Writer: Cullen Bunn
Penciler: Steve McNiven
Inker: Jay Leisten
Color Artist: David Curiel
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Monsters Unleashed doesn’t waste any time getting into the action. Throughout the issue, you see teams of Marvel heroes battling monsters all around the world. The only reprieve from the action is when the story follows Elsa Bloodstone as she makes her way to, and through, a booby trapped cave. She knows something that none of the other heroes know. It makes for an intriguing story in the middle of some possibly world-ending action.
Cullen Bunn has a lot to work with in a short amount of time. He’s tasked with writing only a few lines for most of the characters we see and we still get a good sense of each of their personalities. It’s a solid first issue considering all that is going on. Bunn gets across the urgency of the situation and has a lot to work with in the next four issues of the mini-series. Of course, there will be tie-ins, but those don’t seem to be absolutely crucial to the storyline.
In comparison to the art in this issue, Bunn might actually have the easier task. With as many monsters as we see and as many heroes we see, Steve McNiven did an excellent job with showing off each monster and hero in this issue. We see some classic Wolverine, or Old Man Logan, if you prefer. He gives us what we love about the Guardians and their team dynamic. I could go on, but really you just have to see it for yourself. The same stands for Jay Leisten and David Curiel. This is just a nice book to look at all around.
Going into this, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the comic. A good amount of fans didn’t seem too thrilled with the Civil War II event (I, however, have not read it yet), so it felt risky to dive into another one so soon. However, this is a fun read and if you’re into monster stories, there will be plenty to get out of this first issue.
Verdict: Buy. There’s a lot to absorb in this issue, and it looks fantastic. I’m undecided on checking out all of the tie-ins, but I’m in for the mini-series. Plus, Marvel just announced that after this event there will be a new ongoing series for Monsters Unleashed, so this will give a good taste of what this creative team can do.
