Comic Reviews— Game of Thrones #1-6; The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week

In September 2011, I decided to start reading comics. I had been wanting to get into comics for a while, but I had no clue where to start. DC was releasing the New 52, though, so that seemed like the perfect opportunity. Helped by a group of enthusiastic Ranting Dragon writers, almost all of the 52 new first editions were reviewed. It was a lot of work, and all of us were left burned out. Months later, I had finally found the motivation to attack following editions of the New 52 with new energy. I did one Round-up article, but reading forty comics in a week was a bit much…

Ever since, I have been considering what to do about comics. I’ve read some, like Peter V. Brett’s Red Sonja Blue, the entire collection of Bone, and even a couple of webcomics (Order of the Stick deserves a mention here, it’s amazing!). But that wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to read the real stuff, like the weekly issues from DC and Marvel.

So here’s the deal. I’m reading comics again. I’ll read whatever I want to read. I’ll pick up new comics at random. If I hear of a cool old comic, I’ll read it. If I hear of something new and fresh that interests me, I’ll read. I won’t read much, but I will read steadily. And whatever I read, I’ll review. If you’re looking for deep insights into the world of comics, my posts won’t be for you. If you’re a relatively new reader, or just a regular reader always looking for the next issue to read, these reviews might help you. Whoever you are, though, if you liked my reviews, I’d love for you to comment below and recommend comics to me! Anything a beginner must absolutely read? Tell me!

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A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, #1-6

A couple months ago, someone gave me the first six issues of the Game of Thrones comics. It took me a while to start reading them, but once I did, I realized once again how awesome the person who gifted them really is. This comic, adapted from the George R.R. Martin story by Daniel Abraham—known for his Long Price Quartet and, more recently, The Dragon’s Path—with art by Tommy Patterson, is quite the read. Simply put: it made me devour the pages and left me wanting more.

One of the amazing things about A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel is the art. It’s beautiful and fits the world perfectly. In particular, the White Walkers in the first issue were wonderfully created. One problem I did have with the art, however, is that Patterson seems incapable of drawing women of varying ages. I found myself puzzled about who was who on several occasions. For example, Catelyn Stark—mother of five—looks like she’s in her twenties, with a perfect figure.

The story in this Game of Thrones comic adaption is quite wonderful, too. It stays surprisingly true to the novels, yet is a lot more accessible, and it reads as effortlessly as watching an episode of the HBO show—but without the ridiculous amounts of additional sex scenes. I was also pleasantly surprised by the way some characters, like Theon Greyjon, are depicted. All in all, everyone who loves A Song of Ice and Fire or HBO’s Game of Thrones should definitely check out these comics.

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The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week

Fury’s Big Week is essentially the introduction to The Avengers. This 96 page comic, combining eight volumes and released in trade paperback on May 16, ties all the films in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe together. The common threads in this story are Nick Fury and his S.H.I.E.L.D. organization. From their viewpoint, we see the things that went on behind the scenes of The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and the ending of Captain America.

While the story of Fury’s Big Week isn’t particularly special on its own, it’s this connecting of all films that makes the comic a must read for all fans of The Avengers. Suddenly, it turns out that the events in The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, and Thor all took place in the same week. What’s more, Fury’s Big Week uses hints already present in the films to make it happen. One could say this prelude forms the blueprint to the entire first part of Marvel’s big, epic storyline.

The art of Fury’s Big Week is great, though some characters, like Hawkeye and Coulson, are a little hard to recognize. They don’t look much like their big screen versions. Their personalities, though, are much like that in the movies, making this Avengers prelude a treat for every fan. In fact, Hawkeye and Black Widow are actually given the personality they so lacked in The Avengers.

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