Siege #2

I can't believe I'm enjoying this so much. I mean it's nothing fantastic, but it's fun and, for my money, well executed so far. And at two issues, it's already half over! I've been avoiding most things Marvel for a couple years now. I'm generally not a fan of writing by Bendis or Millar or art by Hitch, and I feel like they touch nearly everything Marvel puts out. That may not even be remotely accurate, just feels that way. But I like Siege. Seems like it's designed to have the same impact on the Marvel Universe as Blackest Night on the DCU, yet it's moving along at ten times the speed.

Laura Martin's coloring is pretty awesome. I'm okay with Coipel's pencils here, but his layouts really shine. Great match in pacing and tone to Bendis' script. Although the impact of the two page team splash is destroyed by the 'meet the Avengers' roll call. The Ares/Sentry fight makes up for it - I was genuinely surprised by the rending of limb from limb. Nasty.

Considering the players involved and the gravity of the plot, Bendis' writing is down to earth and endearing. Does that make any sense? In the big event bubble, Bendis is writing his characters while Johns is writing his plot. Blackest Night is a blurred smorgasbord of evisceration, which should be terrific, I'm just not feeling anything. On the other hand, I want to hug the Thor/Maria/Jason scenes.

That said, the final four panels sold me on Siege in general and Siege #2 in particular. Incoming!