DC Comics - Wildstorm
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$17.99 (2008)
ISBN 9781401218676
Contributors: Scott Beatty, Christos Gage, Wes Craig, Jonny Rench, Web Abbott, and covers by Ivan Reis
Reprints: Wildstorm: Revelations #1-6 (of 6)
Synopsis: The Wildstorm Universe is headed toward an extinction level event caused by superhumans. Void is a reality warping member of the team Wildcats who warned several heroes in the past (our present) of the impending doom. She hoped one of them could stop the Armageddon from happening, but most blew off the warning as just another ordinary threat to the world. Except one hero named Nemesis who often stands at odds with ordinary heroes and lives in the shadows. She is a Kherubim born warrior and formerly of the Coda assassins (the same group Zealot was a member).
 |
| A brief recap of Wildstorm: Armageddon |
This puts them at odds with the world's most powerful and secretive organizations. They must architect raids on Stormwatch (the UN-sanctioned superhuman organization), The Authority (sanctioned by no government, but taking responsibility for righting the wrongs of the world), the covert Department Psi of International Operations (of which Jodi's father Marc Slayton is the director), and Gamorra Island (the lair of the wicked Kaizen Gamorra).
The women must also sneak into a superhero planned community called Tranquility. Their searching draws the attention of Zealot and Grifter, sometimes of the Wildcats. Will the trio be successful in finding the cause of Armageddon? One thing is for sure - they just made enemies of practically the entire Wildstorm Universe! Of course Nemesis doesn't really mind...
Pros: Lots of action and intrigue, decent writing by Gage, great art by Wes Craig, nice covers by Ivan Reis, one big reveal concerning the relationship between Zealot and Savant, cool seeing Jodi one-up her dad (the original Backlash), the form of Armageddon is revealed (and it kind of makes sense), The Authority get served!
Cons: Only one major reveal that I could see (Zealot/Savant), the Welcome to Tranquility chapter feels a little out of place due to the tone of that series (less serious), Grifter and Zealot just sort of appear out of nowhere (like they're always hanging out fighting stuff together or something)
 |
| Nemesis is pretty tough if she can take on The Authority all by herself |
Mike Tells It Straight: Continuing from Wildstorm: Armageddon we follow Nemesis and her allies as they try to discover and stop the cause of Armageddon. I enjoyed both Gage's writing and Craig's art in this chapter. It was really nice to have one creative team after the multiple artists/styles on Armageddon. This book was non-stop action as the trio of women must snatch n' grab information from some of the most dangerous groups in the Wildstorm Universe. The big reveal about Zealot and Savant didn't seem new to me since I read it first in Majestic Vol. 3: The Final Cut. Not sure which books were published first, but this mini-series didn't seem heavy enough on the revelations.
I particularly liked the chapter focusing on Jodi manipulating her father (Marc Slayton, the original Backlash) to buy time while Nemesis infiltrated Department Psi. No Wetworks or Gen13 in this series, but it had enough going on without trying to cram more characters into the story. The overall story progresses as the form of Armageddon becomes clear. A superhuman apocalypse is on the horizon and seems pretty darn imminent. This series continues directly into Number of the Beast and then World's End. I've been a fan of Wildstorm since the beginning (Jim Lee was my favorite artists of the 1990s) and I enjoyed the DC revamp in the mid-2000s. Look for upcoming reviews of the next chapters in this saga.
TO BUY and Recommendations: