I Don't Fully Understand, But I Love It!
Plot & Action: Marvel's latest hotshot writer, Jonathan Hickman, is really shooting for the stars here. "S.H.I.E.L.D." is a very high-concept, thought-provoking series. There's a good amount of action and progression here in the second issue. With a bi-monthly release, Hickman can't afford to deliver an unexciting issue since it'll kill the buzz easily. It took me a few reads to figure out what is going on. Some people will be frustrated by that, but it's okay. You're supposed to chew on it and digest it. In my first review, I compared it to "LOST," and I stand by that. Things are happening, I'm excited, but I can't explain everything I'm reading. Long story short, you get action and progression in the story as Da Vinci begins to reconstruct things.
Character Work: If there's any major fault here it's the underdeveloped characters. It's a fault to me because characterization is what I love most out of a story. I really don't have any attachment to Leonid. He feels as if he could be anyone because Hickman hasn't invested in him. Leonid is our entrance into this world, and I'd like to get a better sense of who he is.
The Art Team: Dustin Weaver is flat-out awesome. The detail, the character design, the background work, I'm just blown away by what I see. The lines are crisp, the inks are perfectly balanced, and Dustin Weaver is on his way to becoming a superstar. It's a gorgeous book. Absolutely gorgeous world. It stands up to the complexity of this world that Hickman's building which is no small task.
Generally Speaking: As I read this, it reminded me of another writer's style: Grant Morrison. Grant's notorious for building these epic stories that smash on the gas pedal. Initially, they don't make sense and that pushes readers away. Eventually, those who stuck with it will be rewarded as it'll all make sense and give these books new perspective on a readthrough.
I love the art, I love the fact that Hickman's not dumbing this story down, and I love that I have to struggle with the book. It does need some characterization for someone, which knocks the score down some, but the book is great. I want to give it a 4, but the art is too good so I'll bump it to a 4.5. My mind is blown by this book because it's not like anything else I'm reading. It's fantastical. "S.H.I.E.L.D." is not for everyone, but if you want to be challenged by what you're reading then add this bi-monthly gem to your pull list.