I actually don’t read much of the Abnett and Lanning Cosmic section of the Marvel Universe.  It’s not that I don’t think they’re good; in fact, I find them to be well done.  However, I like to keep my weekly list to be no more than 4 or 5 books if I can help it.  However, I’ve picked up the Annihilation events in the past and they’ve been quite good so I’ve decided to try a Marvel event involving warring races in an epic conflict with potentially big ramifications for the entire universe.  Well, one without the Savage Land. Ba dum tssh!

With Black Bolt and the Inhumans now ruling the Kree, Emperor Vulcan of the Shi’ar has thrown down the gauntlet and launched war against the Kree.  It’s Abnett and Lanning at the helm doing the old school Marvel treatment like they also do and it’s great.  It’s that retro tone coupled with modern sensibilities of dialogue and plot.  Much of this opener is about the big first attack in the new Kree/Shi’ar war but the story is supported by intense action and big moments.

Nevertheless, the character points are maybe my favorite in this issue.  While not a big part of the issue per se, my favorite character in this corner of the mythos has been Ronan the Accuser who has grown much such his days as the stock villain enforcer of the days of the Kree-Skrull War.  The moment in here of Ronan outside Crystal’s quarters is a really good moment.  I honestly hope he’ll see much more of him in the series.  In the same way, we get a little insight into the head of Gladiator,  character who always seems to only be as good as the Shi’ar rulers let him be.

The art is good if a little beefy and Vulcan looks a little less like he’s 57 than he was in War of Kings Saga.  The layouts have an interesting shift from normal to jagged when the fight kicks off and the looks on faces are really good in this.  This is really just great fun to had.  If you haven’t been reading the Abnett/Lanning books, you really don’t need to in order to pick this up.  It’s great space opera war fun and who doesn’t enjoy that?  Plus, there’s an alien female with male pattern baldness in this.  Come on, that’s worth the cover price alone.