MARVEL ACTION: ORIGINS #1, available Wednesday from IDW, is about to transport fans, old and new, to a very classic point in the lives of Marvel characters. Their origin stories, that is. The first issue starts with a bang, introducing both Spider-Man and Thanos.
Marvel Action: Origins is a very honest series and title. It is exactly what it promises: a series of origins of those characters we love the best. While some fans out there may be tired of the idea of going through it all again, there’s also that hope that new fans will pick up this series and find a whole new appreciation for it all.
Plus, sometimes all we need is the chance to see a classic character in a new light, right? Marvel Action: Origins #1 starts out with one of the more iconic Marvel heroes out there: Spider-Man. From there, it jumps right to a classic villain; Thanos.
Yep! Both a hero and a villain get to tell their origin story in this issue, a trend that will continue, from the looks of it (hint: it looks like Captain Marvel and Green Goblin will be featured in next month’s issue!).
The Writing
Marvel Action: Origins #1 starts out more or less exactly as any Spider-Man fan would expect, and I don’t mean that as a bad thing. Written by Christopher Eliopoulos, With Great Power contains a quick rundown of everything Peter Parker related.
Or, more accurately, everything that happened to him in the earlier years. You know how the story goes, so I won’t rehash it here. I will say that Eliopoulos did a solid job of portraying the complexity of the situation for such a short period of time. All of which helps to quickly explain how this iconic hero came to be such a force of light for those that adore him so much.
Perhaps The Mad Titan will bring with it more surprises, but once again; both halves of this issue will be full of shocks to those newer to the franchise. Thanos’ origin story doesn’t quite start at the beginning, but once again helps to give a solid understanding of his character, his drive, and his ultimate goals. All while hinting at more, as we all know his character is more complex than a quick glance would hint towards.
The Art
Marvel Action: Origins #1 was illustrated and colored by Lanna Souvanny, and lettered by Shawn Lee. Together they brought two very different characters to life on the pages. They portrayed the best and the worst they had to offer.
That’s a task in and of itself, even without having to illustrate so many Marvel characters. Admittedly, the second half gets the most there – as at least half a dozen different (and yet immediately recognizable) characters grace the pages.
The colors are bright and alluring, all of which probably hints once again at how this series would be great for a younger (and newer) audience. It’s eye-catching and flashy in all the best ways, yet sophisticated when it needs to be.
The end result is something that is memorable, even when the tones lean towards the more somber side of things.
Conclusion
Marvel Action: Origins #1 went a long way in portraying the highlights (and okay, the worst memories in Peter’s case) of two iconic Marvel characters. The series is all set up to showcase the important moments and origins of many a Marvel character. While none of this information was new, I still found myself appreciating seeing it all laid out so cleanly, and am looking forward to seeing how they handle one of my favorite characters and her origin.
