Friday, July 8, 2011

Fear Itself #4 (of 7)

As we hit the halfway point for Fear Itself we find the Earth in a bad spot - caught between a foe of incredible power (the Serpent) and the threat of destruction from Odin (who seems to have adopted the "we had to destroy the village to save it" philosophy).

Standing up for Earth are the Avengers, but they seem to be up against an unbeatable foe, as eight powerful humans (including the Hulk, the Thing, Juggernaut and the Absorbing Man) have been possessed by hammers of incredible power.

We see the follow-up to last issue's shocking death, and we can't help but wonder if more death might be on the way - especially considering that final page.

Writer Matt Fraction continues to weave a powerful story about ancient evil and the courage it takes to stand up in the face of genuine fear. His characterizations of Thor, Steve Rogers and Iron Man are especially spot on.

As for the art - well, I've raved many times about Stuart Immonen's work, and he continues to turn in page after page of powerful, stunning art. (Did I mention that last page?)

This series is building nicely, and next issue promises to be a classic Marvel fight-to-the-finish between powerhouses. I can't wait!

Grade: A-

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1 comment:

Dom said...

I totally agree with your assessment. Some people at the shop and online have knocked this series a bit, but I'm into it.