Original Sin #6 hit stands today. Here is what you need to know before I get into the spoilers and review of the issue.
Spoilers follow for events leading up to this week’s Original Sin #6. You have been warned!
All-New X-Men #25: This All-New Marvel Now bi-weekly Original Sin series had a stealth debut in All-New X-Men #25.
Original Sin #0: A zero issue followed and retold The Watcher’s origin and also expanded his scope and power set.
Original Sin #1 and #2: 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?
Original Sin #3: The big news was the holy sh*t moment at the end that saw the death of Nick Fury Sr. at the hands of Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier! 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.
Original Sin #4: We learned that all was not what it seemed with Nick Fury’s “death”. Looks like he has an army of Life Model Decoys or LMDs at his disposal.
Original Sin #5: This issue is dedicated to explaining how Nick Fury Sr. is still alive and really, really old. It’s a rewriting or reboot of his Marvel past. We further learn that he is behind those gamma bullets and pulled the various teams of Avengers together to investigate the Watcher’s murder. Nick Fury Sr. = the Unseen Cosmic Avengers of the Marvel Universe.
In this week’s Original Sin #6 we learn what the real reason the various teams were pulled together by Nick Fury Sr. This seems to set up the All-New Marvel new ongoing series with Bucky Barnes: Winter Soldier #1 set to debut in October 2014.
However, before we get to the spoilers and capsule review for Original Sin #6, 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 capsule review for Original Sin #6 follow.
Nick Fury Sr. explains the assembled Avengers that he is dying – and dying rapidly – and specifically recruited each of them as he wants one of them to take his place as the formerly Unseen Cosmic Avenger of the Marvel Universe.
However, they reject him and even think he’s off his nut! Chaos ensues as the Avengers take on Fury’s army of LMDs!
In the battle, Nick Fury Sr. slips away and to talk with his prisoner The Orb. He wants to know how he unlocked the secrets of one of the Watcher’s eyes. Fury has the other eye and wants to unlock more secrets, but seemingly can’t.
The combined Avengers neutralize the Nick Fury Sr.’s LMD threat and now face…. him?!
Overall, a fast-paced issue with adventure from page-to-page with amazing art. However, I really dislike this new portrayal of Nick Fury Sr. He’s pretty portrayed as a crazy old dying guy with a Hitler complex! I know Marvel Comics wants Nick Fury Jr. to be its main Fury because he looks like Samuel L. Jackson’s silver screen Fury, but I don’t think Marvel needed to so thoroughly vilify him in the modern-day Marvel Universe. I do like the hidden history and his Cosmic Avengers past, but not the “now” Fury Sr.
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome.