Of the four Annihilation limited series, this one stands out, mainly because this first issue doesn't touch upon the events of Annihilation Prologue at all. The focus is squarely on Ronan's story alone. It reminds me a bit of what's being explored in Super-Skrull, but in that series, the catalyst for the disgraced soldier's story is Annihilus's incursion into the cosmos. The war impacts Ronan's story little, and I like that Furman doesn't portray Ronan as a suddenly selfless sort. Not surprisingly, Jorge Lucas's art captures the brutality and alien qualities of the worlds through which the title character travels.
Ronan the Accuser was once one of the most powerful men in the Kree Empire's military, doling out swift and brutal justice to those he and he alone deemed guilty. Now, the accuser stands accused, convicted of treason against the empire he once served so faithfully. As the galaxy scrambles to deal with the devastation brought by the Annihilation Wave, an at-large Ronan travels from planet to planet, searching for those who ruined his career and his reputation. Still, despite the personal nature of his mission, he can't help but pass judgment on those he feels merit condemnation, no matter what the consequences.
Given how the seeds for this story are to be found in Annihilation Prologue, I appreciate the fact that Jorge Lucas's artwork is consistent in tone with that of Prologue artist Scott Kolins. Lucas conveys the title character's grim demeanor and the aura of power he exudes incredibly well, and he brings an impossible landscape and a variety of exotic alien races to life in incredible detail. What really makes the visuals special, though, are Dave McCaig's colors. There's an unnatural green glow that's to be found in almost every panel, and it not only conveys the alien circumstances of the story but creates an air of tension that enhances the story.
Furman's plot allows the reader to learn of the kind of power Ronan wields, allowing those of us who are not quite as familiar with the character to see that he's on the same cosmic power level as the other Annihilation protagonists. I enjoyued how Furman quickly establishes the socio-political workings of an alien civil war as well.
What makes this script interesting to read is Furman's take on Ronan's character. He's a fairly obscure figure from the Marvel Universe, but Furman establishes who he is and what makes him tick clearly and quickly. He inserts himself into a dispute, meting out "justice" as he sees fit. But he doesn't care for the larger picture or the impact his decision has on others, on a society. Ronan revels in passing judgment but not exercising judgment. On the one hand, one could applaud him for refusing to allow him to compromise his judicial ideals. But instead, I see his singlemindedness as a flaw. His focus is too narrow, and ultimately, it means that even though he feels he was unjustly stripped of his station, he really isn't worthy of the position in the first place. 7/10
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
