Hasslein Blog
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Matthew Sunrich Presents.... Thanos vs. Hulk #1
By Matthew Sunrich
This month
saw the release of Thanos vs.Hulk #1,
the first installment of the highly anticipated miniseries. It was originally
slated to be a story arc in Savage Hulk,
but Marvel decided that it deserved its own series (and rightly so, though I do wish they hadn't canceled Savage Hulk in the process).Written and
illustrated by Thanos creator Jim Starlin, who had until recently been absent
from Marvel for a number of years, it is a prequel to last summer's excellent The Infinity Revelation graphic novel
and takes place during the Indestructible
Hulk storyline when Bruce Banner was working for S.H.I.E.L.D.
In 1982,
Starlin, notable artist and writer of such standout Bronze-Age titles as Captain Marvel and Warlock, launched Dreadstar,
the first title in Marvel's new Epic imprint, which spotlighted creator-owned
properties (a really revolutionary concept at the time). Spinning out of Starlin's
Metamorphosis Odyssey from the pages
of Epic Illustrated, Dreadstar represented the next logical
step for the sophisticated crossover fan who had enjoyed the first two
installments of the Star Wars saga (Return
of the Jedi, of course, was still a year away).
Unlike George Lucas' films, however, Dreadstar features a story aimed at an older audience (even though, like Epic Illustrated itself, there's no label on the cover), pulling no punches and dealing with complex and sometimes disturbing issues. Vanth Dreadstar, the comic's protagonist, is decidedly not a hero in the mold of Luke Skywalker, though aspects of their "origins" are similar. They both wield swords of immense power, but Dreadstar has no compunction whatsoever about using his to kill when it suits his objectives.
Unlike George Lucas' films, however, Dreadstar features a story aimed at an older audience (even though, like Epic Illustrated itself, there's no label on the cover), pulling no punches and dealing with complex and sometimes disturbing issues. Vanth Dreadstar, the comic's protagonist, is decidedly not a hero in the mold of Luke Skywalker, though aspects of their "origins" are similar. They both wield swords of immense power, but Dreadstar has no compunction whatsoever about using his to kill when it suits his objectives.
Labels: comics, Hulk, Matt Sunrich, reviews, Thanos