Tuesday, July 12, 2011

COMICS!! Review: Red Skull: Incarnate #1


Red Skull is one of those villains that, although he's considered legendary in the Marvel Universe as one of its greatest villains, I honestly have trouble accepting him outside of the context of the war that created him. That's a non-issue with Red Skull: Incarnate, as we see the coming of age of the man who would become Red Skull. Whilst it's difficult to feel sympathy for someone who has done so much evil in his life, but thanks to a stellar first issue, readers can actually see the tragic beginnings that may have created this monster.

Fall of the Third Reich.

Issue #1 begins after the fall of the Third Reich in WWII. Johann Schmidt, the boy who would become Red Skull is a simple street urchin living in an orphanage under the iron fist of a tyrannical and fanatical head master. Schmidt is only a child, and despite a somewhat gruff exterior, he actually shows compassion towards his fellow orphans. However, he also shows flashes of ruthlessness, and a willingness to do just about anything to ensure he survives this chaotic period in time. By issue's end, we're still not sure where Johann's evil motivations might stem from, but we do see the inklings of a boy who is driven to seek violence to improve his own standing.

Red Skull: Incarnate isn't the most complex or exciting telling of an origin story, but it is unflinching in how solid its writing and art is. Greg Pak tells a story primarily through the context of the time period and the dialogue between the character's involved. Besides Schmidt, you're not going to recognize anybody else here, but simply because of their portrayal here, you'll feel sympathy, hatred, or indifference to them. Some of these exchanges, especially between Johann and a local dog-catcher are startlingly haunting. Again, Johann is just a boy at this time, but the dark places his mind can go hint at the mind he will become.

Beauty in Tragedy

The art by Mirko Colak emphasizes the helpless and chaotic tone of the story. He has a very smooth style, but combined with the haunting images he portrays and the dark/contrasting colors by Matthew Wilson, it fits perfectly with the tone of the story. At its worst, it's not distracting, and at its best it only adds to Johann's story. I also must complement the cover by David Aja. It looks simultaneously like a piece of propaganda, like an old pulp comic book cover, and like an astounding piece of stand-alone art. To say it helped sell the comic to me when I saw it on the shelf is probably the best praise I can say about it.

As a stand-alone issue, Red Skull: Incarnate #1 is easy to recommend. It's a fantastic telling of the early stages of a classic villain's career. As part one of a mini-series, it sets a tone beautifully and gets one excited to read more. It's solid from top to bottom, and any fan of Captain America and his rogue's gallery shouldn't think twice before plunking down $2.99 for this gem.

Red Skull: Incarnate gets a deserved 5 out of 5 stars.

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