Friday, November 5, 2010

Chaos War #3 (of 5)

The Chaos War is an aptly-named series because the action here is all kinds of chaotic.

The Chaos King is out to destroy all reality, beginning with the mythical Underworlds. All the humans (and superhumans) on Earth have been thrown into a coma, so it's up to the gods to save the universe.

Unfortunately, they're a fractious lot, and have difficulty agreeing on anything, even when their own existence is at stake. That makes them easy prey for the Chaos King, and he cuts down the defenders using their dead family members - and what could be cooler than seeing Zeus (who's back from the dead for, what, the third time in about a year) take on Galactus?

Luckily for the good guys, the leader of the "God Squad," Hercules, has been granted incredible "Supergod" powers and gives our side at least a fighting chance - though a slim one.

The story, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, spins out at a furious rate, loaded with action, betrayal, and loads of death and destruction.

The art by Khoi Pham and Thomas Palmer is equally frenetic, loaded with detail, nightmarish events and loads of power. It gets a little too crazy in places, but it's all in service of the growing menace facing the good guys.

They're playing on a big scale here, and so far, it's been a lot of fun to follow along. You might need a scorecard to keep all the characters straight, but the story is an intense battle for survival, and has a lot to offer. Recommended!

Grade: B+

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