A Decent Assortment Of Tales From War Of The Realms In The War Scrolls #1
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
Daredevil reflects upon one of his earliest meetings with Thor while patrolling Hell’s Kitchen looking for survivors. Daredevil is different now. His senses now encompass the Ten Realms, but he most focus on saving everyone left in New York from Malekith’s forces. After that, we watch Hildegarde, Hogun, and Fandrall escort the wounded Volstagg across the warring city with unexpected help from Cloak and Dagger. Then Wolverine and Punisher help survivors escape the city with a little help. Finally, we watch Howard the Duck and his associates tackle a missing dog’s case.
War of the Realms: The War Scrolls #1 begins the anthology of tales transpiring while the War of the Realms burns New York to the ground.
It’s apparent while reading it that the Daredevil-focused story will be carrying across this miniseries, as little transpires beyond the establishment of Daredevil as a stand-in for Heimdall. It’s not a bad snippet, but it’s a little unsubstantial.
The Warriors Three (Four) story has more to it, and the story as a whole isn’t bad either. These are four likable characters, and I’ll always be happy to see a Cloak and Dagger cameo. The Logan and Frank story is a little thin, but it’s at least a little heart-warming.
The Howard the Duck tale tries to ride on its own ludicrousness with a touch of juvenile humor, also known as the Deadpool formula, and it doesn’t do much for this story either. It could be worse, but I didn’t like it much either.
Andrea Sorrentino nails it on the opening tale, as always. Ricardo Lopez Ortiz does a good treatment on the Warriors Four too, Cafu brings some good design to the Wolverine and Punisher tale, and Joe Quinones (with inks by Joe Rivera) has some fun with the Howard the Duck tale. Matthew Wilson, Felipe Sobreiro, Brian Reber, and Rico Renzi make sure this anthology has good color art throughout.
War of the Realms: The War Scrolls #1 is a decent collection of tales. It has high points, but it has some rather low ones too. I can’t say there was anything in here that has me eager for the rest of the mini. This one is worth a light recommendation though. Feel free to pick it up if any of these stories strike your fancy.
War of the Realms: The War Scrolls #1 comes to us from writers Jason Aaron, Josh Trujillo, Ram V., and Chip Zdarsky, artists Andrea Sorrentino, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Cafu, and Joe Quinones with Joe Rivera, color artists Matthew Wilson, Felipe Sobreiro, Brian Reber, and Rico Renzi, letterer VC’s Joe Sabino, cover artist Alan Davis with Mark Farmer and Matt Hollingsworth, and variant cover artist Andrea Sorrentino.
