Broken Frontier

The Beyonder is back! The supreme power behind Marvel’s Secret Wars snatches Spider-man and a cavalcade of second-tier unknowns for an adventure…well…beyond!

The story opens on a desolate scene, the remains of a battle-blasted planet and a sole, mysterious survivor, who buries the uncountable dead and prepares for the horror that caused such merciless devastation to begin once again. Cut to: New York City, and the alter ego of super-hero newcomer Gravity (anyone remember his 5-issue mini from a year or two ago?). Within a few pages, Gravity…er…gravitates toward a strange, cloaked, giant-sized machine that forthrightly transports the young stud to a far-distant space cruiser, where the rest of this title’s team awaits. Role call: Spider-Man, the Wasp, the son of Kraven the Hunter, Venom III (Mac Gargan, the once-Scorpion but now symbiote, after Mike Millar’s MK Spider-Man run), Medusa, Firebird, Hank Pym, and (my personal favorite to see) the Hood! But after introductions are given, a booming voice claiming to be "From Beyond!" orders the heroes to "Slay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours!" With such a rag-tag assortment of heroes and villains and anti-heroes tossed into one very confined space, it’s no surprise that the violence kicks off without further ado, and leads to an ending that should leave fans’ jaws nestled snugly upon the floor (I certainly didn’t see it coming…).

Beyond! is the series that I’ve been waiting for with a greater anticipation than Civil War or Planet Hulk or even Annihilation. Now that the first issue is in my hands, it’s pretty obvious that it won’t be nearly as epic nor even as satisfying as any of those titles, which are allowed year-long time frames and crossover side-series galore in which to flesh out their concepts and give readers the best story possible. Beyond! gets six regular-sized issues and then that, as they say, is that. How cosmic and epic and satisfying can such a short-lived story be with a central cast of over half-a-dozen? On the one hand, first issues are pure set-up, and it can be difficult to figure precisely what the creative team has in store before the plot gets rolling in earnest; but then again, the flavor and dynamic between writer and artist are well established and easily grasped by the end of an intro, and writer Dwayne McDuffie and artists Scott Kolins have blended a pure action/adventure shock-fest that ought to be filled with twists and turns and richly rewarding as a stand-alone event.

McDuffie (of Milestone Media and Static Shock fame) has always been a favorite of mine, ever since he burst onto the mainstream scene with the brilliant Damage Control way back when in the late 80’s. His style in Beyond! reads a touch dated due to his old-school roots, with perhaps a few too many quips in what could stand as more silent, and therefore more affectively dramatic moments (an ideal that only cropped up in mainstream comics within the past decade or so). Still, his veteran experience allows for a skillful use of action-narrative rhythm, and the mismatch grouping of central characters, under his pen, all come across with wonderfully distinctive voices. McDuffie also gets massive kudos for seemingly being the only writer today who gives two poops about continuity, rather than simply telling the story he wants to tell and letting the editors deal with his mess at some later date. For instance: his use of Venom the third, is the first chronological use of the character since Paul Jenkins, Daniel Way, and Mark Millar all were allowed to mismanage the character at the same bloody time. In fact, I was so discombobulated to see the oddly-designed Venom, who was then referred to as "Gargan" and not "Brock," that I had to Google search and re-discover the fact that Venom had gone through a major change, and that – much to my disbelief – someone who was not the writer who had instigated said change, had decided to honor what another writer had done and continue with that thread. Remember when writers used to do that?

As for the art, Kolins only has a handful of nay-sayers out there, who can’t for the life of them seem to dig into his oddly open-spaced, cel-animation style of line. Personally, I think he’s long been a top choice for gratuitous action, and especially for subject matter bordering on the cosmic – his current work reminds me a lot of Ron Lim’s work on Silver Surfer and the many Infinity crossovers of Marvel yore; there’s a bristling quality to his action, as if there were so much additional, barely-contained energies just underneath what he chooses to show, which is perfect for a series focusing on any number of characters whose prowess is meant to be beyond that of mortal ken (if it’s beyond us, then how could we draw it in its entirety, eh?). Kolins proves more than adept at bringing all the many Marvel characters of Beyond! – all created and established by different creators – to unquestionable life, with posture and movement perfectly suited to their individual personalities as presented by McDuffie. In short, the duo is a magnificent pairing, and entirely suited for the series’ concept and premise.

Beyond! is not the spectacle that those other Marvel events are already proving to be, but I can happily say that it is going to surprise anyone who takes a gander at its offerings. The action doesn’t let up for a page, and even if the happenings within can’t possibly compare to the monumental, continuity-shattering goings on elsewhere in the MU, it can by all means prove itself to be the true dark horse of the year, what with a cast of cult-status following, an exploration into corners of the Marvel U not seen in decades, and a complete lack of fan expectations. McDuffie and Kolins seem to have a pretty free reign to have fun and bring readers the best story they can with their only limitations being space and time itself (get it?). But this also grants them freedom from overly anxious editorial interference and the stock, too-many-cooks fiasco. Personally, this is still the most eagerly anticipated Marvel event of the year for myself; I cannot wait to see what happens from here, and after that ending (which, admittedly, is going to have to be explained away and corrected, but still, what a ride it’ll be before it’s through!)…hoo-boy, you just know the one rule is that there are no rules!