This is it. This is where, after 8 issues of all the horror
being kept beneath a façade, Vision is finally directly impacted by everything
that’s happened.
And it hurts. It’s
a testament to the Tom King’s skilled writing that he has managed to, in such a
short time, create both an incredibly compelling cast of characters, and such a
suspensful plot. In many other comic series, the death of a character like
Vin wouldn’t mean much. He would be a character solely created for and defined
by the arc he is in: he is introduced, plays his role, and dies within a few
issues. The next arc rolls around, and he’s all but forgotten.
Or at least it would be like that, if these characters
weren’t so chillingly real. They shouldn’t
be. They’re just a family of robots. And yet they are quite possibly the most human characters
you’ll find in any comic book today.
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| I can't even make a joke here. |
This issue doesn’t cover much ground in terms of progressing
the story forward. The final panel literally takes place a few short minutes
after the first one. Most of the pages are spent re-introducing us to Victor
Mancha, and revealing his dark secret.
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| That's the first time that hand has ever looked dangerous. |
It turns out goody two shoes Victor Mancha is actually a
serious vibranium junkie, and has been for a long, long time. On one hand it’s a plot decision that fits into the story
they are telling in this comic, as well as the themes of something darker
hidden beneath a seemingly innocent surface.
On the other hand, and this is one of the biggest negatives
of this issue, it’s pretty big retcon that seems very much out of character for
Victor, and could seem like an insult to longtime fans of his who have admired
his integrity. It’s an especially hard blow when you realize it’s his addiction
that resulted in Vin’s accidental death.
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| There's no ambiguity here. Vision #1 promised us this is where the Knowles die. Yay. |
Regardless of how you feel about some of the themes in the issue, it’s hard to deny
that it very well executed. For the flashback scenes, colorist Jordie Bellaire uses a completely cold
color palate on Gabriel Walta’s always fantastic art, with
the exception of the yellow of Victor’s clothes and the vibranium, strongly
highlighting the connection between them.
Overall, this is another strong issue of Vision. While the ending is more about the promise of what’s to come, the rest does an excellent job of putting all the pieces in place.
Overall, this is another strong issue of Vision. While the ending is more about the promise of what’s to come, the rest does an excellent job of putting all the pieces in place.
I’m both terrified and excited about what might happen next, and what more can you ask for?
Aranwe Quirke is a totally real, definitely not made up name. No, you may not see the birth certificate.
