Comic Review: Siege #1
Issue: Siege #1 of 4
Release Date: January 6, 2010
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Olivier Coipel
Inker: Mark Morales
Colorist: Laura Martin
Covers: Coipel, Morales, and Martin; Gabriele Dell’otto; Joe Quesada, Danny Miki, and Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel
Norman Osborn and Loki. Working together? Oh, lordy, this can’t be a good thing. Of course, they’re going to war with a bunch of Nordic gods and goddesses, so I’m thinking that really can’t be a good thing.
So Osborn and Loki need some kind of “incident” to get people against having Asgard floating over Broxton, Oklahoma. Why, you might ask yourself (because I did)? Well, my guess is because they’re villains and that’s the kind of thing they do, but I doubt the story is going to end up that simple. Loki sets the whole thing up for Osborn by getting Volstagg to wipe out an entire stadium full of people while being attacked by a set of Osborn’s cronies (with only the “Volstagg wiping out an entire stadium full of people” part getting caught on video).
This gives Osborn the reason he thinks he needs to go to war, but the President isn’t exactly okay with that. Alright, so 1: Obviously the President in the Marvel U is stupid because who the hell would ever believe that Norman Frakking Osborn wasn’t six kinds of bat-crap crazy, and 2: Who the hell puts Norman Frakking Osborn in charge of ANYTHING, let alone a bunch of other super powered nut jobs to “protect” people?
While the weirdo version of the Avengers are giving Asgard a beat down, a brain-damaged Tony Stark is being looked after by Maria Hill and Dr. Donald Blake in the same town. Not really a coincidence since Blake is Thor (I totally let out a fangirl squee when he went all “KAAAAKOOOOM!” and had that gigantic lightning bolt come down). He goes to fight Osborn head-on while Maria stays to get Stark out of Dodge, and that surprisingly doesn’t go well for The Mighty Thunder God. He totally gets his face introduced to the dirt. Maybe I was the only one surprised by this, but there are four issues so I guess he can’t take everyone out singlehandedly in the first issue (especially when you go back and look at the cover again). But if I thought I was a complete geek when I squee’d at Thor, the fact that I near wet myself with that last page pretty much put the official “geek” stamp on it. I am super excited to see where this goes in the next four issues and the fight that’s around the corner.
Like I said, it’s been awhile for me and Marvel. I’m still trying to catch up on the trades because Wikipedia is only so reliable, even when it comes to fictional universes and characters. My excitement for this issue might be because I haven’t read a proper, good old-fashioned “superhero” comic in a long time. Sometimes you just need a panel that is basically filled with a made-up word like “KAKOOM,” you know? So take my rating with that in mind. Beyond that, the pacing here was great for me. They just went right into battle and didn’t bother with the standing around and jaw-flapping too much (even if I wanted someone to stop the story and explain why Wolverine was in this comic — yeah, it’s been a really long break between comics for me). Speaking of that, Marvel put a nice little “in case you lived in a cave like Summer for the past 7 years” before the issue started and Quesada did a quick summary of everything that’s lead up to this at the end of the comic. There is something about all these characters in a big battle royale that makes me smile. The first run has already sold out on this issue, and I can understand why. Siege looks like it might be setting up the MU for another shakeup, and it’s off to a good start.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
February 1st, 2010 at 6:57 am
Siege #1 is a big let down. Thor lost in the very first issue, went down to Norman Osborn in a second-rate ironman armor, and a bunch of B-list villains, the U-Foes…this was supposed to be Thor’s coming out party, and they did this? This is being set up to give Capatain America major props at the expense of thor….Steve will probably lift Thor’s hammer to save the day…or some fanboy’s wishful thinking…FAIL!
February 1st, 2010 at 7:00 am
I can’t believe I bought this garbage. Bendis, you’re a hack.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:02 am
i liked it. I always knew Thor ain’t all that. I mean, come on, he already lost to the man. To the SUPERman. Thanks Bendis for clarifying things. Thor is a weakling, with a glass-jaw.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:06 am
It was Ok. I liked the art. hated the dialogue. The scene with Ares was kinda forced. I mean, you will have to be a total douche not to see Osborne as the lowest form of bacteria on earth, and this god of war believed him? Oh, and too bad about Thor. Makes him look like a weak jobber. Will probably lose to the Toad next.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:08 am
I thought Thor is supposed to be this thousands and thousands of year old warrior god? he only threw one punch! ONE PUNCH! Then went down like Joe Quesada on Bendis, and vice versa.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:11 am
I think it’s the worst piece of crap I have read this year. Whew! It’s a good thing the year is just starting. Don’t get me wrong, the art is Ok, and I guess you can sit down and read it for 5-10minutes. But will you have wasted your 10 minutes? Yep. It’s like a bad fan-fiction.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:14 am
I will tell you right now. DON’T-READ-THIS-BOOK.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:20 am
Let’s be realistic here. Thor has fought Surtur and the Celestials (even if he lost) better than the ones who beat him in Siege 1. This was supposed to be a Thor-centric event. This really is a bad, bad, badly written piece of garbage.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:23 am
Believe me, Bendis will write Steve Rogers lifting Mjolnir and saving the day. Then Thor will probably get some consolation victory over, ummm, I dunno, maybe Pyro, or some other lame ass character liek that, and we are suppose to like it.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:28 am
What I wanna know is, when are we going to see Ironman already? Forget Thor. He is weak. Everybody should get it by now. Thor washes the Hulk’s purple pants with his enchanted rain. BTW, after Steve lift the hammer, he should give it to Tony next…you know the hammer can be the Avengers’ thing, kinda like a secret handshake among teammates.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:31 am
Hulk says, Hulk strongest one there is. Blonde long haired man is no longer a threat. Thanks Bendis. Thanks Quesada. No more rivalry. Thor is a chump. Hulk will clean his clock. HULK SMASH hippie-man!!!
Oh, and Siege #1 sucked.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:36 am
Great art. Bad story. Stupid premise. How can mortals attack Asgard? An average Asgardian is in the class 30. Spider-man is only class 10. What’s Norman Osborn gonna do to thousands of beings, each of whom are 3x stronger than Spidey (Norman’s main foe, to whom he ALWAYS loses).
February 1st, 2010 at 7:37 am
Yet another reason why Bendis should not be writing comics. And Joe Quesada should be fired. Yo Disney! you listening?
February 1st, 2010 at 7:44 am
This sucks.