Inhumans

Inhumans 1-2

I bought the first half of this miniseries for Ladronn’s art.  I don’t know how to define it, but the combination of fine line art and muted colors make me think European comics.

Beautiful, but the story wasn’t good enough for me to finish off the series.  I’ll keep the issues for the art, but I doubt if I’ll ever read this again.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? No

Rating: Fine

Inhumans 1-12

The Marvel Tsunami issues.  (Tsunami was Marvel’s ill-defined attempt to attract manga readers.)  I primarily remember it for the one month that they did some sweet looking covers.

“Teenage Inhumans go to college.”  This is what I’m talking about when I ask for character-based comics, slice of life stories with a modicum of larger plot.

I’m really confused by the Inhumans’ attitude towards the underpinnings of their culture.  There are layers upon layers of contradictions. They flat out call the stratification that results from their Terrigen ritual a caste system.  Those with stronger powers are placed in positions of higher esteem. Yet they insist that because everyone has unique abilities, theirs is a population of equals.  Then we’re shown multiple examples of people shunning former best friends after the Terrigen ceremony creates a dramatic power disparity. And if everyone’s equal, and their scientists have shown that the system somehow creates mutations that fit the needs of the societal infrastructure, why do the inhabitants ostracize anyone who doesn’t get to be a Royal Guard member?  Why do the tattoo artists and sculptors hate their lives so much?

And then there are the don’t-call-them-slaves Alpha Primitives.      

Ending today with a series of panels by Robert Teranishi.  I love how he uses the background silhouettes to stress each of the speaker’s native countries.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Nice