SHIELD, Siege: Cabal, Siege

SHIELD 1-2

Like it says on the cover, “Inspired by the hit TV series!”  That wouldn’t have been enough to make it off the rack at the store, but Mark Waid and Carlos Pacheco’s names on the front certainly were.

There’s something unsettling about seeing TV characters shoehorned into Marvel comics continuity.*  Coulson, May, Fitz, and Simmons all show up here, and it doesn’t feel right. I know these people as fully developed personalities, but they’re empty shells on the page.  It’s not Waid’s fault, but it’s like the reader’s expected to fill in the blanks based on what they’ve seen on screen.

*I still have a problem with Harley Quinn existing in the non-animated DC comics universe.  

Waid writes Coulson as the Marvel Batman, the person with a plan for everything.  It’s a take I can get behind, but it’s missing that je ne sais quoi to really hook me.  I gave it another issue since it had Humberto Ramos on pencils. Ms Marvel guest stars, and Waid/Ramos show why they will do such a great job on Champions a few years later.  Kamala out-geeking Coulson made my day.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Nice

Siege: Cabal, Siege 1-4

This was a completely arbitrary way to remove Norman Osborn from power.  He makes a stupid decision to attack Asgard, and I don’t buy that his Green Goblin persona would convince him to do it.  But once you get past that, the resulting battle is freaking epic. Olivier Coipel draw some honest-to-goodness breathtaking pages.  The last page of issue 2 is as fine of a setup as I’ve ever seen for an epic battle.

Someone's gonna getta hurt real bad...

I’m usually iffy on text pieces at the end of comics (I’m not even completely sold on Alan Moore’s use of them at the end of his Watchmen issues), but Bendis uses them perfectly here.  In fact, they’re the most well-written parts of this series. The one in issue 3, recounting Maria Hill’s on-the-ground communication with the White House, communicates the terror and chaos of the destruction of Asgard in a way that even the already-impressive splash pages could not completely accomplish several pages earlier.  

This is Maria Hill.  The Sentry has struck the foundation of Asgard.  The entire colony is tipping. If you are hearing me, Asgard is buckling!  Its entire city is--is tipping over and--oh Lord! Asgard is down! Oh my God!  I repeat! Asgard has fallen!! Oh my God! Oh my--

Chills.

Here’s Coipel’s stunning rendition of Helicarrier-as-bullet.  Laura Martin on colors. Usually one explosion is as good as the next, but these were definitely above par.  

And man, can he draw inspiring heroes.  

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? Yes

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Pretty good