Time travel is tricky when it comes to a good story. More often than not you’ve got to spend precious time explaining paradoxes and time travel science babble. When you’re spending more time explaining why things are happening rather then showing the reader—of course this only matters with visual mediums—you’ve done something wrong. Case in point: Age of Ultron, a time-hopping Marvel event that has now officially jumped into three timelines, not counting the 616. Issue #9 hit stands today…is it good?
Age of Ultron #9 (of 10) (Marvel Comics)
Check out our review of issue #8 and issue #7 if you missed them.
For those of you just joining us, get with the program dude, it’s way too late for you! In all honesty, it’s not too difficult to explain. Ultron took over the Earth utilizing Vision who was created by Hank Pym. Wolverine goes back in time, kills Pym, then returns to his present but he changed everything. Iron Man is now some kind of cyborg and Morgana La Fey decimates the heroes and city turning it into a future just as bad as the eponymous “age of Ultron.” This issue picks up after Wolverine pulls himself from the rubble from La Fey’s attack. Oh, and I might add, Ultron has yet to make an appearance in this series.
Where are your legs?! Lieutenant Dan! You got no legs!
This issue then shoots the reader back to issue number 7 so that Wolverine can stop himself from killing Pym. “Uh oh,” you should be thinking, because we’re in for one hell of a wordy conversation between these three characters. It’s not an understatement when I say this is an incredibly boring issue. It’s spending all its time setting up a story that requires a slightly complicated reworking of how Pym will create Ultron, but I can’t help but think this could have been handled better. The fact of the matter is, it’s not interesting to read characters talk about time travel and that’s all the meat to this story.
Wolverine really needs to cut back on the chimichangas.
Writer Brian Bendis does a good enough job making things clear, I’ll give him that. I won’t spoil what his intentions are in this issue, but it potentially sets up an interesting story arc for Pym to go on. I can’t help but think all the noise that takes place in every issue is all in order to setup Hank Pym as the most important hero the Avengers ever had. It all boils down to a love letter from Bendis to Pym and a way to make him relevant again in Marvel Comics.
Groan inducing.
Artists Carlos Pacheco and Brandon Peterson split work between present and past well enough. Peterson does the art for the present and has a keen eye for atmosphere that helps set the dark mood of the doomsday the world has become. Pacheco on the other hand handles expressions well, which is incredibly important considering he’s doing the exposition heavy past.
If it doesn’t work this entire series will be pointless…so it better work!
5.0
- Clearly written and never confusing
- Good art
- Annoyingly exposition heavy
- Not a lot goes on to warrant the price tag
I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this surprised issue by issue from an event series. That’s a good thing in some sense as I have literally no idea how this will end. That said, I still don’t know when or why this story is taking place which makes it incredibly hard to care. I know it’s setting up another event, but it’s doing a poor job keeping the reader in the loop. It doesn’t particularly help when an issue like #9 comes when you’re getting a bunch of exposition and not a lot else. It’s also no the most surprising turn of events and once Wolverine decides to go back in time you’ll be able to predict what happens by issues end. That said, I have no idea how this series plans on ending.
Is It Good?
Nah. Incredibly skippable issue.
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