Angela: Asgards Assassin Comic

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"The news that Marvel had acquired the rights to the character Angela from Neil Gaiman was certainly unexpected. But while she was quickly introduced into the Marvel U. in the aftermath of Age of Ultron, it took a while before we really began to get a sense of her purpose in this new universe. The recent mini-series Original Sin: Thor & Loki - The Tenth Realm laid the groundwork, and this ongoing solo series builds from that foundation. Unfortunately, while this first issue has its definite strong points, none of them really have much to do with Angela herself. The main appeal with Angela: Asgard's Assassin is that it returns writer Kieron Gillen to the Asgardian realm in the wake of his stellar run on Journey Into Mystery. Nowhere has his voice been better suited to Marvel than exploring this intersection of high fantasy and cosmic spectacle. Gillen scripts the main story in this first issue, while he and Marguerite Bennett co-write an interlude segment. Both portions have a distinct storybook quality that immediately gives the series a voice and tone of its own. In that sense, it's like putting on a pair of comfortable shoes for JIM fans. The problem is that this book lacks the compelling lead JIM boasted. Angela is no Kid Loki. She's brutish and largely unlikable throughout the story. Gillen makes the decision to keep Angela at a distance and rely on another character as a viewpoint into Angela's past history and present mindset. As a result, it's tough to connect with her or glean much about the character other than that she's very angry and good at killing. The idea that Angela is driven by an almost pathological desire to settle all debts is fairly interesting, but it's not enough. Phil Jimenez handles art duties on the main story, while Stephanie Hans tackles the interlude segment. Of the two, Hans stands out more thanks to the ethereal watercolor approach that goes hand in hand with the storybook quality. Jimenez renders some solid action, but otherwise his work doesn't quite capture the otherworldly vibe of the characters and setting." - by Jesse Schedeen