Marvel's war continues
In evaluating Civil War #5 in part
icular and the entire series in general, I had to consider whether I believed it a success or a failure. The answer is a little bit of both, which is frustrating to long time Marvel readers given the fact as much as we might hate the premise, Millars' writing is still compelling enough to want to read the next installment. CW is definitely a commercial success for Marvel but it has been rebuked by some critics and fans.
The events from this issue pick up from other tie-ins, most notably Amazing Spider-Man #535 in which the ideological rift between Iron Man and Peter first surfaced. (which some internet critics saw coming from the distance of the proverbial mile.) This comic suffers from the same flaw: bad characterization. Tony Stark continues to act more like a dictatorial goon than the dashing hero we've come to know and respect.
The Spider-Man being pummeled by the Jester and Jack O'Lantern hardly resembles the webslinger I know and love. He doesn't quip, he doesn't fight back, he just mumbles inanities and takes a beating, though he was allegedly stoned from an exploding gas bomb.
While reading this scene I was flashing back to ASM #279 in which Jack O'Lantern chides his henchmen for taking a potential battle with the webslinger lightly. "I have battled Spider-Man before, he's no spring weekend" he tells them. This scene serves to illustrate what a formidable impression Spidey once made on his enemies when donning the mask. Now that he's unmasked and being taunted for being puny, it seems that this mystique has been cheapened.
There is also some puzzling logic to some of the statements in Millars' script. Crime is at an all time low? Given S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are busy aprehending rogue superheroes and non-registrants, one would think that super villains that are not already in the employ of the government like the T-bolts would espouse the "divide and conquer" mentality and strike at the heroes while they are busy battling each other, thereby causing crime to rise.
There are also inconsistencies between the dialogue in this comic and the story in ASM #535. In the latter, Peter is appalled by Iron Man's callous attitude toward locking up the anti-registration heroes. "This isn't temporary Peter. This isn't interim. This is permanent," says Tony Stark. Yet, in page 4 of Millars' script, Iron man says, "This is only a temporary measure Peter." You would think the writers could get together and be on the same page.
That said, it's refreshing to see Peter finally come to his senses and throw down with Iron Man as he attempts to escape the clutches of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Evidently the man running around in a ski mask helping the anti-registration side was none other than the vigilante with the skull on his chest. Since the book was delayed, I had forgotten there was a mystery man running around helping the anti-registration side until I re-read the previous issue.
Here at least, the Punisher seems to have a purpose in the story: He's never been much of a team player, but when the other side enlists the help of killers and criminals, he has to get involved. Besides determining which side Punisher is on and some full page spreads to show the reader the enormity of the containment unit at Riker's Island which lead to the contrapment built by Mr. Fantastic to imprison superheroes in the negative zone, not much else happens in the third part of the book.
There are inconsistencies and mischaracterizations throughout this book. However, the same pleasures one derives from reading a "What if?" storyline or a story set in an alternate reality make this series enjoyable or somewhat passable because in the end, it feels so far removed from the mainstream Marvel universe we are accostumed to seeing that it might as well be taking place in an alternate reality, or at the very least in the Ultimate universe. The interesting question will be how will the ramifications of the series will affect the Marvel Universe long-term.
There isn't much more I can say about McNiven's pencils or the artwork in this book that I haven't touched on in past chapters of CW. I have grown accustumed to his style and he draws some of the best facial expressions on the characters this side of Mark Bagley.
I would be willing to bet that even those readers who have sworn not to see it through are peeking at some of the latest developments because curiousity gets the best of them. Even though Thor's return was nothing more than a red herring, like all good cliffhangers should, the shockers bookending each chapter have kept us coming back for more. It will be left up to Millars' wrap up of the series to see if it was all worth the effort.
icular and the entire series in general, I had to consider whether I believed it a success or a failure. The answer is a little bit of both, which is frustrating to long time Marvel readers given the fact as much as we might hate the premise, Millars' writing is still compelling enough to want to read the next installment. CW is definitely a commercial success for Marvel but it has been rebuked by some critics and fans.The events from this issue pick up from other tie-ins, most notably Amazing Spider-Man #535 in which the ideological rift between Iron Man and Peter first surfaced. (which some internet critics saw coming from the distance of the proverbial mile.) This comic suffers from the same flaw: bad characterization. Tony Stark continues to act more like a dictatorial goon than the dashing hero we've come to know and respect.
The Spider-Man being pummeled by the Jester and Jack O'Lantern hardly resembles the webslinger I know and love. He doesn't quip, he doesn't fight back, he just mumbles inanities and takes a beating, though he was allegedly stoned from an exploding gas bomb.
While reading this scene I was flashing back to ASM #279 in which Jack O'Lantern chides his henchmen for taking a potential battle with the webslinger lightly. "I have battled Spider-Man before, he's no spring weekend" he tells them. This scene serves to illustrate what a formidable impression Spidey once made on his enemies when donning the mask. Now that he's unmasked and being taunted for being puny, it seems that this mystique has been cheapened.
There is also some puzzling logic to some of the statements in Millars' script. Crime is at an all time low? Given S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are busy aprehending rogue superheroes and non-registrants, one would think that super villains that are not already in the employ of the government like the T-bolts would espouse the "divide and conquer" mentality and strike at the heroes while they are busy battling each other, thereby causing crime to rise.
There are also inconsistencies between the dialogue in this comic and the story in ASM #535. In the latter, Peter is appalled by Iron Man's callous attitude toward locking up the anti-registration heroes. "This isn't temporary Peter. This isn't interim. This is permanent," says Tony Stark. Yet, in page 4 of Millars' script, Iron man says, "This is only a temporary measure Peter." You would think the writers could get together and be on the same page.
That said, it's refreshing to see Peter finally come to his senses and throw down with Iron Man as he attempts to escape the clutches of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Evidently the man running around in a ski mask helping the anti-registration side was none other than the vigilante with the skull on his chest. Since the book was delayed, I had forgotten there was a mystery man running around helping the anti-registration side until I re-read the previous issue.
Here at least, the Punisher seems to have a purpose in the story: He's never been much of a team player, but when the other side enlists the help of killers and criminals, he has to get involved. Besides determining which side Punisher is on and some full page spreads to show the reader the enormity of the containment unit at Riker's Island which lead to the contrapment built by Mr. Fantastic to imprison superheroes in the negative zone, not much else happens in the third part of the book.
There are inconsistencies and mischaracterizations throughout this book. However, the same pleasures one derives from reading a "What if?" storyline or a story set in an alternate reality make this series enjoyable or somewhat passable because in the end, it feels so far removed from the mainstream Marvel universe we are accostumed to seeing that it might as well be taking place in an alternate reality, or at the very least in the Ultimate universe. The interesting question will be how will the ramifications of the series will affect the Marvel Universe long-term.
There isn't much more I can say about McNiven's pencils or the artwork in this book that I haven't touched on in past chapters of CW. I have grown accustumed to his style and he draws some of the best facial expressions on the characters this side of Mark Bagley.
I would be willing to bet that even those readers who have sworn not to see it through are peeking at some of the latest developments because curiousity gets the best of them. Even though Thor's return was nothing more than a red herring, like all good cliffhangers should, the shockers bookending each chapter have kept us coming back for more. It will be left up to Millars' wrap up of the series to see if it was all worth the effort.
