War of Kings: Ascension #2 of 4

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning // Wellinton Alves
July 2009
***

This adjunct mini may have a stronger plot arc than the main WoK series, but its dull art only emphasizes the most conventional elements. Darkhawk learns that his sentient armor is part of an intergalactic Knights Templar w/ nefarious aims, & that his ’90s backstory was mostly misinformation.

last issue: War of Kings: Ascension #1 of 4
next issue: War of Kings: Ascension #3 of 4

also indexed for Jul. ’09
Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #3 of 5
Guardians of the Galaxy #14
Nova #25
War of Kings #3 of 6

Annihilation #6 of 6

Keith Giffen // Andrea DiVito
March 2007
**

Galactus vaporizes the insectoid fleet, Nova goes mano a mano with the Big Bug, & Giffen delivers an epilogue. Annihil never quite delivered on its epic promise, mostly cuz it took itself too seriously. But more, the uninspired realism of DiVito’s art muffled the core mini’s sense of scope.

last issue: Annihilation #5 of 6
continued in Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus #1 of 2

also indexed for Mar. ’07
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #12

Annihilation #4 of 6

Keith Giffen // Andrea DiVito
January 2007
***

While Civil War hits delays, Annihilation keeps to its schedule. Thanos does a heel/face turn upon learning that the bug-invader plans to destroy all life; ironically, before he can save the ‘verse, he’s killed by his nemesis. Giffen engineered this whole series to give Thanos a death he deserves!

last issue: Annihilation #3 of 6
next issue: Annihilation #5 of 6

also indexed for Jan. ’07
Astonishing X-Men #19
Civil War #7 of 7
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #10

Annihilation #3 of 6

Keith Giffen // Andrea DiVito
December 2006
***

W/ this mini, the creators aim to write a war comic in space, with this ish staging an intergalactic Dunkirk. They ought to focus on the mystical weirdness instead: Super-Skrull reborn, but also Thanos’ mad speech on cosmic energy, its effect on bio-auras, & its practical application as a weapon.

last issue: Annihilation #2 of 6
next issue: Annihilation #4 of 6

also indexed for Dec. ’06
Astonishing X-Men #18
Civil War #6 of 7
The Immortal Iron Fist #2
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #9

Annihilation #2 of 6

Keith Giffen // Andrea DiVito
November 2006
**

Pursuing his own agenda, antihero Thanos supports Annihilus, fells Galactus, & kidnaps babes. You need Wikipedia for some of these characters’ IDs, but it’s way better than Civil War. Giffen savors his intergalactic war, esp. the political machinations, but he doesn’t always share the pleasure w/ us.

last issue: Annihilation #1 of 6
next issue: Annihilation #3 of 6

also indexed for Nov. ’06
Astonishing X-Men #17
Civil War #5 of 7
The Immortal Iron Fist #1
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #8

Annihilation #1 of 6

Keith Giffen // Andrea DiVito
October 2006
***

Taxied into place by a one-shot & 5 minis, the flagship of this metaseries sets sail. A swarm of space locusts from beyond the universe has consumed the Skrull Empire. Nova, leading a loose alliance of galactic heroes (esoteric ’70s Starlin creations, mostly), reports on the grim calculus of war. It’s journeyman space opera in a realistic prosy style, heavily influenced by Starship Troopers.

continued from Annihilation: Nova #4 of 4
continued from Annihilation: Ronan #4 of 4
continued from Annihilation: Silver Surfer #4 of 4
continued from Annihilation: Super-Skrull #4 of 4
next issue: Annihilation #2 of 6

also indexed for Oct. ’06
Astonishing X-Men #16
Civil War #4 of 7

Annihilation: Ronan #3 of 4

Simon Furman // Jorge Lucas
August 2006
***

In battle w/ Gamora (a ’70s Marvel babe), Ronan’s gavel throws off so much energy, it reshapes a scruffy desert planet! At least, that’s a godlike terraformer’s plan—but a cloud of space locusts intervenes. Btw the stakes & the bravado, this mini recalls the mad, mythic epics of Kirby & Starlin.

last issue: Annihilation: Ronan #2 of 4
next issue: Annihilation: Ronan #4 of 4

also indexed for Aug. ’06
Annihilation: Nova #3 of 4
Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3 of 4
Annihilation: Super-Skrull #3 of 4
Astonishing X-Men #15
Civil War #2 of 7
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #6
Young Avengers #12

Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3 of 4

Keith Giffen // Renato Arlem
August 2006
***

In Annihil‘s spine, Giffen stages intrigues among the big bads. Annihilus dissects cosmic beings & arranges an alliance w/ Thanos! And the Surfer moves in narrative retrograde, pledging fealty to Galactus in return for more power. If only Arlem didn’t photoref classic scifi images (BSG, Star Wars)…

last issue: Annihilation: Silver Surfer #2 of 4
next issue: Annihilation: Silver Surfer #4 of 4

also indexed for Aug. ’06
Annihilation: Nova #3 of 4
Annihilation: Ronan #3 of 4
Annihilation: Super-Skrull #3 of 4
Astonishing X-Men #15
Civil War #2 of 7
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #6
Young Avengers #12

Annihilation: Silver Surfer #2 of 4

Keith Giffen // Renato Arlem
July 2006
**

The space war feels far away. Here cosmic titans negotiate alliances: the hunted heralds of Galactus band together, Thanos parlays w/ Annihilus, & far away, Galactus detects a cosmic disturbance. Almost incidentally, Annihilus exposits his motivation—our expanding ‘verse has encroached on his own.

last issue: Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1 of 4
next issue: Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3 of 4

also indexed for Jul. ’06
Annihilation: Nova #2 of 4
Annihilation: Ronan #2 of 4
Annihilation: Super-Skrull #2 of 4
Civil War #1 of 7
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #5

Annihilation: Nova #4 of 4

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning // Kev Walker
September 2006
***

Nice to see the titular hero’s headstrong frontal assault has ramifications: the villain, a Kirby-era insect tyrant from an antimatter universe, kills an ally & siphons his power! Moody art adds a mythic sensibility to this mini, turning the climax into a face-off btw cosmic knights & a space dragon.

last issue: Annihilation: Nova #3 of 4
continued in Annihilation #1 of 6

also indexed for Sept. ’06
Annihilation: Ronan #4 of 4
Annihilation: Silver Surfer #4 of 4
Annihilation: Super-Skrull #4 of 4
Civil War #3 of 7
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #7

Annihilation: Nova #3 of 4

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning // Kev Walker
August 2006
***

Nova’s still unsure of his newfound cosmic powers, which have drawn the attn of the Big Bad, Annihilus. Wind tussles the hair of Quasar, ’90s SF hero, as he & the cast debate the best way to evacuate a planet! Each protag’s POV stems from his personality. Good craft, authentically epic.

last issue: Annihilation: Nova #2 of 4
next issue: Annihilation: Nova #4 of 4

also indexed for Aug. ’06
Annihilation: Ronan #3 of 4
Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3 of 4
Annihilation: Super-Skrull #3 of 4
Astonishing X-Men #15
Civil War #2 of 7
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #6
Young Avengers #12

Annihilation: Nova #1 of 4

Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning // Kev Walker
June 2006
**

Space-opera comics, part of a metaseries. A swarm of alien termites has annihilated the intergalactic police force (AKA Nova Corps). As w/ the ’90s Green Lantern, one human takes the baton: Richard Ryder, who uploads a supercomputer AI into his brain. Now he’s a stubborn cuss w/ near-cosmic powers.

continued from Annihilation: Prologue
next issue: Annihilation: Nova #2 of 4

also indexed for Jun. ’06
Annihilation: Ronan #1 of 4
Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1 of 4
Annihilation: Super-Skrull #1 of 4
Astonishing X-Men #14
Nextwave, Agents of HATE #4

Annihilation: Prologue #1 of 1

Keith Giffen // Scott Kolins
May 2006
***

Using plenty of technobabble, Giffen designs a space-opera spectacle. A wave of insectoids from beyond the universe wipes out the Nova Corps (intergalactic cops). The grandiosity makes the cosmic scope plausible (you could easily miss a genocide in the ol’ Kree-Skrull War) while the art is clear yet full of detail & activity. This prologue intros a SF revival for Marvel.

continued in Annihilation: Nova #1 of 4
continued in Annihilation: Ronan #1 of 4
continued in Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1 of 4
continued in Annihilation: Super-Skrull #1 of 4

also indexed for May ’06
Iron Man #6
Nextwave: Agents of HATE #3
The Pulse #14
Young Avengers #11

FF #20

Jonathan Hickman // Nick Dragotta
September 2012
****

Dragotta shines in the SF opener, where a cityship blasts at a starcruiser. His parallel talent for aliens helps set high expectations for the next phase of Hickman’s FF run: the Inhuman invasion of Earth. In a cute touch, Val & Bentley the Wizard Clone draw a plan up to subjugate the Kree Empire.

last issue: FF #19
next issue: FF #21

also indexed for Sept. ’12
The Fantastic Four #608

FF #17

Jonathan Hickman // Nick Dragotta
June 2012
*****

Spider-Man has been underused as a member of FF, a flaw that’s finally rectified by this A+ issue. The creative team write the nerdiest Parker since Ditko’s. Johnny Storm makes a terrible roommate (no surprise), then drags Pete out to party w/ MJ & his alien pals. The final straw is truly hilarious.

last issue: FF #16
next issue: FF #18

also indexed for Jun. ’12
The Fantastic Four #605

The Fantastic Four #602

Jonathan Hickman // Barry Kitson
March 2012
*****

Hickman remixes Kirby’s original concepts into a grand work of SF, w/ novelistic complexity & cinematic scope. Alien armadas pause their orbital battle to apprehend the advent of rival cosmic gods. Kitson’s clarity, depth of focus, & attn to detail helps immensely in staging this space operatic ish.

see also FF #14
last issue: The Fantastic Four #601
next issue: The Fantastic Four #603

also indexed for Mar. ’12
FF #14

The Fantastic Four #601

Jonathan Hickman // Steve Epting
February 2012
****

To counter an alien armada, Johnny S. leads his space-insect cavalry into the skies, reinforced by the Inhuman cityship! But can Earth survive a battle low in its orbit? Epting’s in his element, penciling okay widescreen action (if you want Hickman’s heftier, smarter work, read the partner mag).

see also FF #13
last issue: The Fantastic Four #600
next issue: The Fantastic Four #602

also indexed for Feb. ’12
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #8 of 9
FF #13

The Fantastic Four #600

A-story: Jonathan Hickman // Steve Epting
B-story: Jonathan Hickman // Carmine Di Giandomenico
C-story: Jonathan Hickman // Ming Doyle
D-story: Jonathan Hickman // Leinil Yu
E-story: Jonathan Hickman // Farel Dalrymple
January 2012
A-story: **** // B-story: ***** // C-story: *****
D-story: **** // E-story: *****

A king-size #600. The A-story picks up the threads of FF, pitting every NYC superhero against a pair of alien invasions; a surprise twist has the late Johnny Storm break the Annihilation Wave! Then Hickman shows that Torch did die in #587, only to be resurrected in a gladiator scenario. That piece has a Euro look that meshes w/ the bug-‘verse setting; like all the back-up pencilers, it puts Epting to shame. Much of the art is “ugly” yet lovely, accentuating how creative JH’s whole run is.

continued from FF #11
continued in FF #12
next issue: The Fantastic Four #601

also indexed for Jan’ 12
FF #12

FF #11

Jonathan Hickman // Barry Kitson
late December 2011
****

Two alt-Reeds serve as biomass for a rebooted Kree Intelligence, who mounts an invasion of Earth—concurrent w/ an incursion from the Negative Zone! Luckily, the real Mr F calls his pals, incl. the Avengers, to prep for battle. Kitson only pencils breakdowns; the loose art keeps #11 from *****.

continued in The Fantastic Four #600
last issue: FF #10
next issue: FF #12

also indexed for Dec. ’11
FF #10

FF #3

Jonathan Hickman // Steve Epting
July 2011
****

The first symposium of the Future Foundation, hosted by Dr. Doom, asks “How to defeat Mr. Fantastic?” The enemy: the Council of Reeds, trapped on Earth. Various foes pick one side or the other, as the Reeds devise an Earth-shattering gateway home using the fantastical cities of last year’s issues.

last issue: FF #2
next issue: FF #4

also indexed for Jul. ’11
FF #4

The Fantastic Four #588

A-story: Jonathan Hickman // Nick Dragotta
B-story: Jonathan Hickman // Mark Brooks
April 2011
A-story: ***** // B-story: ****

Hick finally gets a partner who matches his calibre: Dragotta, who apes Kirby’s dynamic grunts but draws a Sturm-like indie line. Silence signifies mourning as Johnny Storm’s family & friends grieve. It sells the moment w/o sentiment—unlike the B-plot, where Spidey helps Franklin mourn his uncle.

last issue: The Fantastic Four #587
continued in FF #1

The Fantastic Four #587

Jonathan Hickman // Steve Epting
March 2011
****

A fantastic climax caps Hickman’s first “season”! Sue stares Namor down as she’s crowned regent of Atlantis. Even better, Val leads a junior team into the Neg Zone to commit science heroics. And Johnny sacrifices himself to stop an insectoid invasion. Would be ***** but for Ept’s photorealism.

last issue: The Fantastic Four #586
next issue: The Fantastic Four #588

also indexed for Mar. ’11
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #4 of 9

The Fantastic Four #585

Jonathan Hickman // Steve Epting
January 2011
****

Hickman has divided the Four while accelerating his story’s pace. He’s got plenty of plots in play, from the Negative Zone death-cult to an Atlantean war of succession to a deep-space excursion w/ Galactus. That last plot brushes w/ Kirby-like grandeur, tho Epting’s prosaic style doesn’t match.

last issue: The Fantastic Four #584
next issue: The Fantastic Four #586

also indexed for Jan. ’11
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #3 of 9