By David Lapham (Writer), Koi Turnbull (Pencils), Scott Hanna (Inks), and Edward Bola & Sotocolor’s C. Garcia (Colors)
The Story: Mr. Terror is immortal, has a big armored left arm, looks like a zombie, and has the ability to attach new body parts (head, arm…you name it) from willing and unwilling donors as needed. He runs Terror Inc. and gets paid by taking on jobs that no one else will. In Apocalypse Soon #1, two stories begin. The first takes place during the spread of the Black Death (A.K.A. The Plague) and is about Mr. Terror’s very first job. He is hired to get revenge and honor the dying wishes of a rich woman wronged by her husband. The second story that begins is about Terror’s latest job, where he is hired to get a sample of a bio-terror weapon and then destroy the facility it is being tested at.
What’s Good: Surly, crass, grotesque, and a lover of sex, Mr. Terror is, quite simply, a blast to read about in a MAX title. David Lapham scores the most points, however, for managing to find a sweet spot between revolting and likeable thanks to Mr. Terror’s soft spot for kids and the less fortunate. It’s a fairly delicate balance, but Lapham pulls it off in a way that seems almost effortless.
The visuals in Terror Inc. #1 are quite nice. The art team deserves a lot of credit for working with two very different settings without sacrificing consistency. Also, Koi Turnbull and his crew do a great job of bringing out both sides of Terror through detailed, busy settings, impressive character work, and brutal, slightly disturbing violence.
What’s Not So Good: The weakest part of the first chapter of Apocalypse Soon is the main story being developed. While it isn’t exactly boring, it feels a bit too predictable. It does show some promise though thanks to a fairly strong finish, so it’s not all bad.
Conclusion: In short, Terror Inc. #1 is a well-written, good-looking book that isn’t afraid to take advantage of the MAX label. The main character rocks and one of the plots being developed is a lot of fun.
Grade: B+
-Kyle Posluszny
Filed under: Marvel Comics, MAX, Reviews Tagged: | C. Garcia, comic reviews, David Lapham, Edward Bola, Koi Turnbull, Kyle Posluszny, Marvel Comics, Marvel MAX, Mr. Terror, Scott Hanna, Sotocolor, Terror Inc. #1 Review, Terror Inc. Apocalypse Soon #1 Review, WCBR, Weekly Comic Book Review, weeklycomicbookreview.com
