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Credits
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Quick Summary"CRUEL & UNUSUAL" part 1 (of 3) EVERYTHING CHANGES! The secrets of the THIN MAN are revealed at last as the NEW INVADERS reunite in a cataclysmic battle to change the world! (Solicitation blurb) |
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Commentary"Soldiers who are unafraid to do what they must to save the world." --Dell Rusk Dell's, or rather the Red Skull's words ring true. This is what the Invaders are about, soldiers doing what they must in a super hero setting. This issue is focused around the enigmatic Thin Man: Dr. Bruce Dickson, Ph.D. Allan Jacobsen does a wonderful job of detailing Dickson's exploits these past sixty years, and the dark picture he paints of the character could make Garth Ennis cower in fear. Giving the origin of the Thin Man isn't contrived either, it ties in nicely with the current plot, Thin Man has captured an Axis Mundi necromancer, and Dickson is using the powers of his teammate Nia to access the necromancer's ability to raise the dead. Thus, in the necromancer's mindscape, Thin Man has the three men that made up Agent Axis gagged and bound while he tortures them. Not quite superhero behavior, but then Thin Man doesn't profess to be a superhero, in fact, Dickson seems to enjoy the hell he is making for himself. "Sometimes at night, I'd slither between the worlds, and seek out one of my inmates to send to the Devil--just to remind him that I'd be along shortly." What we have is a dangerous sociopath, a living weapon whose life has been fraught with pain and loss, and now he's taking justice into his own hands. The secondary plots this issue revolve around Hammond, Namor and the others. Dramatic tensions are building between Hammond and Spitfire, while Namor has been busy recovering from his run in with Wolverine last issue. The Atlantean Monarch converses with his old friend Hammond, where I envisioned Namor found he had to grow up a bit himself. After saying the words "Above self. Above friend. Above all." Namor sort of stammers and pauses, one can tell he's taking his own words into consideration with a bit of "Hmm...I've spent a long time complaining about the surface world and generally being belligerent, what if I were to put that away now. To be above petty grievances, to be above self." or something like that. While the touching display of camaraderie goes on, Blazing Skull also brings his own special sense of humor to bear. At the very end of the issue, an old friend shows up and a new conflict arises, creating a nice segue for the next issue to take off. The writing is excellent, giving a detailed background of one character, while allowing for character growth in the here and now. The eerie and dark mood Jacobsen brings to the Thin Man segments cannot be accurately described, one must read it for it's full insidious affect. C.P.'s art is also great this issue. I've been one of the people who's really liked his art, he does military action scenes well, and talking, down time sequences with equal ability. Watching his art grow over the past few issues has been great, and he does an outstanding job with the Thin Man sequences, what was once a dorky power has now become a powerful, creepy visual. Overall a great issue and a great read, I give it an A. |