S.H.I.E.L.D. #2

Review by: TheNextChampion

What did the
iFanboy
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813
Pulls
Avg Rating: 4.0
 
Users who pulled this comic:
WRITER: Jonathan Hickman
PENCILS: Dustin Weaver
INKS: Dustin Weaver
COLORED BY: Christina Strain
LETTERED BY: Todd Klein
COVER BY: Gerald Parel

Size: 32 pages
Price: 2.99

It has been two months since Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver gave us an incredible #1 issue. There are a ton of ideas that can go in any direction with this story and Weaver is going to draw some beautiful pages to go along with it. Sadly though, it has been two months, so the hype has sorta died at this point. Still I am psyched for this series and with this issue in my hands, it still is amazing right? Well…

Okay that was a bad tease, this was a really good issue. More mystery, more interaction with Leonardo Di Vinci, everything is here for me. It’s like Grant Morrison writing a story but only a hundred times more elaborate and confusing. (If that is mentally possible) We also get a pretty good fight in this with The Dark Man and the mysterious men in black. (Lot of men in black outfits in this story so far…) The problem is that with such a huge gap in time, Hickman is still setting things up. Obviously we want more then just exposition after such a huge wait but let’s think about this. It’s only issue #2, so obviously we aren’t going to get full into the universe just yet. There is also another confusing aspect of this comic, towards the end of the issue we get basically a script of the issue and no panels. Then it goes right back into Weaver’s artwork for the end. Why did this awkward transition happened? My only thoughts is that even with such a huge break between issues, Weaver still can’t finish the issue in time. I know that might be a big leap in conclusions, but it kinda makes sense.

The artwork that Weaver provides is still gorgeous. So while he might not have had time to finish the issue, the rest of the comic is still gorgeous. Whether it’s Leonid recounting his past, or the two in the skys of Rome, or the fight sequences in general; it all is very good. I think sometimes the coloring doesn’t do Weaver favors. Faces look a little bland from time to time, or just plain off looking. Again the issue is still pretty damn good looking and I can’t think of any other artist to make this even better looking.

This issue still provides the crazy storytelling of Hickman and some great artwork by Weaver. But there are some hiccups along the way. The biggest miss of the issue is the random script page that occurs late. It feels like it was rushed as if Weaver couldn’t finish the page on time. Which is ridiculous to think considering Weaver had months (in schedule!) inbetween issues to finish this. With this hiccup aside I still am intrigued to see where this series goes. I might not drop the series any time soon, but it certainly will feel like it since we have until August to see another issue.

Story: 4 - Very Good
Art: 4 - Very Good

Comments

  1. Just wanted to jump in and say that the 2 page script with no pictures portion was bonus material, like the bonus material Hickman put at the end of issue one. The full 22 page comic was fully completed with enough time for me (Dustin Weaver) to contribute a painted piece just for those bonus pages. Other than that, thanks for the review. -DW

  2. The two men in black suits are identified as Nathaniel Richards and Howard Stark….the fathers of Ironman and Mr. Fantastic.

    I agree that the text page with the painted page being awkward, and i think it was awkward because it did not come at the end of the story but instead with a few pages to go. It was interesting none the less. 

  3. @DustinW: Oh wow…..this is awkward. lol

    I appreciate you coming in and explaining that sequence. Since it’s bonus material, why was it thrown in towards the end of the issue and not just ‘the’ end of the issue? Cause again, it felt like something wasn’t done to put it there. I’m glad you did have time to finish and sorry if I pissed you off in any way. But you gotta admit that placing something like that awkwardly will make people question the issue. Again glad you did have time to finish…

    @Summer: Really? Wow I completely missed their last names. 

  4. Haha. I’m not pissed at all. I agree it’s kind of weird how it’s placed. The idea was to put it in continuity when it takes place. The conversation they have takes place as they are walking down that staircase. What I personally liked about the idea of doing it that way was the unexpectedness of it. Doing something unexpected has been one of mine and Hickman’s first priorities with this book.
    Anyway, it’s all good. I’ll be curious what you think of issue 3. Oh and I’ll probably be doing a post on my blog about this issue sometime soon. If you want you can check it out here http://dustinweaver.livejournal.com/

  5. @TNC: You haven’t read a lot of Hickman’s work, have you? He has put script scenes like that in the middle of almost all of his indie work.

  6. I love the interjection. The way it was designed just flowed for me. I totally worked for me!

  7. It’s the visual way it was put together. The flow of color and the icon at the top made it feel deliberate.

    This "script" will be part an integral part of the story later on, I’m calling it.

    Like as if it was pre-destined for them to have that conversation. The icon at the top of the page is actually the one placed on top of the Vitruvian man in the last issue, which is an important Da Vinci drawing, which Leonardo refers to in this story as the Human Machine, of which Leonid is apparently the heart.

    It all just popped for me on that page. It made me pay attention and pick up on the details.

  8. @JJ: Man I am totally missing out on everything you just said while reading this….

    @conor: I’ve read a lot of it actually. While I’m used to his text boxes and random graphs…..I don’t remember literally seeing a script page in the middle of his comic. 

  9. @TNC: PAX ROMANA and TRANSHUMAN had them. And I think RED MASS FROM MARS too.

  10. I totally agree with your comparisons to Grant Morrison.  The whole time I was reading it, I totally felt like it was one of his books.  I’m digging the series for it’s high concepts and challenging story.  I get the same feeling reading this that I did Final Crisis, and I dug that series very much.  I don’t mind when a comic tries to push the envelope both with storytelling and concept.  Weaver’s art is b-e-a-utiful.

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