Dark Reign - Yea or Nay? (some spoilers about Secr Invasion)

[sengsterooney]

Okay, so we're a couple of weeks into the Dark Reign. What's your verdict?

I'm of mixed minds about it. Conceptually, I like it. An "evil" man in power, who also happens to be rather unhinged. A change in the status quo of the MU. I can already see interesting things happening with this idea -- especially since the latest issue of Invincible Iron Man. And I'm very curious about the Dark Avengers.

But -- I'm disappointed in the way it tailgated Secret Invasion. I don't feel as if I had closure in SI. Veranke was killed off (What?), the Wasp "dies" when she is disintegrated into black dust (without much ado), the replaced heroes all step out of a ship -- everyone of them, even Elektra who appeared to have been beaten within an inch of her life by the Super Skrull/s.

I kinda want to know what happened with the Skrull invaders.

I'm kinda hoping that the Dark Avengers doesn't turn into a Thunderbolts - or are revelaed to be Thunderbolts in Avengers garb.

What I like though, is that Dark Reign, further consolidates the fact that the MU is planned as a tight, shared universe where narrative skeins do connect and reconnect.

[Legerd]

It's a nay for me. I've never been impressed in the least by Bendis' ideas/writing and this is more of the same. It seems ill-thought out (would the US gov't really hand someone who is a convicted criminal such power?), poorly set up (just because Norman shot the Skrull queen he's a hero? And why put him in charge, why not Maria Hill or anyone else for that matter?) and I'm expecting numerous illogical storylines to come, filled with uncharacteristic behaviour by various heroes and villains that lead to poorly staged encounters which would never happen except that Bendis thought it would be kewl.

[cmdrkoenig67]

Okay, so we're a couple of weeks into the Dark Reign. What's your verdict?

I'm of mixed minds about it. Conceptually, I like it. An "evil" man in power, who also happens to be rather unhinged. A change in the status quo of the MU. I can already see interesting things happening with this idea -- especially since the latest issue of Invincible Iron Man. And I'm very curious about the Dark Avengers.

But -- I'm disappointed in the way it tailgated Secret Invasion. I don't feel as if I had closure in SI. Veranke was killed off (What?), the Wasp "dies" when she is disintegrated into black dust (without much ado), the replaced heroes all step out of a ship -- everyone of them, even Elektra who appeared to have been beaten within an inch of her life by the Super Skrull/s.

I kinda want to know what happened with the Skrull invaders.

I thought SI was incredibly disappointing, badly planned, plotted and executed...I collected the first three issues, then just gave up...To me, the best thing to happen during SI was Sacred Invasion...Everything else was crap (Horrible retcons, deaths and even worse resurrections). I'm expecting Dark Reign to be just as poorly done.

I'm kinda hoping that the Dark Avengers doesn't turn into a Thunderbolts - or are revelaed to be Thunderbolts in Avengers garb.

I think your hopes will be dashed, unfortunately, Seng.

What I like though, is that Dark Reign, further consolidates the fact that the MU is planned as a tight, shared universe where narrative skeins do connect and reconnect.

[Dfense75]

SPOILERS











The Dark Avengers are the Thunderbolts or at least some of them. Hawkeye=Bullseye, Black Spiderman=Venom, Retro Ms. Marvel=Moonstone, Wolverine=Wolverine's son(apparently), Iron Patriot=My guess Norman Osborn himself, Ares=himself, Marvel Boy=himself. Thunderbolts and any book they and the newest Ant-Man appears in are the only books Im reading atm.

Im rather excited that Ant-Man will now be in Thunderbolts and Ill be picking up Dark Avengers as well. I to was underwhelmed with SI. But considering that my favorite characters not named Alpha Flight are at the forefront of the Marvel U Im rather excited about the upcoming year. Im only hoping that Alpha fans stop getting the token response of..."Expect some news in (insert upcoming year) about Alpha Flight".

[Mystic]

I'll be honest, I find the concept of a villainous 'Illuminati' kind of interesting, though the execution of that idea has been idiotic and illogical. I have to agree that it is ridiculous to hand over the Initiative and whatever is left of SHIELD over to an individual who is a known and convicted psychopath. That right there has got to be one of the most ill-conceived storylines I have ever seen Marvel put out.

There are far more qualified people in the Marvel U to put in charge of EVERYTHING. Ok, so Norman Osborne killed the Skrull queen. What about the rest of the Skrulls, who fought those invading forces off? What he did didn't go above and beyond what anybody else had done (even if she was the leader of the invasion...she didn't cause the entirety of the destruction that happened across the planet).

I expect that this crossover will be horribly planned out, the events will get more and more unbelievable with each consecutive issue. Once again the Marvel U will be shaken up in ludicrous ways and I won't read anything they put out unless it has 'Alpha' somewhere on the cover (immediately followed by 'Flight').

-Mystic

[Flightpath07]

I'm taking a wait-and-see approach. Truthfully, most of what Marvel does is well-hyped, but then it underwhelms me.
The only thing under-hyped was Omega Flight. That, and the death of Alpha Flight. And the lack of concern of other established heroes in their deaths, and funeral.
so, yeah...wait-n-see.

[Flightpath07]

Well, after finally perusing some of the Dark Reign stuff going on, and letting it sink in for a bit, my verdict is now "Yea."

I'm for it! Surprised? I know I am...

I dunno why, but i like it. As with all these huge mega-events, what i hate the most is that i cannot afford to buy enough comics to keep track of everything that is happening.

But, thanks to what Dark Reign is offering me, i have now added Dark Avengers and Mighty Avengers to my monthly Pull List, and have decided to stick with Thunderbolts for a while longer after considering giving it up.

Seriously, i hope Marvel drags this one out for a long time! I think this is seriously one of the best ideas they have had in a long time.