It now seems prescient last issue when I complained about Robinson's over-narration, because, man, this issue has it in spades.
The Human Torch spends the entire issue either monologuing about his decision to join S.H.I.E.L.D., expositing his origin story, or recounting his encounter with Radiance, the Japanese version of Dazzler. Thanks to the Orb releasing the secrets contained in the Watcher's eye in "Original Sin" #2, Radiance discovered that the Invaders could've stopped the dropping on the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. She holds S.H.I.E.L.D. agents hostage to demand one of the Invaders come to explain the story to her, only to learn that her grand-mother, Golden Girl, was somehow responsible in preventing the Invaders from stopping the dropping of the bomb. We'll learn why next issue.
I'll admit that I was so exhausted by the Human Torch's oddly aggressive narration that I wasn't paying that much attention by the end of the issue. But, Robinson is really going to have to sell his story next issue, since it makes no sense that the Invaders would try to stop the bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. The ethical questions related to the dropping of the bomb are too numerous to discuss here, but, suffice it to say, the super-powered special-operations team of the U.S. government was unlikely to try to prevent such a key moment in the U.S. army's conduct of the Second World War. Moreover, it makes even less sense that a Japanese superhero would try to stop them from stopping it. Robinson is clearly aware of this bizarre role-reversal, but I have my doubts that he's going to adequately explain it next issue.
The only part of this issue that I liked was the discovery that the atomic bomb came from a plan to use Jim's heat powers, Spitfire's speed powers, and Namor's water powers (through the Horn of Proteus) to create a tsunami to destroy Japan's naval fleet. That's a pretty original story, and I'll give credit to Robinson for throwing it in there. But, you have to get passed so much excessive verbal chaff and unbelievable plot developments that I'm not sure that it's worth it. I guess we'll see next issue.
** (two of five stars)
No comments:
Post a Comment