Annihilation Conquest

[Dread]

Reposting my review, with spoilers:

ANNIHILATION CONQUEST #3: Halfway through Abnett & Lanning's space drama, the sequal to 2006-2007's ANNIHILATION by Kieth Giffen, and while it still isn't quite as good as that effort, at least right now, it still makes for good reading, and is still doing space comics far better than what I recalled from the 90's, when I couldn't be bothered. The best bit of the book for me is how much of a bas-ass Ultron is right now. Forgetting about turning into naked women and having higher ambitions than merely annihilating countries or even the Earth, Ultron's head of the Phalanx Empire and seeking out the entire universe. Only a rag-tag bunch of heroes stand in his way, and without Nova and some others from the last go, Ultron's seemingly run into few bumps.

Spoiler

Moondragon does, in fact, die from having her heart torn into last issue, and Ultron calculates that Warlock is not in control of his powers, and lands a TKO. The High Evolutionary literally resorts to blowing up the star his base is attached to in hopes of eliminating Ultron, an effort that fails. While not always one for a fight, he certainly could take care of himself. It seemed odd that he claimed Moondragon was, at the moment, "may not even be biology", although I guess as the Dragon of the Moon is mystical, he could have been right. Anyway, with a grudge to fulfill, and having played side-kick to Nova in ANNIHILATION #6, Phyla looks to be geared to be the one to take down Ultron at the end, at least unless Warlock can get it together. Starlord's crew continues to launch their strike against the Babel Spire on Hala, but Blastaar is assimilated and pooches their plan, resulting in Gabe's seeming demise and Peter Quill's capture. DnA seems to handle all of his crew fine aside for Groot, who keeps spouting the same name over and over again, which is a shame, because Giffen got some great stuff out of him for the mini. Ronan, Kr'lt, Prax, Ra-Venn, and Wraith have their audience with Ravenous, who is cowered by Space-Emo's powers and Ronan basically takes the Kree technology that Ravenous was literally sitting on to aid in their war effort, and one wonders what it is. Cybernetics? Screw-Attack? (Metroid Referance) Raney does very well with the art and the colors help keep things on an even tone. At this point, with Ultron's gestalt AI leading the Phalanx, not even destroying him can stop him, as he can just re-download into a new body (granted, he's done that a million times back on Earth, so it makes sense). While many were pulling for Kang, having Ultron be lord and master of a species of techno-organic Borg-like aliens is essentially a no-brainer sort of expansion for him. He's just been awesome since issue #1 and him having successfully launched a complete takeover of the Kree empire, the last major power in the universe (beyond the Shi'ar, that is, but they only play with X-Men) adds to his nasty-meter. It would be cute if we saw a scene where Ultron was planning to swarm Earth or something as soon as he was finished with the Kree, thus assuring himself of victory over the Avengers. Blastaar's "select" redesign looked pretty cool, as well, for a character who always seemed to look rather generic. Nova probably would have torn things apart by now, so perhaps it was a great strategy getting him out of the picture, even if it wasn't completely planned. Still, Warlock at least isn't asking enemies to gaze into his Soul Gem anymore, he's punching things with energy-arm stuff. A bit DBZ-ish, but an improvement for him in the action factor. Maybe Wendell Vaughan will "re-appear" from the Quantum Bands to do his "Rise Phylamus Prime" routine at the right moment? Maybe Super-Skrull will finally get to be the big hero for once? Imagine in the wake of SECRET INVASION, having a SKRULL save the universe? Annihilation's been good for Kr'lt too, helping him move on from just being a FF punching bag and develop a personality.

Anyway, while at this point running a solid grade of B compared to ANNIHILATION's A, it still is pretty damn good readin', perhaps reinforcing that the best events/stories sometimes have the least overt presence of the EIC.

I will be annoyed it Ronan's secret weapon is a mecha, because those are overrated. A Nega-Bomb is possible.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Granted Phyla is probably only using the sword because she has almost no power left in the bands.

Probably. If that's the case, my annoyance shifts from Phyla (who's still inferior to Wendell) to the creators/editors for instituting that stupid handicap. Part of why Annihilation was so much fun is the fact that everyone was at full power and kicking seventeen kinds of ass.

 

[Dread]

Probably. If that's the case, my annoyance shifts from Phyla (who's still inferior to Wendell) to the creators/editors for instituting that stupid handicap. Part of why Annihilation was so much fun is the fact that everyone was at full power and kicking seventeen kinds of ass.

Very true.

Naturally Phyla will be inferior to Wendell; she has less experience with the bands and Wendell was a different type of person. He started off not being aggressive, someone who "went with the flow". It happened to turn out that was perfect for harnessing the power of the bands. Phyla isn't that sort of person, at least not right now, and especially not after basically watching Ultron murder her lover in front of her.

Still, I doubt she will be sidelined for two events in a row for the climax; she probably will get some sort of boost to save the day at the end. Or at least some can hope. Adam Warlock may be Adam Red Herring. At least he is punching stuff now, and not just soul-sucking.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The dude at my shop lol'ed at Adam Warlock on the cover of Annihilation Conquest #3. He was like, "When did Black Adam come over to the Marvel universe?" I told him that they were probably trying to imply some kind of shift more towards his Magus personality, but even though that's likelier to be the case, it still felt stupid to me. Adam Warlock sucks in AC.

 

[Dread]

The dude at my shop lol'ed at Adam Warlock on the cover of Annihilation Conquest #3. He was like, "When did Black Adam come over to the Marvel universe?" I told him that they were probably trying to imply some kind of shift more towards his Magus personality, but even though that's likelier to be the case, it still felt stupid to me. Adam Warlock sucks in AC.

Yeah, DnA noted that the "thunderbolt" design was an implication to Magus, but with the Marvel's running about the DCU again, the timing will bring about those comparisons. I was never a fan of Adam Warlock, but he isn't too bad here so far to me. I like him more than Wraith at this point. Wraith just exists to stand silently until someone asks him to make stuff afraid, then he spreads his arms and makes stuff black. And someone should tell Raney that his weapon isn't just a whip, it can morph into other stuff.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Cow manure compares favorably to Wraith. Warlock's previous personality was much more interesting, even though I wasn't really a fan of him back then. His impetuous, hotheaded current persona is just annoying.

 

[Anubis]

I've always been pretty indifferent to the character as a whole.

 

[Dread]

Cow manure compares favorably to Wraith. Warlock's previous personality was much more interesting, even though I wasn't really a fan of him back then. His impetuous, hotheaded current persona is just annoying.

Every story needs an impetuous, hothead. It's kept Johnny Storm going for 40 years, even when he should know better.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Phyla seems impetuous enough for both of them.

 

[Dread]

Phyla seems impetuous enough for both of them.

Eh, really? I suppose so. Although she's mostly been going from the "Use the Quantum Bands exactly the same as a Green Lantern Ring, because while everyone quietly acknowledges the rip-off, best to make it really, really obvious" Handbook.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

She's been using them a lot less impressively than any Green Lantern, though. Even if all a GL does is make small constructs, they at least tend to make modern weaponry.

 

[sandwraith]

DnA are trying to fit the whole thing as a sort of Galactic Dark Age which is why we see more "down and dirty" characters (Star-Lord's Dirty Half-Dozen, Space Cowboy Wraith, Joan of Arc etc) as compared to the ultra cosmic ***kfest that was Annihilation. I can see why Phyla is seen using more Medieval style combat rather than energy blasts etc. Besides, it makes her less of Green Lantern, more of Quasar. Or Phyla-Quasar anyways.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Quasar distinguished himself to me by manipulating energy a lot more than just flat-out making constructs for every situation, which is all we've seen Phyla do.

 

[PhotoJones]

That's because Wendell was a lot better than this *****.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

It's weird. I totally didn't miss Starlord and his crew in AC #3. When they showed up towards the end, I was like "Oh yeah". Sux, cuz I loved their mini.

High Evolutionary is such a ***** lol

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, I thought being super-evolved made him reasonably powerful. He was a complete wuss in that fight against some loserly Phalanx drones, though.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I get that he's afraid of being infected, but he could have done like 60% less cowering

 

[TheCorpulent1]

"Adam! Adam, come here, I need you! ADAAAAAAAM!! Come on, Adam, seriously! Come onnnnnn!"

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I like that he's "fighting" with the good guys though. He's always been wishy-washy as far as being good or evil. The way he turned Beast down in Endangered Species was just grimey

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, but he at least hinted at the direction Beast needed to go in.

Of course, Endangered Species ultimately led to Beast progressing absolutely nowhere from where he started concerning the mutant extinction problem, but that's a different story.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Indeed, I'm glad it wasn't it's own book cuz I'd have been pissed that I wasted money. Wanda still needs to get owned though, and soon!

 

[PhotoJones]

Yeah, great art aside, Endangered Species was pretty worthless.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I'm so glad that MC is more relevant and badass

 

[PhotoJones]

Me too.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

MC is pretty great. I like that we finally know just what the **** the point of Jamie and Layla being in the future is now. In chapter ten.