Fear Itself #1
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Cover: Steve McNiven
When Marvel announced Fear Itself, a few things immediately caught my attention. The title is certainly an attention grabber on its own, and any book featuring Thor and Captain America as its lead heroes is bound to be exciting. However the biggest thing for me was Matt Fraction. Ever since Thor: Ages of Thunder I’ve been a huge fan. It’s nice to see Marvel hand over the reins of the large crossover events to someone fresh. It’s also nice to see an event that isn’t going to have a million and a half tie ins. I think Fear Itself only has a million (joke?).
Moving on. This is a great issue. Plain and simple. Fraction has a mastery of the characters that he chooses to put in the spotlight that allows him to keep the characters familiar but keep a fresh spin on them. His work with Thor and all the related Asguardian goodness is, I’m going to say, currently unparalleled. Anyone who has read big events like this before probably has a handle on the formula. Lots of action, some dialogue, and a big reveal, maybe a death thrown in. They’re like summer blockbusters, and usually come out of the gates screaming trying to gain as much attention as possible, and then burn out half way through. Fraction’s pacing in Fear is a refreshing change. The issue is low on action, saving the big conflicts and pay offs for later, but is not without its huge moment and is far from uninteresting. And unlike similar books, Fear Itself doesn’t make you wade through 50 pages before you get a pay off.
I don’t want to get too deep into the story because there is a lot of great stage setting here, but I don’t want to leave this review at “buy this book now!” despite that being how I feel. Fear Itself #1 is a near perfect first issue. It keeps the pages turning without blowing it’s load right off the bat. You know by the time you reach the end of this issue that some serious shit is about to go down in the Marvel U. Fraction has his readers right in the palm of his hand before you even realize it. And it’s not just the writing, all the elements are there. Stuart Immonen is one of the most consistent artists out there, able to draw any corner of the Marvel Universe and make them look great. While this may have not been the most exciting issue ever, I’m on the edge of my seat for Fear Itself #2.
Short story: Buy this book now.
4/5
-Vlaz
Tags: captain america, comic book reviews, comics, Marvel, marvel comics, matt fraction, stuart immonen, thor
