|
MARVEL MANGAVERSE: NEW DAWN #1
Recommended (8/10)
|
Marvel Comics
Writer/Artist: Ben Dunn
Colors: Guru eFX
Letters: Ben Dunn & Guru eFX
Editor: Brian Smith
Price: $3.50 US/$5.25 CAN |
I'll admit it... for the most part, Japanese pop culture confuses the hell out of me. Manga and anime rarely appeal to me. Sure, giant robots are cool, but there's such thing as too much of a good thing. Manga, whether delving into fantasy or sci-fi, seems to focus on the bizarre and surreal to a fault, in my estimation.
So with that in mind, you'd think that Marvel's foray into a manga version of its continuity and characters would not be my cup o' tea. But in this first "Marvel Mangaverse" special, Ben Dunn combines the strengths of the shared-continuity of a super-hero universe with the detail and fresh imagination of the Japanese approach to comics storytelling. It may not be the most accessible story, but it is a hell of a lot of fun.
After a cataclysmic confrontation between the armor-clad Tony Stark and Namor, Prince of Atlantis, the world -- and Stark Enterprises -- sets to the task of resuming life as normal. In the wake of Tony's disappearance, his sister and former SHIELD agent Antoinette Stark has taken over the company and abandoned her brother's distaste for military contracts. As she develops armor technology and the same kind of energy well that almost destroyed the world once before, she raises the ire of Namor and his allies: Baron Strucker and HYDRA.
There's actually much more going on in this issue than that a one-paragraph synopsis can do justice. Dunn brings some inventive new versions of characters like the Hulk, the Wasp, Ant-Man, Dr. Strange, Baron Mordo, the Black Widow, the Executioner and many more into the story. For longtime fans of Marvel super-heroes, this reworking of the publisher's archetypes will prove to be a real treat. For those not so familiar with Marvel lore, the references to the mainstream characters could prove a little confusing, but I think there's enough exposition for this alternate continuity for plenty of entertainment for them as well.
Dunn brings a stunning array of detail to the visuals for this book, and his work is bolstered by color studio Guru eFX. The visuals are dense, and it takes two or three readings to absorb all of the detail. Even more impressive are Dunn's new designs for familiar characters. The Wasp is simple but sharp, and the various Stark armor designs are imaginative and fun. The magical characters -- Baron Mordo and Strange -- are particularly eye-catching.
The visual depiction of female characters is, as is often the case with manga storytelling, far too focused on their physical attributes (though North American creators are far from innocent in this regard as well). However, most of the key players in this drama are women, and it's a refreshing change of pace from most super-hero crossover-type stories. The
strong personalities that Dunn has granted these characters almost overcome the visual emphasis on their sexuality. But c'mon... did Antonoinette stripping down to the altogether after shedding her armor really contribute anything to the plot or her character?
Overall, though, this is a promising start for the Marvel Mangaverse. I look forward to the other offerings in this line... and coming from me, that's saying something.
Email Don MacPherson comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.
|
