Welcome to another Marvel Rundown! This time in our weekly Marvel review column, we take a closer look at Imperial #4 by Jonathan Hickman, Federico Vincentini, and Ivan Coello. Will Marvel’s big cosmic event end with a bang or a silent one? Read on to find out.
Please be aware that there are major spoilers ahead. So if you want to know what we think, head to the bottom of the review.
Also on Rapid Rundown this week are reviews of Boba Jett: Black, White, and Blood #2 and Death of the Silver Surfer #2. Additionally, we continue our deployment from the Age of Revelation, focusing on the expatriate X-Men, Cloak or Dagger, and Undeadpool.
As always, The Beat wants to hear from all you true believers! Let us know what you think of this week’s Marvel Comics! Give us a shout in the comments section below or on social media @comicsbeat or @comicsbeat.bsky.social.
Imperial #4
Screenplay: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Ivan Coello & Frederico Vincentini
Colorist: Federico Brie
Author: Cory Petit
Over the past decade, Marvel has fallen into a never-ending cycle of truly unforgettable events. Thirteen full-length events were published over a 10-year period. This does not count events associated with specific lines in the book.
Some people sold their popularity. Does anyone remember Civil War II, Infinity Wars, and Heroes Reborn? Others like War of the Realms and King in Black looked like they could be story arcs imbued with events.
So what do you have to say about Imperial for its final issue? Written by Jonathan Hickman (who served as showrunner on the spin-off’s one-off series), this miniseries can be described as an event book. Its noble purpose would be to establish a new status quo for Marvel’s cosmic characters. To do so, Hickman uses characters whose connections to the universe have been largely forgotten, such as the Hulk, Black Panther, and the Inhumans.
Art: Federico Vincentini, Iban Coello, Frederico Blee
Will that goal be achieved? In most cases, it will be. Hickman, Federico Vincentini, and Ivan Coello built on Marvel’s past 25 years of history to craft Imperial into a truly momentous, galaxy-shattering story. Who would have thought that the characters would still be feeling the effects of Planet Hulk and Secret Invasion in 2025? It felt really refreshing to see the characters treat these world-shaking comic book events like paradigm-shifting historical events.
Art by Vincentini, Coello, and colorist Federico Blee gave scale to the series. The action was exciting and the reveals were explosive. Even in this final issue, the page-opening action is breathtaking. Nearing the end, the denouement gives some breathing room and a sense of resignation. This artistic team made the series read like the giant space opera that Hickman was aiming for with the story.
Art: Federico Vincentini, Iban Coello, Frederico Blee
At the end of it all, and despite the galactic chaos caused, Imperial served as a soft reboot. In this story, most of the characters return to familiar places. Black Panther is once again king of Wakanda. The exiled Hulkling returns to Earth with her husband, Wiccan. No one trusts the Skrulls. Even with the return of the Inhumans, the villains of all this, they are seen tangled up with the Kree again.
There are parts here that feel new. Star-Lord’s resolution to the story, Nova’s new status quo, and She-Hulk on Sakaar en Nero at least give the illusion of change. Still, many of the resolutions make it seem like Marvel is taking a step back when it comes to these characters.
Art: Federico Vincentini, Iban Coello, Frederico Blee
At least this series is insightful enough to understand the nature of these stories. In the last issue, the Grandmaster joked about how he would blow everything up and then put it back in its place. Things actually could have gone another way when Black Bolt showed up to kill him. Rather, the ending feels like a callback to a more famous comic. It seems like cheating for a series that looked so positive to take a step back.
Still, the ambition shown at Imperial is to be admired. Honestly, this is the platonic ideal of an event book. If Imperial is successful enough, Marvel should use it as a template for how they hold future events. Events like Gang War and One World Under Doom are bloated and weightless. Imperial has been a rocket hit with every issue, even if it hasn’t moved things in completely bold new directions.
Verdict: Buy
Rapid rundown!
Star Wars Boba Fett: Black, White and Red #2 The Mandalorian may have stolen his thunder, and a misguided, half-baked series may have smothered his mystique, but the fact is that Boba Fett, with his amazing design and stoic professionalism, is one of the best vehicles available for exploring the dirty, dark corners of the Star Wars galaxy. Call me a sucker for space western outlaw stories, but this one-shot story (second in a series of rotating creators’ anthology series) is everything I want from the genre. This story by Saladin Ahmed and Ramon Rosanas utilizes this character in the best possible way. The character is a silent, creepy craftsman who acts as a force of nature around him, finding prey and scaring the unlucky. We’re more focused on the bounty than the hunter here, which makes Rosanas visually engaging and allows Ahmed to introduce us to all sorts of fascinating characters. This story of a weasel-like bounty clumsily scurrying through the underworld reminds me of the classic Dark Horse Boba Fett stories by Simon Bisley and Cam Kennedy, and they remain my high point for Fett stories. Rosanas brings a brand new planet to life, increasing the tension with every turn of the page. When Fett appears out of nowhere to scare his targets, color scheme is used to surprising effect, with the bright white hunter and hunter popping against a sea of red tones. Joe Caramagna brings it all together with crisp lettering and sophisticated SFX that look as natural for Star Wars as the iconic sounds of the films do at this point. Star Wars books are good so far, folks. – TR Death of the Silver Surfer #5 We all know that no one really dies in the comics, but writer Greg Pak, along with pencilers Sumit Kumar and Tiago Palma, with inks by Jonas Trinidad, Tiago Palma, and Sumit Kumar, and colors by Frank Dalmata, brings to life what could be Norrin Rudd’s final vehicle. Earth, tech buddy Dennis Harmon has harnessed the blood of Galactus, the power source of the universe, to achieve his goals. Aided by the Alien Neutralization Bureau, Harmon’s hatred blinds him to the dangers of the immense power he is using to kill the Surfer, and his technology threatens to destroy the Earth along with the Surfer. Park’s ability to talk about important real-world issues without falling into lecture mode is first-rate. Kelly Coe, a former Secretariat agent, goes from being a fanatical believer in Harmon’s mission to round up peaceful aliens like the Surfer to the chaos of Harmon’s fascist-like plans and becoming Surfer’s choice to pursue the Power Cosmic. This final issue sees Surfer join the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, several Warbounds, and the cosmic-powered Kor fighting to protect Earth from Galactus’ rampaging blood and Harmon’s world-destroying aliens to protect Earth from Harmon’s world-shattering technology.This final issue features Kumar, Palma, and others helping land a plane as a free festival for slugs. Design-wise, I liked her look and the use of the shield she used as part of her. The arsenal is the basis for her journey through space. Puck understands the story and plot, and even better, knows how to work with the premise, giving us a promised death while leaving enough room for the next scribe to contribute to the surfer’s legend. I’m sure the powers that be will bring him back, but for now, Norrin Rudd is no longer a surfer, and Kelly Coe is–The Silver Surfer is dead, long live the Silver Surfer. –GC3
Dispatch from the Age of Apocalypse!
Cloak or Dagger #1 My favorite Marvel Rivals characters, Cloak and Dagger, are back in a new #1. Written by Justina Ireland and illustrated by Lorenzo Tammetta, “Cloak or Dagger #1” focuses on the duo of light and darkness as they attempt to establish a safe haven. The duo is dealing with changes in their powers, forcing them to switch locations similar to the Marvel Rivals gameplay mechanic, which is an interesting change to their abilities. The real highlight of the issue is when Dagger explains to her friends the situation between her and Cloak. You can really see the emotions in her face and words as she has to leave her partner like this. Couple this with a new pair of villains that can act together, and this series has the potential for some interesting characters in the future. It’s an exciting concept for the pair, especially after the truly adorable reappearance of their daughter, who only has to exist with one parent at a time.
For those unfamiliar with Cloak and Dagger, this issue unfortunately doesn’t do much to help you understand what’s going on, especially for readers who have Apocalypse in mind. But that doesn’t mean this issue isn’t fun to read, the energy between the main leads is great, the fight scenes really show the strength of their powers, and the unique setting and supporting characters are fun to engage with. This run has potential and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens. It could also mean Cloak and Dagger get new skins in Marvel Rivals. Fingers crossed. -LM
Undeadpool# 1 The best thing about events like the Age of Revelation, where anything is possible in an alternate timeline, is that the creators fall in love with the idea. Writer Tim Seeley and artist Carlos Magno have done just that with their brilliant horror-oriented series. undead pool. Thanks to a combination of the X-virus and Deadpool’s healing factor, he now exists as a zombie who needs to consume flesh to stay alive. But Seeley and Magno aren’t content with just having a zombie Deadpool. No, this issue is a different kind of horror movie, and it’s best to experience it while reading the issue. Magno’s art is clearly influenced by Brian Hitch and Gary Frank and is a perfect fit for this book. He does a great job of drawing all the gory details and eerie shadows you’d expect from a horror book, but look at his character acting. His figures seem to actually inhabit space, sitting with a sense of weight. There are some storytelling issues, like the action moving a little too fast, but other than that, this is a fun horror manga. If Marvel is smart, they should rotate Magno with Nick Klein in the upcoming Infernal Hulk. – DM Expat X-Men #1 What does it take to become an apocalyptic-type Resistance? Eve L. Ewing asks that question in Expat X-Men #1, and the answer isn’t very good. Resistance, especially against overwhelming force, is not easy. Kamala Khan, Mellie, Bronze, and Reggie McNair (now going by the name Rift) form the core of the expatriate X-Men based in Platoon on the Mississippi River. They take on various mercenary jobs and sometimes rescue captured mutants. Even as a mutant with limited time manipulation abilities, there is no guarantee of success. Ewing clearly has a penchant for some of the nihilism present in series like Apocalypse, especially Generation Next. These X-Men have done significant damage by what they’ve done, and they’re falling apart. Artistic collaborator Francesco Martino just left New York and is still a great fit for the X-Men books. This is the person who thought about how these characters acquired their powers between the present and X years. His designs for these future incarnations have distinct looks, but unify them in fun and subtle ways. Also, his environments are a lot of fun, from the Sentinel chief at the military base to the individual boats in the convoy. But at the end of the day, this is still a dangerous world that Ewing and Martarino create, and I’m not sure if this team will last or stay together for three issues. –DM
Can’t wait for next week’s book? Check out our past rundowns.
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