Review: Fear Itself #1 (of 7)

Marvel's first company-wide spanning story since Civil War has hit the shelves — and it has buried it's predecessors!

Not since the September 11th tribute issues, has Marvel had its hand on the pulse of the nation the way they have for Fear Itself. There is an underlying fear in our nation, a fear of what comes next, a fear of what we may lose – a job, a house, a family – even the mere thought of losing our democracy has pushed people into positions they never thought they would be. The fear is so intense, that it is palpable each and every day. It is that same fear that drives Fraction's tale, combining realism with the fantastic — and it makes for one hell of a story!

The spit shine polish of The Heroic Age has become scuffed, leaving people questioning how important heroes are when they hang foreclosure signs on their front lawns and arrive at work only to find the doors chained and pink slips instead of paychecks. They look to the skies for answers — only to see falling lights, lights that not only spark fear in the hearts of mortal men, but those stoic enough to be called heroes, as well. A gale-force wind of change has hit the Marvel U. and no one will come out of it unscathed! 

Fraction and Immonen have built a tale that will completely change the landscape of the Marvel U. It is a tale that is emotional yet completely bombastic full of both blockbuster and drama, an amalgam of everything a good story should be — and it is amazing! Immonen's art can only be described as beautiful brutality. Every panel leaps off the page, assaulting the senses and dragging you into the depth of the story like no one has ever done before. It is crisp and clean, yet hyper detailed — making all the scenes important and the important ones epic!

Heroes are rocked to the core; an ancient evil emerges from the depths of oblivion, and the line between man and god has been redrawn deeper than ever. I don't want to give anything away; this story deserves not one iota of spoilers, but this has intense, shocking scenes — ones that will make you glad you are a comic fan! Fraction has outdone every story he has done before! He is at the pinnacle of his career — and I am pleased to be along for the ride!

This story is the hammer that will drive Marvel's sales back to the top of the charts. It is a story that will have ramifications for the future of the Marvel U., and you have a front-row seat. So get in line and consider yourself one of the worthy — the only thing you have to fear is not getting your hands on a copy!