SIEGE is an interesting name for this story arc, partially because it's based on what might best be dubbed Marvel's "forgotten event." Taking place in 2010 and measuring only 4 issues long, it's easy to see why; the event wasn't BAD by any stretch, it just wasn't particularly memorable. What's taken its namesake is, on the contrary, extremely audacious and interesting, showing us a long-ignored side of Battleworld that's got quite a bit of inspiration from The Wall of Game of Thrones fame, but does plenty to distinguish itself in its own right. THIS ARTICLE WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR SIEGE #1. Though honestly, this isn't the kind of book that can be "spoiled."
What we've already learnt about the Shield can be summed up as: it's a gargantuan wall encircling all of Battleworld that keeps the various factions of the Deadlands at bay. It is presided over currently by Abigail Brand and staffed by clones of Cyclops as well as various exiles who committed some wrong or other against Doom. Brand is an orphan of the last time the previous Shield was breached and incalculable casualties caused by the invading hordes. She also has a chip on her shoulder that would either get her thrown out of Las Vegas or could provide enough food for a massive nacho party, depending on how you choose to interpret that particular aphorism.
Brand's sense of duty is palpable in the issue, but it's not a duty she relishes as she does understand that it's a losing proposition. The subtitle of the issue is "They can't ever win. They can't afford to lose" and there's a real sense of both dread and drudgery permeating the issue. People who're there know that this isn't a glamorous position and it's likely to be the last place they'll ever be before suffering a premature death at the hands of some nightmarish creature, so it's amazing how much personality Kieron Gillen and Filipe Andrade, along with colorist Rachelle Rosenberg, have infused into what could have been a very grim and dour book. We catch up with a couple of characters from other series, but the main source of mirth is the bone-dry wit of Brand and how others act and react toward it. This could have very easily become an issue about a place, but it is, in fact, much, much more about the people of that place.
And of course, the ending ratchets up the tension to a massive degree, giving us a mere glimpse of the nightmare to come. Anyone who's been reading the mainline Secret Wars title can already see the havoc wreaked by Thanos and his cadre of sociopathic monsters, so the idea that he's only getting started is a terrifying one. But, once again, there's so much more to this than simply "bad thing is coming" as we get the idea that Brand defines herself by the defense of this place and the people on it, so hearing that, with some degree of inevitability, it's going to all come crashing down immediately gives us stakes that match up to the characters. This book was truly an unexpected treat in how much I came to care about the cast and how quickly it happened!
Log in to comment