This week, on the Major Spoilers Podcast, the Major Spoilers Crew takes a look at Annihilation, Book 1 from Marvel.
Annihilation, Book 1
The Annihilation Wave has come! Annihilus, lord of the Negative Zone, has declared war! Hordes of loyal soldiers swarm from the center of the universe, and only a handful of heroes can resist destruction! As the Xandarian Nova Corps meet its doom, only Richard Rider – the man called Nova – survives. Now the sole custodian of the Worldmind, the Zandarian’s database of knowledge and experience, can he rediscover himself in time to lead the war effort against the Annihilation Wave? Drax the Destroyer returns from exile on Earth to mentor Nova – but wait until you see his dangerous new persona! Guest-starring Quasar, Ronan the Accuser, the Super-Skrull and Thanos! Collecting Drax the Destroyer #1-4, Annihilation Prologue and Annihilation: Nova #1-4.
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5 Comments
I have to admit, I’ve been a fan of the “Cosmic Opera” since reading Jim Starlin’s work with Warlock and Silver Surfer. While Starlin’s work will always be what I judge other stories by, Annihilation was a really good story. Starting with the rebirth of Drax (not the Destroyer),introduction of Cammi (who is still out there somewhere) to making Annihilus into an interstellar threat this story reset the balance of Marvel’s Cosmic powers. Seeing how this story has led to Conquest, Realm of Kings, War of Kings and Thanos Imperative (most of which were good) lets me take even more enjoyment from it.
I really wanted to read this, I really did, but I had to abide by my self impossed, “No Event Comics” stance. I saw this in a book store, it was volume 1 and it was packed. I made my mind up then and there, I will pass on Annihilation. It was too dang much. I like some of the characters, but not enough to put my time or money into this tale.
But I can’t wait to hear y’all’s thoughts on it.
I called in but on the off chance it isn’t played because of my rambling nature and my general nervousness (and me calling the Novas Green Lanterns) I’ll post a comment.
Annihilation Book 1 is a bit disjointed. While the entire series itself is great the first book balances the line between relevant and fluff usually falling into the latter. Especially in the first half. While the second half is much more interesting to me I feel the first half has its good parts, mostly in Drax’s interaction with the human girl.
All in all the first book is an average read but interesting enough to warrant seeking out the second book.
First of Annihilation should be read in one shot, a trade a week then the next 2 days later and so on and you’l likely lose interest or forget who’s doing what, it’S even more true of Annihilation: Conquest.
Second, as a whole this is a great series, it elevated Nova from the super loser status he gained from been part of the New Warriors (sorry Matthew but the New Warriors were a joke to many, after Civil War a sad joke).
It’s great because of who participated in this (many obscure/forgoten heroes/villains got a second life form this), the aftermath “Conquest” argueable better then Annihilation, Skreet and Cammi, and of course the fact Thanos finally gets the girl! I particulary liked the fact that Thanos dies seconds before doing something worthwhile with his life, interesting indeed.
I have been wanting you guys to review Annihilation for a while now. This series, to me, was phenomenal! I never really cared about space stories before reading this event, I mean yeah there would be a story here or there that I enjoyed, Countdown to Adventure being one. I just always had a hard time caring about whatever was going on out in space because it always seemed like people would be at some completely new (to me) planet and nothing ever felt consistant and it (space) was just way too big for me to feel to connected to it to really be concerned. I could enjoy Green Lantern stories because half of the time they take place on or around Earth and/or OA.
I picked this series up at Mid-Ohio Con three years ago now, kind of on accident too. I had read a couple issues of Wraith and Quasar (I think) and was interested and I saw all three TPB’s of Annihilation for 50% off and thought that was where those issues were from and I got it. I am glad I grabbed these first, I have a feeling Conquest wouldn’t make much sense without it.
I loved that it introduced me to a lot of characters that I didn’t have much experience with and really built many of those characters into more faceted iterations of the characters that I did know. I love the heroes that are forced to work together against a common foe (I know I’m commenting more on the whole series and not just the one volume), and I love that they turn generally silly characters like the Super Skrull and Drax into formiddable fighters and tacticians that you actually root for. It’s not as pronounced in the first volume, but I also really found the Nova Corps Database entries to be really helpful in figuring out who all these characters are and what their history and powersets are. Book One only gives a real basic breakdown of who the Nova Corps are, Annhilus, Thanos, and where the Annihilation Wave has gone and what the Kyln is, the later books go into much further detail describing places and characters that are introduced throughout the series.
I’m not usually big on event titles either, I liked 52, hated most of Countdown, and didn’t bother with Blackest Night or Dark Reign, but without this series we ultimately wouldn’t have gotten The Guardians of the Galaxy again, so that’s worth it all right there.