“Shock and Awe” Part 2
Writer: Brian K Vaughn
Pencils: Stuart Immonen
Inks: Wade Von Grawbedger
Colors: Justin Ponsor
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Production: Jared Osborn
Asst Editor: John Barber & Nicle Wiley
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Published by Marvel Comics
For a story I wasn’t really excited about, I found myself really enjoying this one. The only real problem I’ve had with this title is the fact that it seems to be one epic story after another, and other than a few exceptions, it’s been like that from the start.
Well, this issue has been a welcome reprive from that. Due to the fact that Brian Vaughn has been on the book for a while, and started for an indeterminate amount of issues, his run started to seem a bit weak. But thanks to a few character-driven stories, (which he seems to do the best) he turns that all around.
We have a completly accessable story about Wolverine and Storm. Both characters are haunted by their past (and now Lady Deathstrike). And the way their respective pasts collide is (in a word) cool. I don’t know how this really synchs up with the “616” characters, but I don’t really care. Here, it works.
All you need to know to enjoy this story is in the 22 pages in between the covers. And that is great.
The art is excellent. Immonen has augmentent his style once again for an even more angular form than his Ulitmate Fantastic Four run last year. He’s an incredibly talented artist who deserves even more high profile gigs than he gets. Von Grawbadger has inked his work before, and compliments it quite nicely.
There are a lot of very cool moments in this issue, the best of which is towards the end, when Wolverine is left to decide the fate of Lady Deathstrike. We don’t see anything, but all is left to the imagination with a well-placed sound effect.
There is a short coda too, a nice little moment between Wolverine and Storm, and this is a perfect issue showcasing Brian Vaughn’s stregnth at taking on character moments as well as action scenes.
