Written by Kathryn Immonen
Art by Valerio Schiti
Colors by Jordie Bellaire
Letters by VC’S Clayton Cowles
Published by Marvel Comics
What I know about Journey Into Mystery’s long and winding history could fill a thimble, but I do know that since I started picking it up during Kieron Gillen’s incredible Everything Burns arc, it has consistently been one of my favorite Marvel titles. This book has been around since the Stone Age, debuting in the 1950’s as a horror anthology published by Atlas, later being taken over by Marvel and rebooted 3 or 4 times. Journey Into Mystery certainly has stamina if nothing else, which is why I was completely destroyed to hear the recent news that the title has been canceled and I have already launched a whiny, fanboy tantrum towards Marvel’s Twitter account…but back to the review.
When Kathryn Immonen took over writing duties after the Gillen run I wasn’t sure what to expect. I remember seeing the cover of #646 with a most badass Lady Sif though, sword in hand and ready for awesomeness. I decided then and there I would check it out and have not been disappointed at all! From using Berserker Magic, to forming a gang of warriors and fighting monsters with the Superior Spider-Man in New York, to risking life and limb in the service of the All-Mother, Sif is more than capable of both savagery and selfless and honorable acts.
So #654 opens with Sif and Bill trying to make sense of everything. The dialogue and art work brilliantly together here, as Sif and Bill work their way towards each other through a maze of conduit and machinery, creating atmosphere and conveying the character’s emotions to the reader. I am continually blown away by artist Valerio Schiti’s ability to capture such great expressions on his characters, especially Sif. Ranging from wide-eyed innocence to brutal savagery, Sif is drawn beautifully and Schiti is a master of the comic book art form.
After meeting up with Bill and yelling at him, Sif notices a green vapor coming from a doorway. She goes through the door to find Gaea who seems quite well. Gaea tells Sif she must let her stay to search the alien vessel for some part of herself that she lacks, which Sif is forced to allow.
In another part of the station Bill finds out that things are not as they seem and that his girlfriend’s body has apparently melded with the A.I. from Skuttlebutt. Sif finds Bill and the A.I. girlfriend and believes her to be some kind of resurrected alien monster but things are soon sorted. The three decide to see if there is a way to leave the now rapidly morphing alien spaceship/Skuttlebutt/space station because Sif fears the alien ship won’t let Gaea go. Sif soon discovers the alien’s true objective and all hell breaks loose again…and Oh God, What Is That? I can say anymore here because some craziness happens and I don’t want to give away too much!
I can never say enough about how much I have enjoyed Journey Into Mystery this last year or so. Immonen is at the top of her game and Valerio Schiti’s art is perfect! With Jordie Bellaire’s coloring and Virtual Calligraphy’s Clayton Cowles on lettering, which I might add is beautiful and totally works with the art and story, Journey Into Mystery just may be the perfect comic book and once again gets my highest possible recommendation.
5 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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