RAMBLIN REVIEW: Annihilation: Scourge
'Annihilation: Scourge' is a 6-issue Marvel cosmic event that's really friggin good. Marvel's cosmic stuff uses the word "annihilation" the same way DC Comics use the word "crisis". Now yes, the Annihilation Wave is back to torment Nova again, but something much worse is behind it this time. The event begins in the Alpha issue (which is great!). Things then continue in four separate one-shots that see the Fantastic 4, Silver Surfer, Nova, and Beta Ray Bill get brought into the fray. You dont actually need to read all four. Having read them though, they're all really good and will sell you pretty well on the characters. If you're coming into it cold, the Nova issue will recap a lot of the space shenanigans and Rich's own trials and tribulations. Also, you can get onboard with where the Surfer issue goes/ultimately ends up, but it may be hella confusing to see the Surfer in his current status quo. Which I'm not really sure what it is, to be honest... but he is used very well in the issue and the artwork is great, so I can roll with it. Not huge into the F4, but it's a great "done-in-one" story about them. BRBill may be kind of a silly idea, but in the space of one issue? Psh, he is definitely one b a d a s s... Korbinite. Or something. Whatever. I didnt love the way the Omega issue ended everything but it's not necessarily bad. Kinda anticlimactic, but okay. Five and a half issues that got me hyped though? Not an easy task. This one is fun. Nothing essential but good times! Now to try and stream read all of the prior cosmic adventures!