Broken Frontier

Now that Canada’s premiere superhero team has risen from the dead in Chaos War with all of its original members, they are faced with protecting their nation from Attuma, who now wields one of the super-powered hammers from the God of Fear. The issue has enough characters and action that it is set to burst, but that doesn’t stop it from forming a cohesive story that proves to be the best Fear Itself tie-in so far.

The thought of Canada usually does not evoke a sense of dread, alarm, or military prowess, but by the end of this tale Pak and Van Lente have molded it into just that. Attuma floods Vancouver with an army of sea warriors and octopus-like robots, only to be beaten back by the various members of Alpha Flight. Being a group of eight strong all entering the scene one at a time might slow down any other team book, but the writers allow each one to join the fray in a way that shows off their unique personalities, relationships, and powers without becoming cumbersome.

Despite these dire circumstances, the book manages to be naturally funny. Characters such as Sasquatch and Marrina add in their own brand of humor in a way that builds into the conflict while also fleshing out their respective voices. Even Attuma, whose dialogue borders on being trite, delivers a chuckle-worthy speech where he refers to the heroes as “lung men.” Eaglesham – whose work is masterful throughout – crafts a particularly marvelous full-page visual at the climax of the battle: Attuma brandishes a whirlpool beneath a swirl of storm clouds as the entire team is swept away in its tumultuous waters. Beautiful.

As all of this goes down, a dire political reaction to Attuma’s attack begins to escalate to dangerous levels. Martial law, closing borders – the works. This response more than anything in the main Fear Itself title feels like an honest, fear-driven reaction to the catastrophic attacks around the globe. Among all the chaos at the end of this stellar issue, only one moment strikes the wrong chord: a mysterious enemy attacks Northstar’s home, which results in the apparent death of his boyfriend, Kyle. Homosexual characters should rightfully be subject to the same personal tortures that their straight compatriots endure, but after Northstar’s headline-grabbing three deaths in one month in 2005, this particular plot point feels undeserved and just another case of mistreatment of gays in comics.