Annihilation - Book 3 [Paperback]

 

 

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Review by Brian Grindrod

Purchasing and organizing the Annihilation saga in the standard comic book format had to be a royal pain in the butt with a 48 page one-shot, four issue limited series that tied into one another with the event concluding in a six issue mini-series. Oh, I was about to forget to mention the various spin-offs and sequels! Lucky for me, Marvel Comics realizes the sales potential in repackaging their best and popular material in the over-sized hardcover format that has the same asking price as their original counterparts. No need to sweat or stress myself out about missing an issue with these babies plus I get the variant covers as well as other bonus material.

In the midst of all the Civil War pandemonium, Annihilation was relegated to the driver's seat to be ignored or forgotten by fans. If you are one of them, I regret to inform you that you lifted your nose on one of the best science-fiction yarns within the confines of the super-hero genre. I am the first to agree that the cast is comprised of 'b-characters' and a bunch of yahoos that only a bonafide geek like myself would recognize. Aside from The Silver Surfer who is distinguishable with the release of the Fantastic Four film, it will not be the likes of Ronan The Accuser, Super-Skrull, Drax The Destroyer or one of my personal favourites, Nova The Human Rocket, that can flock fans to the local comic book shop. However, this is where the writers use these less prominent characters to their advantage since they are not flogged down by any corporate limitations or the outcry of fanboys who feel that their hero is not written in continuity. Should you be upset that Drax The Destroyer is not scribed with the persona of a retard anymore, I suggest that you walk over to the nearest gun shop to purchase a firearm in order to insert the barrel within your mouth and pull the trigger. The human race will do quite well without you. Trust me.

It is not unusual to have visual inconsistency when several artists are working a project of such magnitude but I can say that this is not the case with pencillers Renato Artem, Kev Walker, Jorge Lucas and Andrea DiVito's contribution. While each artists' pencil work is distinctive, the change in styling is not abrasive when you finish one volume and continue onto another. Perhaps Greg Titus' anime styling of the Super-Skrull chapters will stand out as a sore thumb as opposed to a realistic portrayal from the aforementioned artists but considering that the focus is on two shape-shifters, it works hand-in-hand with the script.

I recommend all three volumes of the Annihilation over-sized hardcovers where second-rate heroes battle second-rate villains in a story about a cosmic inter-dimensional war but a limited knowledge of the Marvel Universe could be a hinderance. However, if you remember the first time you held a comic book of your now favourite super-hero where you were experiencing excitement unfolding within the borders of your imagination, Annihilation will rekindle those feelings.

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