empires and defenders of the peace, there are a lot of very mundane characterizations. We have oddly colored beat cops for Nova Centurions (including Rider as the “new kid”), bigoted redneck (blueneck?) Kree, a blue Judge Dredd (right out of the movie), and an enemy that’s essentially the Mongol horde with exoskeletons. There’s very little sense of wonder, and the only alien culture that is in the least bit developed is destroyed before the end of the issue. The action is satisfying enough, but in terms of actual sci-fi storytelling, it feels like empty calories.
Part of the blame can be laid on the shoulders of the art team, however. There are two artists listed in the credits, and while it’s unclear exactly who did what, it appears that Scott Kolins did most of the issue. His draftsmanship is talented enough, with some bold designs for Xandar and the Kree, but in several panels where the art is expected to convey a sense of epic scope, his lack of detail spoil the effect, especially in the Worldmind briefing scene.
I cannot say that Annihilation: Prologue is a bad issue. It does what it set out to do, placing various characters in positions of some peril, and hinting of action to come. But as a standalone issue, it fails to entice.
Mario Di Giacomo Has been reading comics since 1975 and has maintained a presence online since 1987. A life-long Rhode Island native, he spends his time creating software for the Department of Defense, despite the fact that he actually has an MS in Mathematics. His mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought, careening thru a cosmic vapor of invention.