The Good

It's hard to believe we're only on the third issue of this series. Mark Millar has created a vastly populated new comic universe. As we've caught glimpses of the main characters and those surrounding them, you really get a sense of the bigger picture here. We are witnessing a huge conflict unfold between two factions. When super-powerd individuals disagree, there is so much room for destruction. We've seen hints of this in other comics but Millar has the freedom to tell it like it is, like it's meant to be. He takes the idea and smashes it with a brick wall.

There is something almost fascinating in seeing how these events unfold. The difference in ideals among superheroes is something we don't get to see fully explored. While sometimes actions speak louder than words, Millar's dialogue shows the tension building as this world is about to go through a major change. Lines will be crossed in big ways. Basically, Millar allows this conflict to play out in a way you would expect but never really thought could happen. And unlike other comics, there are some things that the characters will likely be unable to come back from. We've seen shocking moments in past Millar stories but this is more of a shock to the system in seeing what these characters are capable of doing.

Frank Quitely's art is perfect in creating and building this world. With the different locations and various characters, you get a sense of how big this world is. Other books tend to focus on one or very few areas. There is a great sense of scope with Quitely's art. One of my favorite parts is when the action out in Earth's atmosphere shifts back to the perspective of those on the planet. This simple scene change really makes it feel big.

The Bad

The pacing is pretty fast. Going back to the first issue, there were some areas that would have been nice to see explored in more detail. Perhaps we'll see that later. As things progress here, the events play out at a quick pace. That's not completely a bad thing but it feels as if as things progress, we're getting closer to the end. You have to imagine Millar has a lot to say but the feel of this world is taking another big turn, bringing us even further away from what we saw in the first issue.

The Verdict

Mark Millar is not playing around. This new superhero world he and Frank Quitely are building has taken an explosive turn in this issue. There is no way anyone can complain over a lack of story or action. As a conflict between the superhero family unfolds, it quickly escalates in a way that makes perfect sense considering the amount of power these individuals possess. We've all read plenty of superhero comics but this is a world where the creators do not need to hold back. The story and action are allowed free reign, adding to the feeling that things won't always work out nicely. It's great to have a comic that doesn't have to be filtered and doesn't overly cross any lines either. Millar and Quitely have captured my attention once again.

I have liked this series from the start and trust Millar to build the world but if they can't stick to a monthly schedule I'm going to have to wait for the trade.

@ptigrusmagus: I don't think it was supposed to be monthly to begin with. It's been bi-monthly since it started. I've notice there are no adds in this book, so I think doing bi-monthly keeps the printing the cost down so they don't need to adds.

I really liked the first two issues, and am generally a huge Millar fan, but this kind of excess is exactly what I was hoping this series would get away from. Granted it is likely that mind control is involved, but the idea that all of the world's superheroes would team up to kill their leader and his family just out of spite seems like a huge stretch. Especially when you consider who the people are in charge of this coup. Millar is not known for his subtlety, but a story like this really requires some subtlety. I'm still on board for now, but my faith is wavering.

ever since civil war i lost faith in millar

Yeah........my problem with this comic is that from the start, it's just been a rehash of ideas from Kingdom Come and The Authority, while pretending to be something brand-new and revolutionary. The fact that what happened to Grace in this issue is pretty much just an inversion of what happened to Wolverine in Old Man Logan didn't help.

ILLO_29: thanks, guess I need to adjust my expectations. Wondering how the 9 year jump will look in #4.

Bingo...I'm overall enjoying this, and it's the only recent Millar work I can say I've cared for. However it does feature its share of his distracting Millarisms. At least there's been no rape...yet.