The space epic Imperial ends today with its fourth issue and a number of one-shots, all building towards this. It’s all-out war between the Kree, Wakandans, and Skrulls, but only Star-Lord, Nova, and Shuri know who’s really behind it: The Inhumans. It’s a race to stop the fight, but can the battle be stopped if all sides are ready to fight to the death?
Imperial #4 is as epic as space battles get, with artists Iban Coello and Federico Vicentini leaning into spaceships firing on each other and plenty of hand-to-hand combat. With much of the politics out of the way, both artists get to bring the spectacle, with Super-Skrull and Hulk offering up showstopper moments. All the while, droves of Skrull soldiers fill the pages. The detail is unmatched when it comes to events, and even when things slow down in the closing pages, the art’s too good not to enjoy exposition-heavy moments.
Speaking of exposition, the final 17 pages of this issue are all setup for stories to come. That includes what the Inhumans will do, but also Hulk, Star-Lord, and Black Panther. This four-issue series was only ever a story generator, and it’s safe to say writer Jonathan Hickman has set in motion plenty for writers to explore in the coming years. Most importantly, the Inhumans have a seat at the table, so to speak, and aren’t outcasts or pushed to the side anymore. Honest world building for their corner of things feels natural in the Marvel cosmic side; it’ll just need continued fostering and development, or else they’ll be forgotten once again.
Big change is ahead for the inhumans.
Credit: Marvel
As far as finales go, this issue has all the makings of an excellent one, although the brevity of the event makes rooting for any one character hard to do. So far, Hulk has been mostly absent, making their heavy use here more like an inanimate battering ram rather than a character going through growth. Super-Skrull is another character who has mostly been sidelined, and while he’s formidable and well drawn, I didn’t necessarily care if he won or lost.
By the end of this issue, it’s quite clear that Imperial is more of a kickstart rather than a satisfying event from beginning to end. Given the Ultimate Universe is ending on its own terms and nobody wants it to leave, Imperial is like the shadow of that, pulling off some new threads to follow, but nothing that stands out in the grand scheme of Marvel Comics history.
Imperial #4 closes out Marvel’s latest cosmic event with explosive art and an ambitious setup, but it sacrifices emotional depth for future plotting. It’s not so much a finale as it is a springboard: Gorgeous, grand, and just a bit hollow.
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