G.O.D.S. #1: “Because the Night Belongs to Lovers”

The Marvel universe has always felt a bit at odds with itself. That dissonance comes from the mentality of the world outside your window being built out of an appeal to the fantastical, starting not chronologically but in ethos with the Fantastic Four. The publisher has experienced an ebb and flow between focusing on the more street level, human approach to these characters or a grander, cosmic interpretation, living on the high sci-fi and fantasy of aliens and magic interacting with modern society. Attempts had been made before to bridge these divergent elements, but the newest #1 from the House of Ideas just might do it. 

G.O.D.S. #1 – written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Valerio Schiti, colors by Marte Gracia, and letters by VC’s Travis Lanham – sets out to contextualize the Marvel cosmology through a street-level viewpoint and plays in the contrasting dynamic of magic and science. The book opens with a Babylon Event, a new term for the universe that refers to a seismic shift in the balance of power in reality. Wyn, the seeming protagonist, converses with Doctor Strange about the nature of good and evil before going to deal with an event involving mythical beings attempting to summon eldritch demons. 

In a split narrative, readers are also introduced to Aiko, who’s drinking at a bar while waiting for Wyn to appear. Once she arrives, the duo discuss their roles in the universe, as Wyn serves as the avatar of The-Powers-That-Be while Aiko has just accepted a role working under The-Natural-Order-Of-Things. The diverging paths lead Aiko to shoot Wyn and move forward with a divorce. The book jumps to the now, as another Babylon Event looms, and sees the two sides of the balance of fundamental forces working together to defeat Cubisk Core, a twisted mage/scientist/something else yet to be revealed. 

Hickman’s script for this debut is just as dense as one would expect, with new terms, secret societies, and power hierarchies filling the pages of the story. It is enough to overwhelm, especially at a triple-sized issue. That, paired with Hickman’s sterile approach to character, typically makes for a dense, methodical read. Where this book breaks that pattern is Hickman’s interjection of raw emotion, playing on the melancholy of immortality and wistful remembrance of a doomed romance. Even as Hickman throws out tongue-twisting fundamental forces and reality-shattering events, the issue remains compelling because of the push and pull of Wyn and Aiko’s banter, and then tragedy. 

This makes the issue human in a way that Hickman seems on the opposite end of the spectrum from, creating this feeling of genuine shock. It reads like a true promise of divergence from his previous body of work, and on a metatextual level, creates a new vein of excitement. This is a Hickman book that is not only promising something new for the Marvel universe but something different from the author’s typical bibliography. The movement to the yearning and stark, raw emotion also creates an excellent hook, building on the promise of a street-level approach to these massive entities and powers. 

Much of this emotion is brought out in large part thanks to Schiti’s art. The issue delivers some stunning action and awe-inspiring images of things on a massive scale, but the real appeal is seeing snarky smiles, effortless charm, and twisted pain on the faces of characters both new and old. With another artist, it would be easy to discredit Wyn as discount Doctor Strange, but under Schiti’s masterful pencil, the character comes to life with a Byronic appeal that hews close to a John Constantine. There’s something dark and hurt under the surface of the cocky swagger, and the rich linework begs readers to pour over to try and figure him out. 

On the other side of the divide, Aiko carries herself with the confidence of knowing what she wants and what she will give up to get it. Schiti gives her a steadfast expression throughout that starts to harden over the nostalgic faces being made at the start of the issue. When the time jump occurs and Aiko is seen next, she’s moved into the typical cold and calculating model of science in the Marvel universe. She’s ready to accomplish her mission and will let nothing stand in her way. But when she catches Wyn’s eye, something is lingering, and Schiti makes it seem just as natural as the sky is blue. 

Much of that emotion is reinforced and heightened thanks to the coloring from Gracia. The palette jumps between striking, mystical shades to the warm tones of a comfortable bar, and then the twisted hues of reality coming undone. The opening panel utilizes a stunning purple with a shining, prismatic light effect that immediately orients the reader to the distinct color palette. From there, the book lives in lens flares, warm colors that sell the beautifully haunting romance between Wyn and Aiko, and then the majestic tones that sell the endless wells of magic. Gracia’s color choices for the Library of Worlds are like a shining city, a naturalistic garden, and an ornate library all at once. These massive, sometimes at odds, concepts are bound and made to be cohesive by Gracia’s steady, yet innovative uses of color. 

Schiti’s art blends perfectly with the coloring for those larger-than-life images and employs just the right level of detail at every turn. The magic and its reality-altering effects feel distinct from previous interpretations of spellcasting, while still belonging to the Marvel style. Woven spells and eldritch demons (or daemons, which is always a welcome twist to lore) consume the page and fundamentally alter the flow of panels. With Aiko and Wyn, the panels take a more controlled, even-drawn approach, while the edges and lines become jagged and asymmetrical once mystical energy starts flying. 

By doing this, Schiti and Gracia are creating a new and refreshing visual language that speaks to the natural and otherworldly aesthetic of magic. It’s an organic way of doing this and helps to create a break from the magical side of The-Powers-That-Be against the scientific-based The=Natural-Order-Of-Things. Every level of the craft on display is working to create this distinct approach to the big ideas and mechanics, and allows for the sublime experience of being different, and original. 

In another shocking turn, the book lacks data pages of any kind, which helped to differentiate this book from the writer’s recent output. This design element restores a bit more of that humanity and switches the mind from thinking about the X-Men or Hickman’s denser creator-owned works, and refocuses to the street and magic level. The magic and cosmology unfold in the story, rather than being exposition dumped throughout the issue, and help to maintain the air of mystery. Aiko reflects on the thrill of the things unsaid in a world that overshares, and the issue takes that concept to heart in its design and narrative construction.