Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artist: Michael Allred
Colors: Laura Allred
Letters: VC’s Cory Petit
18 months. We were promised 18 months before the next world shattering Marvel event. We haven’t even made it half a year before Infinity Countdown, not to be confused with Jonathan Hickman’s great Infinity mini-series from 2013, is upon us. With the build up to Avengers: Infinity in May Marvel has decided to produce an event/crossover centering on the Infinity Gems, or stones, as they would now like us to call them (they’ll always be gems to me). So this week saw the release of Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1and the beginning of Marvel’s next event.
I’m coming in cold to Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1. I departed Marvel cosmic a few months ago when Brian Michael Bendis wrapped up his time on Guardians of the Galaxy and I’m still working my way through Slott and Allred’s Silver Surfer. Yet there was a time as a kid where I devoured the cosmic side of Marvel as read all things Starlin including his time on Captain Marvel and Warlock. I was around for the original Infinity trilogy (Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, and Infinity Crusade) and loved when Annihilation hit a few years back andI followed The Abbnett/Lanning Guardians of the Galaxy comic and stayed when Bendis took over the title. So I had a fundmental background and understanding of the Cosmic Marvel Universe and a history with Adam Warlock but upon reading Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock I didn’t need either.
Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1 was a fun comic. It was both a walk down memory lane as well as set up for what’s to come from the main mini-series. The crux of the story is that Kang needs Adam Warlock to help save time itself. So he bring Adam’s cocoon to his citadel at the end of time and as Adam is reborn the reader bears witness to a beautiful series of splash pages that retell Adam Warlock’s history. It was a joy to relive those early stories as well as to see some of the classic costumes, not just Adam’s but Gamora and Drax’s as well. Kang’s plan is ambitious and all of time and space hinges upon its success. It also entails for Adam to go forward he must go back to ancient Egypt and meet with Kang under his alias of Rama Tut as they begin their search for the Infinity Gems….I mean Stones.
Even though I’m less then enthused Marvel is rolling out yet another event Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock was a fun read. Gerry Duggan is an excellent writer as I find myself enjoying the majority of the things he writes, especially his fun Uncanny Avengers run. He has a good grasp of cosmic Marvel and the Warlock character. There’s not any accolade I can give to Michael and Laura Allred that they haven’t already received. Seeing their art on Adam Warlock, both old and his new look was stellar. The colors were pitch perfect and the entirety of the book was funky and fun.
Verdict: Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock is an excellent and entertaining kickoff to Marvel’s newest event. If the entirety of this storyline is as enjoyable as this issue then I’m looking forward to a tour of Marvel Cosmic and reading the next evolution of the Infinity Gems…. Yes, Gems.
