“Secret War” Part 4
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Michael Lark
Inker: Stefano Gaudiano
Colorist: Pete Pantazis
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Art: Mike Mayhew with Avalon’s Andy Troy
Production: Jared Osborn
Assistant Editors: Stephanie Moore & Molly Lazer
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Published by Marvel Comics
This could be a great book. It has all the elements of a great book. But it has one bad thing going for it. It’s a spinoff of an amazing book. Bendis’ “Alias” book was so excellent that this will always be compared to it and be found wanting.
And I think a lot of the problems I see in the book stem just from the fact that it isn’t that other one. The transition from telling just Jessica Jones’ story to the story of the Daily Bugle is a difficult one for the readers to accept. It’s that way because Bendis doesn’t seem to want to give up on her as the main character.
And that’s understandable. She’s a great character. But it’s still a problem.
Another big problem with this book is the fact that it is merely telling a different angle of a bigger story. This is a direct tie-in with the Secret War miniseries. (which was supposed to be completed some time ago) So we’re getting a good story, sure. But that is preventing this book from having its own identity. It’s not different. As I said in a previous review of the title, it almost seems like “The Pulse” is the DVD deleted scenes of “Secret War”. And with “House of M” starting, I have a feeling we’ll be getting more of the same for a few months.
And that is disappointing. Because you can tell that this creative team is capable of so much. The writing is superb (take a look at the scene with Wolverine) and the art is pitch perfect (take a look at any page!) so I just want this book to have it’s own identity and stop being someone else’s little sister.
