Imperial #2: Click, Click, Boom

Imperial #2 wastes no time getting to what readers want: space war! And boy, does Jonathan Hickman and company deliver. It’s been over a decade since Hickman thrilled in space with Infinity, but he’s lost none of his ability to sell a REALLY big story that goes hard on a galactic scale.

With last issue’s set-up out of the way, Hickman is free to let loose with the biggest, baddest war set pieces this side of the Milky Way. Readers are pummeled front, back, left, and right with the remnants of the Intergalactic Council practically foaming at the mouth to confront the Wakandans, lead by a never-cooler Black Panther. T’Challa, meanwhile, maintains Wakanda’s innocence, but isn’t going to just sit back and let these lesser civilizations bowl him and his over. (There’s some question as to how Black Panther can be kicking butt both here and in last week’s issue of Avengers, but I’ll let the continuity nerds sort that out.) Going back to his New Avengers run, Hickman writes the best, most imposing Black Panther around, surpassing even the great Christopher Priest in terms of sheer cool factor. He clearly understands what the character is about in a way that very few others do.

There is a concern, however, with just how busy Imperial #2 is, because there’s a lot happening. Keeping up with who’s who, who’s allied with whom, and just what’s even going on in some of Coello and Vicentini’s ultra-busy panels could be a bit of a stretch for casual readers – or even seasoned veterans. There are a ton of characters in this book, all vying for page time, each with their own motives, plans, and double-crosses. With that in mind, it can be a little hard to keep up with everybody’s whys and wherefores as the issue goes on.

But that can be the price of going big, and that’s something Jonathan Hickman isn’t afraid to do.

Fortunately, he’s paired with master artists Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini, and colorist Federico Blee. These three – along with double-duty letterers Ariana Maher and Cory Petit – bring Hickman’s vision to life in 3D technicolor 70mm scope. There are no artistic shortcomings whatsoever; Hickman has provided his team with an ideal palette for going absolutely hog wild, and Imperial is all the better for it. Space war never looked so good.