Image Comics 30th Anniversary Review: StormWatch #1 & #2 Spoilers!

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Image Comics 30th Anniversary Review follows.

StormWatch #1 and #2 Spoilers!

Am rereading the first two issues of volume one of StormWatch as there doesn’t appear to be an English language collected edition of the initial issues. It is the story of StormWatch “…the United Nations Special Crisis Intervention Team …formed to act as powerful police force on a global scale.” Volume 1 debuted in 1993 not when writer Warren Ellis took over with StormWatch #37 in 1996.

StormWatch  #1 synopsis.

They are StormWatch, the world’s most elite anti-terrorist super powered strike force. There’s Battalion, field commander, empowered with psionics and armed with a battlesuit that gives him the firepower of his namesake. Fuji is a mountain of a man from Japan whose super human strength is only matched by his great heart. Diva is a South American beauty with alabaster skin and a scream that can literally shatter steel. Hellstrike is super-fast and can project powerful force bolts. Winter, a hero from Russia, can absorb and manipulate massive amounts of energy. And residing over them all, high above in the orbiting space station Skywatch, is the Weatherman, a cybernetically enhanced commander with eyes all over the world, ever vigilant and uncompromising when it comes to planet Earth’s safety. When Battalion’s younger brother gets caught in the crossfire in a battle between StormWatch and their malevolent counterparts the Mercs, the young man’s life will never be the same again.

StormWatch #2 synopsis.

After a tragedy saw the demise of his first team (see StormWatch #0), Battalion is ready to call it quits, but after his younger brother’s latent superhuman powers are activated, Battalion finds himself pulled back to active duty. Plus, meet Cannon, young brash and a walking time bomb. And he’s gunning for Battalion’s command.

I remember digging the Jim Lee cover at first; that is what pulled me in. Then the whole United Nations and international super-heroes intrigued. There was an international incident with super-human mercs that brought the action. Add to the drama with Battalion’s young brother adding the human touch and relatability.

The varied characters from across the globe, their designs, codenames and powers made for quite an ensemble.

The art was decent and the initial story compelling. 7.5 out of 10.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!