Fear Itself #1

Fear Itself is another anticipated Marvel event that throws Marvel’s greatest heroes into another world threatening problem. Strongly residing with Thor, Asgard, and most of all his father Odin, the Marvel heroes finds themselves facing two major problems, a new major threat rising and the all Asgardians leaving Earth and their heroes to their own fate.

As promising as the short synopsis sounds, it is an idea that writer Matt Fraction tried to properly produce within this issue and yet I get the strong feeling that it didn’t come out as he intended from the start.

I can clearly tell how this issue lacked a lot of important details that was very vital to where it forces readers into a state of being clueless within most parts rather than hanging in the excitement of suspense. Of course Matt tried to ride onto the original idea as best as he possibly could with his writing and managed to compensate it with his remarkable display for Odin’s display of character. Odin’s character alone within this issue is probably the greatest highlight and only reason why any fan would want probably want to pick this issue up. But even Odin taking the scene couldn’t gain the expected excitement from me and change my thoughts about how this event isn’t going to gain it’s desired goals from Marvel’s fanbase. Much like any reader who can’t look past what’s in front of their faces who obviously would disagree with me, I wish nothing more in the world than to be wrong about my predictions as a comic fan.

I could go on with the minor details and hiccups that are seen within this issue, but the two major problems I have is how I’m lost rather in suspense as to what is going on, a problem I didn’t have with DC’s Blackest Night, Brightest Day, and Sinestro Corps storylines. And how over 80% of the supporting characters within this issue are practically useless and not needed besides just standing there on top of Starks Tower and looking at the city like they have nothing else better to do, something I hardly believe seeing how Spiderman, Red Hulk, and whoever’s there have other problems to attend too. Nothing I hate more than seeing a group of stereotype heroes constantly posing and forcing me to believe that this event is staged, that I can blame on the artist for those scenes.

I have no hate for Matt Fraction because of how I can clearly see how much effort he gave and his outstanding display of Odin, but with a storyline that’s trying to force me away from being excited, convinced, or amazed for reasons unknown (which I can think of a couple). The artwork did display some remarkable scenes, but seeing constant uncalled for posing and characters that weren't needed besides trying to squeeze some spotlight had think differently. Like I said, I hope I’m wrong about what Marvel has planned for the outcome of this event.