Annihilators

Annihilators: Earthfall #4

annihilators-earthfall-4-coverThe second Annihilators mini-series ends more with a whimper than a bang. I thought the main story stayed more interesting this time around (even without the Silver Surfer), as the Avengers and Annihilators banded together to stop the return of the Magnus and the rise of the Universal Church of Truth.

Although the two super-teams are able to work together its obvious the Avengers and the Annihilators have far different views on saving the day. Quasar hopes to keep his team in-check, but his final line to Captain America sure feels like none-to-subtle foreshadowing to me.

Sadly, poor Rocket Racoon and Groot‘s B-story with Mojo peters out in the few pages. If these mini-series are going to continue Rocket Racoon and Groot need to be given a bigger role, brought in on the main storyline, or given their own comic.

Much like the first mini-series Earthfall was fun, but not as good as I hoped it to be. Here’s hoping the next one knocks it out of the park (and gives us at least twice as much Rocket Racoon and Groot). I AM GROOT!

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Annihilators: Earthfall #3

annihilators-earthfall-3-coverNow that the Annihilators and Avengers have stopped beating the snot out of each other and taken down the base of the Universal Church of Truth on Earth they’re faced with a new problem. The Magnus has been reborn, his essence has been implanted in a group of human children and grows more powerful every second.

The two team’s quibbling on moral grounds about what to do with the children leads to even great problems when the Magnus imprints himself on 30% of the U.S. population and an army of Templeships show up to collect their deities.

Rocket Raccoon and Groot get the short end of the stick again, only earning a total of five pages here which sees the pair jumping through various simulations run by Mojo. (The ads for Rocket Raccoon and Groot action figures are a nice touch. Maybe someone at Marvel should actually get on that.)

With only one issue left it looks like both stories (even if the second isn’t being given as many pages as I’d like) look set to go out with a bang. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Annihilators: Earthfall #2

annihilators-earthfall-2-coverThe fight that was promised to us at the end of the first issue is delivered in full here as the team of Annihilators (GladiatorQuasarRonan the AccuserBeta Ray Bill and Ikon the Space Knight) throw down with the Avengers (Iron ManCaptain AmericaSpider-ManWolverineMs. MarvelValkyrie, and the Thing) who have shown up to stop the alien invaders from leveling a Colorado town… by creating more violence and further leveling the Colorado town.

On the plus side the huge amount of property damage eventually reveals the Universal Church of Truth‘s secret base. The teams come to a temporary ceasefire as they are attacked by the Church’s zealots and warriors protecting a secret deep within their once hidden base.

It’s a little cliche to see two groups of heroes get into a brawl over a misunderstanding but the action is pretty good here as the Avengers give it their all but still can’t stop the cosmic guardians. There’s also a humorous moment between Spidey and Quasar when the Web-Head meets Quasar’s space girlfriend.

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Annihilators: Earthfall #1

annihilators-earthfall-1-coverAfter a successful first mini-series the Annihilators (minus the Silver Surfer) earn their second mini-series revolving around the cosmic bad asses taking on The Universal Church of Truth.

A discovery in deep space leads the team to learn the Church has a secret base on Earth, and unless they are stopped, the entire galaxy could be at risk. And that’s how GladiatorQuasarRonan the Accuser, Beta Ray Bill and Ikon the Space Knight find themselves destroying what appears to be a legitimate business in the middle of Colorado.

In the comic’s final panels the Church’s agents re-activivate their holo-displays to make them appear as innocent victims of an attack from a group of insane aliens just as the Avengers arrive on the scene. Next issue should give us a super-sized throwdown we won’t want to miss.

Although we do get a Rocket Raccoon/Groot back-up story it’s far shorter than what was included in the first Annihilators mini-series. And that’s really too bad because less Rocket Raccoon is never a good thing. Best of the week.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Annihilators #4 (of 4)

annihilators-4-coverI’m more than a little sad this series is already over. Sure, I gave up trying to make sense of the main story’s plot sometime during the last issue, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun!

In the A story the Annihilators try to prevent the evil Skrull plot to release the Dire Wraiths… or something like that. Like i said, I stopped trying to make sense of this story awhile back. But it’s got hugely powered characters like the Silver Surfer, Ronan, Beta-Ray Bill and Quasar kicking some serious butt. By itself this isn’t enough to recommend but…

The B story also concludes as Rocket Raccoon and Groot attempt to prevent the Star Thief from escaping his prison. Their plan? Let’s just say it involves one of the most humiliating (and adorable) moments of Rocket Raccon’s life. Awesome.

The final panels of each story seem to suggest we’ll be seeing both of these groups again (hopefully at a much-reduced cover price). Even though I love the Silver Surfer, I’m far more interested in a quirky comic about a new Guardians of a Galaxy than further adventures of the Annihilators. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $4.99]

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