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Weapon H has to be one of the most ’90s things Marvel has done in years. To cross Wolverine with Hulk seems like character assassination, but with both heroes recently dead (though back in some capacity), there certainly was a void to be filled. Greg Pak has done a great job giving the main character a personality, family, and real feelings. In the latest story arc collected this week Weapon H must team up with Captain America and save Weirdworld. No biggy.
So what’s it about?
The official summary reads:
The bizarre adventures of Weapon H – an all-new hero with the Hulk’s raw strength and Wolverine’s Adamantium claws -continue here! As if Wendigo, Brood and Man-Thing weren’t enough, our favorite ex-mercenary must now face the Skrullduggers! But what the heck are they? Why, dragon-monsters with Skrull shape-shifting powers, obviously! But were they sent by Roxxon, or is this an all-new threat from outer space? Hopefully special guest Captain America can lend a hand!
Why does this matter?
This is a rather stand-alone adventure anybody can enjoy. Weapon H is tasked with doing the bidding of the Roxxon head thanks to blackmail and a problem that could kill all of Earth. No big deal.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
Sweet claws, man!
Credit: Marvel Comics
This is a fun story delivering a superhero covert operations adventure with plenty of twists and turns. Pak is essentially closing out the year-long adventure of Roxxon CEO Dario Agger chasing Weapon H and attempting to make him his lap dog. Push comes to shove and Weapon H helps remove the threat of a portal to Weirdworld thanks in part to Captain America suggesting he do so. That sets Weapon H and a misfit crew to dispatch themselves into a strange land and come away with a lot of monster blood on their hands.
Pak is very good at keeping your attention. The characters are never standing around for too long and always have some new thing to overcome, be it a wave of giant monsters or a bomb that will kill them all. As the story progresses, interesting characters like Korg and Titania get colorful character moments. A character that comes away far and way more interesting is Morgan Le Fay who plays a part in the story’s conclusion. You’ll immediately be interested in the character thanks to some wild witchcraft she pulls off, but also where this story leaves off with her.
The art is shared by Ario Anindito and Guiu Vilanova with colors by Morry Hollowell and Chris Sotomayor. Vilanova draws the majority of the issues, but both styles are close enough that it’s not too jarring when they switch off. There are some creative layout designs in this collection, like a scene with Weapon H getting mind controlled and all his memories floating above his head. The use of color helps remind us Le Fay is a serious powerhouse and her full-page splash reveal is fantastic. Kirby Crackle looks great!
Wild!
Credit: Marvel Comics
It can’t be perfect, can it?
The conclusion requires a bit of convenient zipping around of characters to wrap things up. Weapon H’s wife must zip into Weirdworld like it’s nothing (even though the characters are presumably stuck) and then Weapon H does his own blink-and-you’ll-miss-it zipping about to drag Agger into the finale. Given page constraints of comics, it makes sense, but it reads like Pak had to do some last minute ironing of the plot to make it work.
Is it good?
I’m honestly surprised every time I read a Weapon H comic and like it. The concept seems so cash-grabby, and yet Pak continues to infuse the characters with great personality. You care about the characters first and foremost, which makes all the twists, turns, and action all the more entertaining.
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