Comic Books

Infinity Countdown #3 Review

The big reveal in this issue is BIG.

May 2, 2018

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As we all recover from the juggernaut that was Avengers: Infinity War, let us settle in to the middle act of yet another Marvel Comics EVENT, Infinity Countdown. When we last left our heroes, the Guardians and the Nova Corps were battling to keep the Warbringer and his Chitauri rebels from getting a hold of the mountainous Power Stone while Adam Warlock discovered the half-man, half-machine Pym-Ultron torturing the Silver Surfer to gain access to the Power Cosmic and send ultra-powered Ultron-bots across the universe for what I’m sure are altruistic reasons. All does not seem lost quite yet, but there are still several more issues to go. Let’s jump in to issue #3 of Infinity Countdown!

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The flashbacks at the beginning of each comic are getting more intriguing, especially for those newly introduced to the Dwarves of Nidavellir, thanks to Peter Dinklage as the universe’s biggest dwarf. Someone is forcing this unnamed dwarf to forge an item of power, keeping him working beyond the point of exhaustion. Could this parallel the events of A:IW where Thanos forces Eitiri to forge the Infinity Gauntlet?

Regardless of the events on Nidavellir, the Guardians have made their way to Xitaung where Drax and the Nova Corps are battling an almost overwhelming Chitauri force while Nova himself discovers that his brother is a) alive and b) leader of the Fraternity of Raptors. Oh, and Nova Commander Even Bakian literally just gave birth on the battlefield. It’s been a busy day.

Meanwhile, on Saiph, Adam Warlock is dealing with an Ultron who is working to turn the Silver Surfer into a herald of his own, tormenting the cosmic bro with the Soul Stone, showing him the trillions of souls he has helped to extinguish throughout the universe. After bonding himself with the Surfer, Pym-Ultron monologues about his great plan to send Ultron-bots around the universe and spread his virus amongst the stars. Warlock, conveniently, uses his restorative cocoon to rid Surfer of Ultron’s influence. After which Surfer flies out into the void rather than stay and fight. This surprises Warlock.

Back on Xitaung, a curious message from Talonar leads Nova and Peter Quill to realize that the giant Power Stone is only that way until someone needs to yield it and has the will to change the literal matter of the stone. Warbringer seems poised to win and destroy the Guardians (and Ant-Man) once and for all, and his horde has sounded the Horn of Doom and death comes for those who oppose him. This is where one of the finest moments in comic history was put on paper. Mark this day, comics fans, because today is the day that Drax the Destroyer sounds his own Horn of Doom: the tenor saxophone.

I don’t even care what happens next. End the universe for all I care. Drax plays the saxophone and the Chitauri are envious of how good the Guardians’ Horn of Doom sounds. While the tune is not mentioned, I imagine that Drax is out there, bathed in the light of the Power Stone, facing certain death, and belting out Careless Whisper by George Michael. What better song to face final destruction?

The big reveal in this issue is BIG. Silver Surfer knows that Pym-Ultron is too powerful to stop, even teamed up with the might of Adam Warlock, so he heads for the one being in the Universe he knows has the ability to destroy an entire planet. The question, however, is whether Galactus the Lifebringer will devour one final planet to save the universe.