The Web Haunt of Ryan K Lindsay

I was keen for (for the sake of brevity) SWORD. I had previously come up with the idea that a Brand and Beast romantic story in space would be a wicked addition to a Marvel version of Wednesday Comics. I didn’t think it would actually get its own title, as I found out one week after my suggestion went to press. But I am happy that SWORD is now its own on-going title, starting with the first issue that hit this week by Kieron Gillen and Steven Sanders.

Just the cover made me happy. John Cassaday’s art is lovely, the dude can do covers, as well as pages, and splashes, talented bastard. Then, I love the logo. I am not sure when this logo came in, if it was there in Whedon and Cassaday’s run, but it’s awesome, and seeing it just simply placed up the top of the page makes me think I’m just reading some classified material from the agency. Wicked start.

The opening of Gyrich made me realise why he was chosen. I don’t like the character, at all, but that’s perfect. He’s the role you’re supposed to hate, and I can hate him for sure. He’s nerdy, and surly, and annoying, and mean. He’ll do well. But I liked the scene of Lockheed drinking in the mess area, just flat out downing some whiskey. They’re setting him up as the ‘Wolvie’ of the bunch, which makes me laugh, but it’s nice to see the character taken seriously. He’s missing Kitty Pryde and he’s out to kick ass and chew bubblegum. The other idiot agent’s reaction to Lockheed is a priceless background moment. It’s this level of depth that the series has, it gives you multiple levels on which to enjoy each scene.

Then we get a great set up and moment for Beast where he delivers the morning coffees and muffin for his darling Brand but she’s busy. His response is timed perfectly and the art sells it. Now, from that panel you’ll notice that Hank McCoy here looks a fair degree different from his usual self. Lately he’s been more cat-like, but Steven Sanders has gone in a different direction. Yeah, it’s jolting at first, but then I just saw good ol’ Hank and I was fine. He kind of reminds me of some old school three billy goats gruff picture I saw somewhere once, but here I think it works, and it’s interesting that he was allowed to go in this direction.

It soon turns out that an escaping refugee is Brand’s brother. Well, half-brother. We know that Agent Brand is half-alien, so it makes sense she would have a full alien half-brother. I like that this idea was introduced from the start, I could imagine many other writer’s burying this lead. He’s on the run from a space bounty hunter, who we learn is actually olde school throw-back, Death’s Head. The bounty hunter is after something that Lothi, the half-brother, has. He offers Brand ten percent of the cut, which he shows her in one of those awesome tick yes or no box messages, just like the girls sent the boys way back in early teenage years of myth and yore. It made me laugh, especially because I still send notes like that at school. I ask a fellow colleague if they could possibly see me after school about an important matter, then I’ll offer tick boxes for ‘Yes’, ‘Sorry, But I Politely Decline’, or ‘Why Are You Annoying Me?’ It still makes me laugh.

Once Brand refuses the offer she basically tells Death’s Head to bugger off. His response made me laugh out loud. This is the sort of thing this series is going to deal us, and deal me in a big fat sweaty hand.

After the meeting Lothi stands with Brand and Beast. I show this panel purely because I like the SWORD uniforms. I still think the olde school Nick Fury-SHIELD suits take the cake, but these are good and seeing Beast in one is just great. I also like that Lothi is some skinny green runt who you just know keeps dragging his family into shit. And this probably isn’t the first time Brand has bailed him out. I now want to meet the father, not to mention Brand’s mother. A lady who gets freaky with some green alien has to be interesting, right?

The last thing I’ll show is a new character that they’ve come up with, and he’s pretty cool. His name is Unit and he’s some sort of robot Hannibal Lecter. They keep him in a very safe cell down below and they also go to him for advice. He looks so friendly, which is perfect, but he’s biding his time. He’s the gun on the mantle waiting for Chekov’s third act, and I cannot wait for it. I wonder what he can do, and what he has done. I like he can only transfer information through a safety portal in his cell. But mostly, I like that he’s a floating Pez dispenser. Now that’s genius.

Overall, I was impressed with this debut issue. The test for me is to tell my lady about the issue, if it takes me a while to explain it then it’s a good issue, and this issue packs a lot into its pages. It’s all set up, but completed perfectly, and humorously. I really look forward to the next issue, and this one certainly gets my pick of the week. It’s fun, funny, fast paced, loaded with business, and you get a bonus story, and a damn fine one at that, as a back up. This is how Marvel should start all their series’.

Posted on November 13th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under: comics