Original Sin hits its half-way point with Original Sin #4 out this week (I’m counting the #0 issue towards the count of this 7-issue Marvel Comics event). I really hope Original Sin #4 will take away the terrible taste that Original Sins #1 left with readers last week.
It may have flown under the radar, but All-New Marvel Now’s bi-weekly Original Sin series had a stealth debut in All-New X-Men #25. Original Sin #0 followed and retold The Watcher’s origin and also expanded his scope and power set.
Following that, Original Sin #1 and #2 set up the various investigations into the Watcher’s death and theft of his eyes. In addition to Nick Fury Sr. leading the prime investigation at the request of the Avengers’ Captain America, three other groups of heroes are also independently investigating on different planes literally at the behest of a mysterious benefactor:
- Winter Soldier, Moon Knight, and Gamora in space.
- Dr. Strange and the Punisher on the astral plane.
- Black Panther, Ant-Man and Emma Frost close to the Earth’s core.
What ties them together? Monsters and mysterious green bullets?
The big news so far from Original Sin #3 was the holy sh*t moment at the end that saw the death of a major Marvel Comics hero at the hands of another iconic hero! That issue also revealed how the villains identified at the end of issue #2 got together, namely Dr. Midas, his daughter Exterminatrix and The Orb, met here and here.
Before we get to the spoilers and preview for Original Sin #4, here’s what you need to know about Marvel Comics’ All-New Marvel Now Original Sin publishing plan:
- Original Sin, the 8 issue (9 if you include the #0 issue) core event book (no “s” at the end), that surrounds the mystery of who killed The Watcher, what he saw and what’s the deal with his eyes; the House of Ideas’ take on a cosmic whodunit.
- We get an interlude in Original Sin with, I believe, with more branding-over-story controversy a.k.a. numerhoaxology from Marvel as Hulk vs. Iron Man gets the Original Sin #3.1 to #3.4 treatment. Did Tony Stark lead to the creation of the Hulk?
- Continuing in that vein, we also have Original Sin #5.1 to 5.5 mini-series called Thor & Loki: The 10th Realm involving the revelation that former Spawn stalwart Angela is the sister of Thor and Loki!
- We’ll get Original Sin tie-ins in some regular ongoing series where we learn of some “sins” of Marvel Now’s heroes and villains. Like with All-New Invaders #6 and many others.
- The Original Sins (with an “s” at the end) is a companion anthology 5 issue mini-series to spotlight Young Avengers in particular, but also showcase done-in-one tales from across the Marvel Universe revealing more sins, but this time for characters who don’t headline their own ongoing series.
Spoilers and preview for Original Sin #4 follow.
In addition to the 2 preceding variant covers for Original Sin #4, we get a few more covers below and some interesting interior spoilers-filled preview pages.
We get the immediately fallout from The Winter Solider presumably killing through decapitation Nick Fury Sr.! Who is he meeting?
Also, with Nick Fury shown as killed in the below opening dramatis personae summary; notice the big red “x” over Nick Fury Sr.’s face? Why does the Watcher not have such a red x through his face? He was the first death of this series. Is the Watcher still alive?
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome.
