Now that this long, cold, North American winter has all but left us behind, we comic book lovers can turn our attention to the summer crossover event season.
Love them or hate them, the crossover event happens every year. It’s a money-maker: a new mini-series title that ties into virtually every comic book that one of the mainstream publishers (Marvel Comics and DC Comics), puts out over a span four to six months. Sometimes longer. At their best, they can be auctioned-packed and character-rewarding stories. At their worst, they derail already great comic book storylines for the crossover narrative.
So, which one of those two outcomes will Marvel’s 2014 offering, Original Sin be?
Original Sin #0
Written by: Mark Waid
Illustrated by: Jim Cheung
Published by: Marvel Comics
Original Sin is an 8-issue series, with a bonus “0” issue (this week’s Wednesday Run pick), that sets the stage for the summer blockbuster storyline and sheds some light on the important Marvel Comics character called the Watcher named Uatu.
Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee (naturally) in 1963, the Watchers are one of the oldest races in the Marvel Universe, tasked with observing and compiling knowledge – but through non-interference. It’s a frustrating existence – for Watchers, heroes battling evil and readers alike! But here, in Original Sin, everything changes!
While Original Sin #0 gives readers a look into who the Watcher Uatu is, and lays the groundwork for stories to come, it’s the Original Sin series itself that proves interesting. With the tag line, “What did he see?”, Marvel has deftly been laying tease after tease over the last few months for readers. We’ve learned that this old, omniscient, god-like entity known as the Watcher, is murdered.
How?
By whose hand?
Why?
To echo the fascinating tagline: what did he see? Everyone in the Marvel universe, it seems, has an original sin.
Make the run to your local comic book shop today and start piecing together the clues. Pick up Original Sin #0 and find out what this summer’s crossover event season has in store!
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
