The Infinity Entity #3: Answers? (Review)

Writer: Jim Starlin

Penciller: Alan Davis

Inker: Mark Farmer

Colorist: Wil Quintana

Price: $3.99

The book opens with Adam Warlock denying the accusations of universal genocide by Eternity. Infinity then discovers Adam's state of confusion resulted from a terrible trauma, and said state may be the cause of disaster in the cosmos. Infinity and Eternity proceeds to cure Adam from his memory loss. After obtaining back his memories, Adam explains that the “crisis” began with two Thanos-es and Adam Warlocks from two different realities exploring. The exploration resulted in two realities becoming uninhabitable. The Thanos from another reality (this is also the reality of the cosmic beings Adam is talking to) and our Adam began to fix the problem they began which led to the restoration of Thanos' reality. However, ours has been compacted and condensed to Adam himself, resulting in him becoming supreme as he put it. Adam is now more powerful than Eternity and Infinity since he has become both. Everything he perceives and conceives is reality itself. Basically, he is god. The cosmic beings begin ordering Adam to leave their reality since both realities cannot exist in the same plane (Remember: Our reality is inside Adam, and consequently has the powers of all the cosmic beings combined). He brings up a point of where he shall go after leaving this reality, as he needs more information. What follows is a threat from Infinity and Eternity to which Adam responds by simply swatting them away like bugs. His road to rebuilding our reality leads him to Annihilus' world where everything is shrouded in mystery, even to Adam. He discovers Annihulus evolving into an astral outsider and becoming more like Thanos and himself. Regardless, Adam puts this problem aside realizing that there is someone much bigger in play here. And that mysterious character is NONE OTHER THAN...... I have no freaking clue who this guy is.

So, issue #3 works more on revealing what is really at play here. Many questions have been answered; and unlike the previous issue where questions kept popping up, this issue focuses more on the revelations. It is clear that Jim Starlin is starting to put the puzzle pieces together. The pacing of the story did not feel rushed in any way, seeing as we're one more issue closer to the end of this fantastic storyline. The writing of the characters has been consistent, displaying a sense of the "classic" comics before. I found myself re-reading some of the dialogues, since some of the explanations are written in a vague or confusing manner (at least to me that is). Likewise, the art is consistent with the previous issues. It still portrays a sense of wonder to the unknown reality while Adam is traveling. They also did a great job doing facial expressions on Adam in displaying his confusion, as well as the perception of his confidence and maybe even conceit, once realizing his power. One thing that I find interesting is the same with the previous issue. The Beyonder-like character keeps popping up but he is drawn in a hidden way. He is always in the background of the larger cosmic entities. I wonder if they will bring him up next issue? I really hope so.

The Infinity Entity #2: Overload! (Review)

Writer: Jim Starlin

Penciller: Alan Davis

Inker: Mark Farmer

Colorist: Wil Quintana

Price: $3.99

This picks off exactly from where we ended the first issue. The In-Betweener, not knowing Adam has lost his memories, attacks him but immediately stops once realizing his memory loss. Their conversation leads to the In-Betweener revealing that Adam is now "infinite" rather than being "singular." Immediately after this statement, the In-Betweener is seen to disappear in their current plane of reality. Adam's memories begin to unfold new revelations to a certain someone he thinks can help. Who is this someone? Why, it's Thanos the Titan! Adam, realizing that Thanos is not in the current plane, conjures a dead Thanos back to our reality. This event leads Adam to Galactus, who was the Devourer of Worlds! Yes, "was"! Adam uncovers a DEAD Galactus! This causes him to consider the lesser beings and begin to travel to a nearby world, Chalhalla, only to find it devastated. The same can be said for other worlds (including Earth!), leaving Adam puzzled as to who is wreaking havoc in the universe. He stumbles upon one Thanos standing atop a pile of bodies in the now-destroyed Earth’s Moon, and three more Thanos-es watching the first Thanos from a distance. Suddenly, a ray of white light hits the lone Thanos, and begins to illuminate intensely seemingly engulfing everything around it. Everything except Adam Warlock. After a while, Adam enters a yellow gate only to come across the abstract cosmic entities themselves, who were initially killed after the events in New Avengers! Eternity itself begs Adam not to destroy the universe and everything that there ever is. (Sidenote: There is a character that can be seen, though vaguely, that looks suspiciously like the Beyonder as he appeared with the scruffy hair and white jacket.)

Okay, I need to a moment to take this all in. A lot of things happened in the book. It made me feel like so much happened and made me confused while reading it, but Starlin expertly provides answers within the succeeding pages. I have no actual context or backstory with who Adam is or what his role is in the Marvel universe (which would probably explain my confusion). Nevertheless, I followed the story perfectly. I actually think that having no context is an adventure while reading this miniseries, since I join Adam in this wild story of confusion and revelations. The appearances of the cosmic entities caught me off guard as I previously thought they were just gone from this current continuity (but the Living Tribunal is nowhere to be seen). I absolutely loved the first page where the In-Betweener is introducing himself like, "I am the In-Betweener! I am the then and now... yadda yadda yadda." and Adam goes, "Which means what exactly?" I LOVED THIS! It opened a sense of connection with me as a reader an Adam.

The art, as with the first issue, is amazing; especially in capturing the lively action between Adam and the In-Betweener. It isn't the usual action that we are all familiar with back on Earth. The colors make the reader feel like this is beyond us and our understanding. I also enjoyed looking at the gruesome panels of the worlds following their destruction across the universe (I meant the art; I'm not a sadist!). Everything about the art works well with the story and the actual writing of the characters. The colors, pencils, inks, EVERYTHING about it has the design and impression of a "classic" comic but without excluding the modern style of it which is always a plus for me.

The Infinity Entity #1

The Infinity Entity #1

Writer: Jim Starlin

Penciler: Alan Davis

Inker: Mark Farmer

Colorist: Jordan Boyd

Price: $3.99

“FROM THE PAGES OF THE THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY OGN! When last we saw Adam Warlock, he was a captive of Annihilus of the Negative Zone. So where does THE INFINITY ENTITY #1 find him? Hanging with the original Avengers? Then things start getting weird. But what else would you expect from the cosmic team of Jim Starlin and Alan Davis? Guest starring the Guardians of the Galaxy.” 

Right off the bat, we see an amnesiac Adam Warlock in what is portrayed to be an infinite (HA!) black of nothingness. He witnesses the birth of the universe (a.k.a. the Big Bang), and starts his journey in an attempt to identify himself or find meaning in his existence. He visits the "classic" Avengers in their mansion, and they quickly attack Adam. He realizes that this was the wrong time or "when", since the Avengers do not recognize him. In doing so, he leaves the place and puts everything back in place as if he did not even go there to begin with. Adam then visits the Guardians of the Galaxy in Starlin's bar (Heh, cheeky.), wherein the readers and Adam are introduced to a dying Gamora and an injured Starlord. While in pain, Gamora utters the words "Adam" and "Warlock" in which Adam quickly recalls to be his name. He feels pity for Gamora and heals her completely, then proceeds to leave. After leaving, we are left with a cliffhanger showing In-Betweener threatening Warlock.

So, this book takes place between the Thanos: The Infinity Relativity graphic novel and the upcoming Thanos: The Infinity Finale. I am not familiar with the first graphic novel, so this was a blind pick for me. As a first-time reader in the cosmic Marvel universe, the issue did a great job introducing Adam Warlock. I felt like I was travelling with Adam, since the questions he asks in the book is pretty much the same questions I am asking as well. This was dialogue-heavy but it did not stray from having a little bit of action with the Avengers. The art is amaaaazing!! Especially when Davis portrayed the Big Bang, ugh! I'm a sucker for these kinds of art. Of course, the fight scenes are pretty cool. He did a great job illustrating the Avengers in their previous designs.

Weekly Pull List (3/9/16)

The Infinity Entity #1