Comic Book Review: The Battle For Bludhaven #1: Infinite Crisis Aftermath

The Battle For Bludhaven is a 6 part miniseries that covers the aftermath of the Infinite Crisis. Hopefully, this is more interesting than the crappy mini-series that Marvel put out chronicling the aftermath of The House of M. I have refilled my mug of Café Bustelo and am ready to crank out another review.

Creative Team
Writers: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Dan Jurgens & Jimmy Palmiotti

Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Total Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: The issue starts with a Chemo being dropped into the heart of Bludhaven. The Teen Titans took control of the situation at Ground Zero. As the Titans are about to save some more civilians, the Freedom’s Ring appears. They are the new version of the old Force of July. The team consists of new versions of Major Victory, Lady Liberty, and Silent Majority. Don’t get attached to them, trust me. Anyway Major Victory tells the Titans that by mandate of the US government, the Freedom’s Ring is now in charge of Bluhdaven’s security. Bludhaven is now a national disaster area and the Titans must leave or they will be arrested.

We then cut to an “undisclosed location” where 6 people in stasis tubes are “awakened to active duty.”

We then cut to Bludhaven one year later. People are still locked out of the main part of the city. The government built a huge wall to keep people out of the city. Many people are still living in internment camps and are becoming desperate. A new metahuman appears named Firebrand and he wants to challenge the “fascist” American government.

We then see Father Time arrive at the main military command center. The president has appointed him in charge of the Bludhaven operation. Father Time tells the General that he wants to see “the package.” The package is something they are calling the “Astronaut Fetus.” It is not from earth and is part machine and part organic. IT has been in stasis for three months. The military has had to repeatedly remove meta insurgents from the area who are very curious about the installation and the radiation in the area. The General also says there is a third variable operating inside the city and it is one that they cannot seem to locate. They are armored people who appear and disappear without a trace. They are raiding the internment camps and liberating some of the subjects. There are various met humans who survived Chemo’s blast and now have superpowers. The military is keeping those people in their camps.

We cut to a team of US soldiers looking for these mysterious armored people within Bludhaven. They cross paths with the Nuclear Legion. They incinerate the soldiers. Evidently, the Society wants the source of the radiation leak (The astronaut fetus) is a bad way and they have hired the Nuclear Legion to fulfill that task. Suddenly Freedom’s Ring is on the scene and it’s a brawwwwwwl! During the fight, the team of 6 people who were “awakened” earlier in the issue is watching from a portable base. They have a cloaking device to protect them from detection. Freedom’s Ring kicks butt on the Nuclear Legion.

We cut to Firebrand instigating a riot outside the wall around Bludhaven. Firebrand demands that the truth be revealed and that the wall needs to be torn down.

We cut back to Freedom’s Ring thinking they have beaten the Nuclear Legion and they mention that the military is building a meta army using the radioactive weapon they found inside the city. With that nugget of information, the Nuclear Legion quit playing possum. One of them kills one of Silent Majority’s bodies (He’s a multiple man). The remaining Silent Majority bodies are killed. Lady Liberty then gets roasted to death. The only one left alive is Major Victory. He kills one of the Nuclear Legion by impaling him with a pipe. Ewww. The remaining members of the Nuclear Legion approach the mysterious 6 people. One of them is identified as Gardner Grayle, the Atomic Knight. Gardner contacts “Roundtable” and suddenly Gardner and the other 5 members of his team transform into armored Atomic Knights. End of issue.

Comments

The Good: This was one hell of an issue! Gray and Palmiotti got this mini-series off to a rocking start! Absolutely no time was wasted getting this story going, however, it was still paced well and did not feel rushed. This issue was very well written and had a neat vibe to it. Gray and Palmiotti’s story sucks the reader into it and keeps you captivated.

It was cool to see Gardner Grayle, the Atomic Knight. I like the addition of the other Atomic Knights. They seem pretty cool. I love their designs. They look very Japanese as if they sprung from the pages of some manga.

I liked seeing the new version of Force of July. Of course, Freedom’s Ring didn’t last very long. Major Victory is the only member left. He is a serious ass-kicker. I’m sure we are going to see plenty from him in this mini-series. Or, at least I hope we do. He’s pretty cool. I also liked Father Time. He is an interesting character.

There are so many interesting plotlines. Firebrand and his revolution to expose what the government is doing in Bludhaven. The Atomic Knights and their scheme to foil the government’s attempt at creating a metahuman army. The Astronaut Fetus and just what exactly it is and what is it going to lead to. The Society and their plans for the Astronaut Fetus. So many interesting questions! I can’t wait for the next issue to see where Gray and Palmiotti go with these questions.

The art by Jurgens and Palmiotti isn’t spectacular, but it is solid. The art has a bit of an old school feel to it which actually fits this title well.

The Bad: I have no complaints about this story at all. Well, I do have one very small complaint. It would have been nice to have Freedom’s Ring last longer than just this one issue. Other than that, this is a kick-ass issue. The Battle For Bludhaven is worth getting.