The Marvels Project 7, Secret Warriors 14

A couple more quick ones. There'll be a few more up over the next few days, most likely.

The Marvels Project 7
I've been following this series since it began and I've enjoyed every issue, though I sometimes think I don't have a thorough enough grounding in Marvel Comics history to fully appreciate the book. On the other hand, the fact that these may be unfamiliar characters adds a certain degree of suspense, because unlike an ongoing series, it's less clear if certain secondary characters will live through the last issue. Regardless, it stands very well on its own, and Brubaker's writing thus far has been superb (which shouldn't be surprising, considering he's working with Captain America). This issue wasn't my favorite, as it seemed to contain a lot of narration (which I assume is setting the scene for the final issue), but it still has its exciting parts. The art's pretty good, and suits the subject matter, and I enjoy how the subdued colors serve to make the brightly colored uniforms of the various superheroes stand out. I'm excited for the final issue, and a little bit relieved it's ending, as it's gotten to the point where I'm having trouble remembering how the series began.

Secret Warriors 14
If Marvels Project is difficult to follow from one month to the next, Secret Warriors borders on impossible. I can't keep these guys with funny hats straight. Good thing they're color-coded, or I'd have no clue what's going on. Part of the problem is that I'm not familiar with Nick Fury's extensive backstory, though I can't imagine most readers are much better off than I am, since the character hasn't been extensively published since the early 80s. As such, it's often difficult to tell how I'm supposed to feel about what appear to be key plot points, like the appearance of Orion (what happened to his penis?!) or the reveal of the woman with the world's longest name. But at least Nick's interesting, which is more than I can say for the titular Secret Warriors. They just feel so unnecessary; it's clearly a book about Nick Fury vs. Hydra, there's no reason to shoehorn a superhero team in there, especially one as bland as this. All bitching aside, this is one of the better books Marvel is currently putting out, and it fills an important niche in a line largely populated with superhero comics. The stories have been pretty well written thus far, and the art's decent, too. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a little espionage in their comic experience.