All right, I definitely dislike this series less than I dislike "Avengers." But, I'm not sure where it leaves me.
As I did with my review of last issue, let's start with the good first. Hickman answers my question of how two Earths can occupy the same space without immediately destroying each other by explaining that the normal laws of physics don't apply during an incursion. I mean, sure, it sounds overly convenient, but, to be honest, it sort of works in context of the plot. We are talking about two universes smashing into one another, so I'll buy the fact that another universe's physics could be different than ours or just simply the process of two universes colliding can cause the normal laws of physics to be suspended.
Moreover, Hickman does do some interesting stuff with the characters here, particularly by adding Beast into the mix. I do feel like Hickman somewhat rushed that storyline, since I feel like Henry would've be a little more outraged by learning about the presence of the Illuminati than he is here; in the span of a few pages he goes from expressing stunned disbelief to supporting them unconditionally. Cap is also interesting here, particularly his point that the geniuses of the Illuminati are going to build some sort of doomsday machine without asking themselves the ethical questions that they should be asking.
The problem, though, is that Steve may have a point, but he doesn't have a counterargument. I mean, what does he want them to do? Does he really believe that they'll be able to pull something together in eight hours? After all, we see here that, by the time they find the incursion point, they only have 6.5 hours left before annihilation. It seems pretty clear that the only alternative to building the doomsday machine is guaranteed death. Is that really an option? As Reed Richards says (more or less), is Steve really so pure that he's willing to destroy Earth simply so that he can sleep better at night? I'm just not sure that Cap would be so blinded by his principles that he would be making this argument. Hickman takes the "boring" approach to Cap that writers who've never written him often take, ignoring the fact that he frequently makes difficult decisions in compromised situations and pretending that he somehow manages to remain morally upstanding all the time. In a Lobdellian sign that Hickman has trouble coordinating with himself, Hickman has Cap order Manifold to teleport one alien cruiser into another one. I mean, sure, destroying a world is a little different, but this example shows Cap capable of making a difficult decision when lives are on the line and may need to be sacrificed.
Finally, I just don't see where the drama in this story is supposed to come. OK, we get some moments of it in seeing the interaction between the characters here. But, unless Marvel is going to go "Flashpoint!" on us with no notification and blend the two universes, it seems pretty clear that the Illuminati are going to solve this problem. As I said last issue, these sorts of stories are only interesting if characters are forced to make decisions that they wouldn't normally make as a result of the dire circumstances. Look at "Operation: Galactic Storm,' where the Avengers split on killing the Supreme Intelligence. (But, also, Marvel did unexpectedly destroy a galaxy there, something that upped the drama in a way impossible to imagine here.) It wasn't black and white, as Hickman is portraying it here by showing Cap as morally uncompromising. Some people wrestled with the decision and it has significant consequences down the line. However, here, no one makes a call that you wouldn't expect them to make. Even though Hank might come to support the Illuminati quicker than I expected, his argument that he has essentially already done terrible things to try to prevent the extermination of the mutant race rings true. Cap makes a decision I wouldn't expect, but not because of the dire circumstances, but because of bad characterization.
In other words? It's all still boring. It might have a grand sweeping scope, but it's still pretty predictable. Even if we don't know the exact way that this story is going to end, we still know how it's going to end and Hickman isn't really doing anything here to inject some excitement into the proceedings.
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