So,
in episode 31 of the near-legendary GMCoGMD podcast, Mike and I talked
about crossover/event thingys and why they’re good and why they’re not
and both agreed we’d no idea what was going on in Infinity #1. However,
the main grumble I had about these things was when the tie-in comic had
basically nothing to do with the event. At this point you’re wondering
“do I need to buy the Infinity tie-ins?” Lucky for you, I buy every
Marvel book anyway, so by way of ongoing/post-mortem analysis, here’s an
assessment of the Infinity tie-in books on a need-to-read basis.
Thunderbolts
#14 – a nice little comic, with a great moment between Punisher and
Deadpool, that mentioned the Avengers were in space on the last couple
of pages. Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Avengers
Assemble #18 – good KSD script, nice Barry Kitson pencils and actually
set in space, giving Spider-Woman a few character moments. Valid but not
plot-driving. Importance to Infinity: 4/10.
Avengers
#18 – this did that crossover thing where half the pages are basically
the same as AA #18 but with a twist (one of them being an annoying
irregularity in what the Avengers refer to their ships as over the comm –
AV-2 in AA, Quincarrier 2 in A, but I digress…) but it adds relevant
background and detail to the arc overall. Importance to Infinity: 7/10.
New
Avengers #9 – very much part of Infinity, but a jumble of an issue that
felt like a highlight reel, not a story – I expect to see more of these
pages in other books. Importance to Infinity: 8/10.
Captain
Marvel #15 – like both AA #18 and A #18 this was set in the Battle Of
The Corridor and thus you feel a little ripped off as you’ve seen most
events twice already and I suspect the developments are key to Carol but
not to Infinity. Importance to Infinity: 5/10.
Avengers #19 - the core Avengers books (adjectiveless and New) are all about
Infinity, and this issue was a step up from the last one in that it presented fresh info and angles rather than just treading water for Infinity #3. Nice Leinil Yu pages, too. Importance to Infinity: 8/10.
Infinity: The Hunt #1 - Matt Kindt brings the oddness to Infinity. Not at all what I was expecting, the premise is a Contest Of Champions between the various super schools in the MU (Avengers Academy, Future Foundation, etc) and then Infinity crosses the threshold in the latter pages. Not what I expected and I did enjoy it but the Infinity banner feels like no more than a sales gimmick. Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Mighty Avengers #1 - all the pre-release grumbling and outrage and what have you can now be ignored as an actual comic exists. And I really enjoyed it! And it is sorta because of Infinity but doesn't really have much to do with it. So inextricable yet irrelevant - not sure if that's a perfect tie-in or...something else. Hmm, let's hedge... Importance to Infinity: 5/10.
Thunderbolts #15 - this was an even better issue than #14 (which I enjoyed) and if you're a fan of Deadpool you should buy this rather than Deadpool and sure, infinity is happening in this issue. But it's still got nothing to do with the story. Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Captain Marvel #16 - being as this is set in space amidst all the Infinity shenanigans, it is very much a tie-in. Would Infinity still make sense (insofar as it does) without reading this? Sure. But it is a bit like seeing some deleted or alternate scenes - adds colour, but inessential. Importance to Infinity: 5/10.
New Avengers #10 - my main problem with the core Avengers books (and indeed with the issues of Infinity) is that about a third of the pages in each book are spent recapping things from each other. It's annoying. But the story is gathering pace now and it's clear that the Avengers books are (as Marvel are pretty clear about, to be fair) part of Infinity, not just a tie in. Importance to Infinity: 8/10.
Avengers #20 - it's settling into a format now - as a core book, this is all Infinity rather than tie-in. It's also pretty bad value as the first five pages are just a re-hash of recent Infinity pages. Could this not be covered off on the intro page? Con: 4/10. Importance to Infinity: 8/10.
Avengers Assemble #19 - ok, so, this is just cheeky. There are probably no more than two or three pages in this whole back that I didn't already see in Captain Marvel, Infinity or one of the other Avengers books. I love Marvel, but $3.99 for a few character beats from Spider-Woman is just rude. Also, nothing here moves Infinity on in any way at all. Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Superior Spider-Man Team Up #3 - hear that? That's the barrel being scraped. I'd have no problem with SpOck being involved in the invasion of Earth as he totally would be, but given the complete lack of relevance to the Infinity story, this is way more cash-in than tie-in. Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Infinity: Heist #1 - this is sort of the flip of Mighty Avengers (in that it is bad buys getting together because the Avengers are in space) and is similarly completely driven by Infinity whilst contributing nothing to it. So, in the interests of consistency... Importance to Infinity: 5/10.
Nova #8 - it makes sense, given Thanos' history with the Nova Corps, that this book should link up to what's happening in the MU, and it offers more info on some of Thanos' henchmen as well as being a fun read. Not crucial, but not as cynical as some of the other Infinity books this week! Importance to Infinity: 4/10.
Infinity: The Hunt #2 - the point of this blog is "do you need to read this comic as part of Infinity?" This issue is more along the lines of "do you need to read this comic at all?" Almost nothing happens beyond three new characters get introduced. Pacey this is not. Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Mighty Avengers #2 - this is a little less fun than the great first issue but does have a feeling of pace and consequence that The Hunt lacks, and you get to see more of Proxima Midnight's power-set as well as bringing the Blue Marvel into things. Importance to Infinity: 5/10.
Thunderbolts #16 - after three issues of this tie-in I can confidently say two things: 1) Charles Soule has improved this book and it is level with Mighty Avengers as my favourite tie-in book and 2) It really has naff-all to do with Infinity! Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Fearless Defenders #10 - any seasoned comic-reader will bee familiar with this sort of tie-in issue now - it's part of infinity by virtue of the fact that the team are in Manhattan and slap a couple of aliens. That's about it. Fun read, though. Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #4 - after the barrel-scraping of last issue, this one goes worse. It's one of those things that you get in a lot of events (like Wolverine usually being in eighteen places at once) where the story isn't really to do with the event but you've stuck that banner on the front of the comic so [SPOILER] how come none of the other Infinity cash-in issues have mentioned the lengthy black-out that affects the whole of Manhattan? Silliness. Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Avengers #21 - on the plus side, this doesn't repeat last issue's trick of devoting a quarter of the comic to recapping other comics. On the down side, it has about four pages of story stretched unenthusiastically over 22 pages of art... Importance to Infinity: 7/10.
New Avengers #11 - I'm sure I'd be enjoying Infinity more if the vastly superior Battle Of The Atom event were not happening at the same time (although the surfeit of Hank McCoys in that book explains how one has time to get away and appear in this book). Anyway, this is sort of relevant, if you allow that Hickman's plan with the Incursions and what have you is all part of his plan. Importance to Infinity: 7/10.
Avengers Assemble #20 - sure, the events of this comic spin out of Infinity, but it is transparent that they meant to put Inhumanity across the top of the cover, as this is just a prologue to Marvel's next event. Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Infinity: Heist #2 - this is the 25th book on this list, so it represents a real financial investment for someone keen to have the whole Infinity shebang. And this is a proper tie-in book, isn't it? A bespoke mini-series? It would definitely be about Infinity, and not an advert for Inhumanity, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it? Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Thunderbolts #17 - this title never really had anything to do with Infinity, however, so when it becomes an ad for Inhumanity it feels less cheeky... Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Infinity: The Hunt #3 - I'm not sure what this book is for. Despite the Thanos-carnage backdrop, it has nothing to do with the overall plot. It has yet to become an ad for Inhumanity. It features a slew of new characters who it is hard to care about. It is just sort of...there. Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Secret Avengers #10 - ooh, here's a bit of a shocker! It's an Infinity banded book that is actually another trailer for Inhumanity! Importance to Infinity: 1/10.
Nova #9 - I'm going to score Nova higher than the other four books this week, as it does what a tie-in probably should. It sticks with its own ongoing narrative whilst acknowledging all that's affecting Earth; it features key members of Thanos' crew without making you wonder how they found time to break off from whatever else they were up to; it features the regular creative team. Sure, you don't need to read it, but you won't feel bad that you did. Importance to Infinity: 4/10.
Avengers #22 - as has become clear in the above reviews, this is a core book and so focuses on Infinity entirely. That said, if you already read Infinity #5 then this comic is almost totally inconsequential as it just tells you the exact same things. Importance to Infinity: 4/10.
Guardians Of The Galaxy #8 - clearly, given the nature of the book, this title was ripe for tie-in status and, much like Nova, manages to engage the characters, advance the plot of the book, feature things that actually have to do with Infinity rather than just be on the same planet and not leave you feeling cheated - this is what tie-ins should be like! Importance to Infinity: 7/10.
Mighty Avengers #3 - you'd think between Thanos and his posse and the Builders that there'd be plenty of bad guys that this tie-in could use to make it a tie-in. However, as the plan seems to be for tie-ins to not, well, tie in, the Mighty Avengers dig up an alternative. Importance to Infinity: 2/10.
Avengers #23 - after a flurry early on, Infinity issues seem to have become more sporadic lately, but this was a pretty good one, setting up the (presumably) all-action finale. Importance to Infinity: 8/10.
Secret Avengers #11 - this ridiculous undertaking has become easier of late, as I can simply keep saying "this is just about Inhumanity." Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
Thunderbolts #18 - this is just about Inhumanity. Importance to Infinity: 0/10.
New Avengers #12 - it is totally fair to say that, had I realised how many books marvel had decided would notionally tie in to Infinity, I would not have embarked upon this mad quest. Oh well... So, anyway, Infinity #6 happens before this so this is pitched as an epilogue. I'll not say what happens in case of spoilers, but I'm not sure if epilogues are important or not. It's like missing the post-credits scene, I guess? I'll be nice and say Importance to Infinity: 7/10.
Infinity: The Hunt #4 - wow. This started good with the first issue and degenerated into this messy pile of crap. I think the wasted potential is the most upsetting thing. Pointless series. Importance to Infinity: 3/10.
Infinity: Heist #3 - this started less good than The Hunt but sorta stayed at a level. Irrelevant but vaguely entertaining, but then goes astray in the last few pages of this issue. Importance to Infinity: 3/10.
Wolverine And The X-Men Annual #1 - thanks to Jason Aaron for delivering a decent tie-in so that this week's tie-ins were not a complete wash-out. This is not exactly critical to the narrative of Infinity, but is a fun story of Kubark and sees his return to the Jean Grey School whilst actually being set in and around Infinity rather than just being an Inhumanity trailer. Importance to Infinity: 4/10.
This will be updated whenever I read an Infinity book, so bookmark us or something!
