Marvel Annihilation: Update

Marvel's secondary Summer event is now a few issues into each miniseries' run, so I thought it'd be a good idea to reassess my views on the books.

As expected, Annihilation: Nova is pretty much the book to beat in this group. It's actually one of the best books I'm reading right now, not just from Marvel, but from any publisher.

Wow. Nova is one of my favorite comics. That just feels weird to admit.

If anything, the second issue actually improves on the first, supplying another couple of interesting character dynamics with the addition of Drax the Destroyer and his little Earth girl companion. The writing is snappy, and the art is just terrific. I'm really grokking on this book, and would gladly buy an ongoing or follow the creative team to a new book.

Annihilation: Super-Skrull is a good read as well. I was very skeptical about this one. I mean, the Super-Skrull? He's got to be one of the goofiest characters to come out of the House of Ideas. He looks like Ultra the Multi Alien's brother-in-law, fer cripe's sake. Still, it's a pretty bouncy, light outerspace book, and certainly satisfies on that level.

Confession: I have never, ever enjoyed a Silver Surfer story. He seems to me to be the ultimate Stan Lee creation. He simply cannot be written without being overwritten. His overriding angst and flowery speech patterns have the same effect as an prescription sleep aid on me. He is possibly the most boring Marvel character I have ever encountered. There's plenty that are lamer or goofier, but as we all know, the greatest crime in super-heroics is to be boring. Which he is. (Although he is certainly goofy as well) I'd rather read a Razorback story than a Silver Surfer story.

As for Annihilation: SIlver Surfer? Well, it's a typical Silver Surfer story, which means I didn't like it. Huh, that was pretty easy.

And then there's Annihilation: Ronan. I've only read the first issue, but it didn't really resonate. I don't really have any knowledge of the character before this mini, and I'm still not sure I have a handle on who he is. I think I had him mixed up with one of the Celestials, a group of characters that I have only previously seen in the Marvel Handbooks. The book itself is kind of boring, so it's going to have to get a thumbs down from me.

All in all, this "Event" is batting .500 with me, which is actually pretty good for a group of miniseries, and is downright spectacular for a group of Marvel comics. Nova is great, Super-Skrull is fun, but Silver Surfer and Ronan are kind of drag.

Note to Marvel. Nova monthly. Dan Abnett. Kev Walker. Money in the bank.