Dark Reign: Zodiac #1

Dark Reign: Zodiac #1

Writer: Joe Casey

Artist: Nathan Fox

Color Art: Jose Villarrubia

Lettering: Albert Deschesne

Associate Editor: Jeanine Schaefer

Editor: Tom Brevoort

Norman Osborn may be running the show, but not every super-villain is going to accept the new world order. But who -- or what -- is ZODIAC? In this dark, brooding tale that snakes through the underbelly of the modern Marvel Universe, the new breed of super-villain has finally arrived! The order of the day is "mischief for mischief's sake," and no one -- neither hero *nor* villain -- is safe!

Characters

Zodiac
Death Reaper
Manslaughter Marsdale
The Clown
David Cannon (aka Whirlwind)
Norman Osborn

The characters are pretty cool. Well, except for Osborn, but since the purpose of this mag is to give some more villains a chance to annoy Osborne, I'm all for it.

This is Zodiac's first appearance, as far as I know. If the last panel when we see his face is supposed to let us recognize who is calling himself Zodiac, it didn't work. He's kind of cool, pulling a little Joker craziness and love of anarchy. I can work with him though.

It's also Death Reaper's first appearance, but she doesn't show much, despite her costume showing...much. We learn she's Nekra daughter, and that's about it. Oh, and she likes flirting with Zodiac talking about phone sex and stuff. I assume she has similar powers and that the Grim Reaper is her daughter, but that's speculation based on her chosen code name.

The Clown, Eliot Franklin, has always been the best member of the Circus of Crime, except maybe Princess Python with her slinky outfit and writhing snakes. Anyway, I'd like to see Eliot Franklin show what has always been slinking underneath his white paint...a sadistic man under silly make-up, not the goofy buffoon he's often portrayed as.

I've never read a comic with Manslaughter Marsdale but I know of him. Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, He's only been in a couple of Amazing Spider-Man issues (#271 and #309) before his appearance here. I like the use of the little known characters like Marsdale. It's happening a lot these days with The Hood bringing back the Scourge victims in Punisher. So many cool characters already exist if just given a chance, the need to make so many new guys just doesn't exist.

David Cannon started off his criminal career as the less than threateningly named Human Top in 1963's Tales to Astonish #50. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, in his first appearance he was just a kid and took on Giant Man and Wasp. Roy Thomas and John Buscema reimagined David Cannon 4 years later as Whirlwind, armored for protection and blades whirling in Avengers #46. Now he's posing as Osborn's chauffeur, a role he learned posing as Janet van Dyne's chauffeur in the past. I hope he gets a chance to show off, because if Marvel would let him actually cut people, he'd be intimidating.

Character Rating: 1 Worm. Little used villains hopefully getting a chance to show off. Love it!

Plot

The plot's fairly simple. Zodiac recruits the Clown and kills a bunch of HAMMER agents while we're introduced to Zodiac's crew. Gone are the days of a first issue which stands alone and gives you a feel of the rest of the series, and that makes the first issue suffer. It makes all first issues suffer, really. But Casey does a good job introducing the characters, which not all writers can claim. One problem, though. The title of this issue is "For the Sake of Mischief". And while he talks to the Clown and shows him the heads of the Zodiac criminal team, he talks about anarchy. But he's not just randomly doing stuff...he's targeting Osborn. That means he's not just doing stuff for the sake of mischief. He's doing stuff to rattle Osborn.

Plot Rating: 1 1/2 Worms. Simple issue that introduces the characters.

Art

Sorry, Nathan Fox, I don't like your art at all. It's too much. It's too chaotic. Maybe that fits Zodiac, but doesn't appeal to me.

Art Raing: 1/2 Worm

Overall Rating: 3 Worms - Recommended for fans of Nathan Fox's art and villains giving Norman Osborn a hard time.

Learn more about The Clown here.

Learn more about Manslaughter Marsdale here.

Learn more about Whirlwind here.