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Red Skull (2011) #1-5
Red Skull: Incarnate
Witness the chilling creation of Marvel's greatest monster, and liberty's greatest enemy. As Berlin descends into chaos and ruin, sinister forces are on the rise...and the men who will form the Nazi Party ascent to power. Against this tragic backdrop of history, a boy comes of age: Johann Schmidt. Orphan, thug, urchin--Johann has nothing--and how far he would go for power will change the world. Greg Pak, the writer of X-MEN: MAGNETO-TESTAMENT, and breakout artist Mirko Colak (SECRET WARRIORS) bring to life the twisted birth of the Red Skull.
124 pages, Hardcover
First published January 18, 2012
3 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Greg Pak
1,650 books580 followersGreg Pak is an award-winning Korean American comic book writer and filmmaker currently writing "Lawful" for BOOM and "Sam Wilson: Captain America" (with Evan Narcisse) for Marvel. Pak wrote the "Princess Who Saved Herself" children's book and the “Code Monkey Save World” graphic novel based on the songs of Jonathan Coulton and co-wrote (with Fred Van Lente) the acclaimed “Make Comics Like the Pros” how-to book. Pak's other work includes "Planet Hulk," "Darth Vader," "Mech Cadet Yu," "Ronin Island," "Action Comics," and "Magneto Testament."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 27, 2025
Best origin of the Red Skull (RS)! Really do not think RS has taken his true place in the pantheon of Marvel villains; he has always been unusual because he represents an ideology that existed - and that ideology is still with us today. I have always been of the opinion that he should be part of a 'dark' Illuminati group in MC; Doom and Magneto would also have to be part of it. The art in this book is very good and adds much to the story.
March 10, 2017
Red Skull: Incarnate is the story of how Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull, came to be involved with the Nazis. Starting in 1923 with Hitler’s failed Beerhall Putsch, we follow Johann’s brutal young life through the hyperinflation of the 1920s to the Nazis’ increasing violence against the Jews and rival parties culminating in the burning of the Reichstag and Hitler’s rise to Fuhrer – with Johann at his side.
David Aja’s incredible covers are what attracted me to this book which turned out to be… just ok. Book covers and judging, eh? Though considering Greg Pak wrote it, that’s pretty amazing!
Johann’s story isn’t that remarkable to begin with – he escapes a miserable orphanage into a rough, violent life on the streets, living a more adult Oliver Twist-esque existence. It only really gets good towards the end with his plan to get into Hitler’s inner circle and onto the path where he will become the Red Skull (we don’t see the physical transformation here).
For the most part it reads like Marvel doing high school history in a truncated fashion for those who never took it. I studied this era of history for a while so I’m very familiar with the subject which is probably why I wasn’t as engrossed in reading it. That and Mirko Colak’s capable but unimpressive art left me feeling that Red Skull: Incarnate, while decent, wasn’t that special a comic. Which is disappointing as I was hoping for a more interesting supervillain origin for one of Marvel’s most evil characters.
David Aja’s incredible covers are what attracted me to this book which turned out to be… just ok. Book covers and judging, eh? Though considering Greg Pak wrote it, that’s pretty amazing!
Johann’s story isn’t that remarkable to begin with – he escapes a miserable orphanage into a rough, violent life on the streets, living a more adult Oliver Twist-esque existence. It only really gets good towards the end with his plan to get into Hitler’s inner circle and onto the path where he will become the Red Skull (we don’t see the physical transformation here).
For the most part it reads like Marvel doing high school history in a truncated fashion for those who never took it. I studied this era of history for a while so I’m very familiar with the subject which is probably why I wasn’t as engrossed in reading it. That and Mirko Colak’s capable but unimpressive art left me feeling that Red Skull: Incarnate, while decent, wasn’t that special a comic. Which is disappointing as I was hoping for a more interesting supervillain origin for one of Marvel’s most evil characters.
June 17, 2020
To see the complete review including pictures please visit https://amanjareads.com/2020/06/15/re...
Oh Greg Pak. Sometimes his books are freaking incredible. And sometimes they just kind of fizzle. Red Skull Incarnate, unfortunately, fizzles.
Red Skull Incarnate is a companion piece to his own X-Men: Magneto Testament. Magneto Testament is about a young Magneto suffering through life as a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany. It's spectacularly written and ads extreme depth to Magneto's character. Depth that expands past the one book and into the larger Marvel canon.
Johann Schmidt, the boy who would become Red Skull, is also a young lad in Nazi Germany. The difference is that Schmidt is primed for evil and can pass for Nazi.
Pak shows us a young abandoned orphan who is determined to gain the power the world denied him by any means necessary. Schmidt learns how to use violence and manipulation to work his way to the top.
We see young Schmidt crossing the barrier from victim to bad guy when he learns how to desensitize himself to killing at the local dog catcher's.
Sigh, yes, that means he warms up his evil muscles with killing puppies.
Now, this panel certainly does the job of getting me to hate Johann Schmidt. I can't stand seeing animals get hurt. The other day I killed a moth and my atheist self said a prayer for the poor little guy. I'm sorry moth! May you receive an eternal reward for your sacrifice! But I also eat meat so I'm a hypocrite, moving on...
I hate seeing animals get hurt. Especially dogs and cats and other animals Americans love more than people. So this little plot point accomplished a task. But it also felt cheap. Of course people are going to hate seeing someone club a bunch of innocent dogs! That's easy! Way easier than making me feel emotions for a human character and then having them killed.
So at this point, I get it, Schmidt is evil. And throughout the short run he goes on to be more and more evil. It's an origin story of sorts but it never ties it back to the Red Skull we know.
Usually when I see Red Skull pop into a story it's just presumed you already know him. Obviously he's a bad guy, just look at him. But I actually don't know much about him! I thought this would be his story but it's not.
It's Johann Schmidt's story. At least his earliest story. But it's definitely not Red Skull's story.
If you read Red Skull: Incarnate as a story of an evil young lad in Nazi Germany, it's adequate. It's got some good moving pieces and his manipulations fall into line even if they feel a little rushed. It's not a bad read, just won't wow you either.
But as a Red Skull story it fails.
Oh Greg Pak. Sometimes his books are freaking incredible. And sometimes they just kind of fizzle. Red Skull Incarnate, unfortunately, fizzles.
Red Skull Incarnate is a companion piece to his own X-Men: Magneto Testament. Magneto Testament is about a young Magneto suffering through life as a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany. It's spectacularly written and ads extreme depth to Magneto's character. Depth that expands past the one book and into the larger Marvel canon.
Johann Schmidt, the boy who would become Red Skull, is also a young lad in Nazi Germany. The difference is that Schmidt is primed for evil and can pass for Nazi.
Pak shows us a young abandoned orphan who is determined to gain the power the world denied him by any means necessary. Schmidt learns how to use violence and manipulation to work his way to the top.
We see young Schmidt crossing the barrier from victim to bad guy when he learns how to desensitize himself to killing at the local dog catcher's.
Sigh, yes, that means he warms up his evil muscles with killing puppies.
Now, this panel certainly does the job of getting me to hate Johann Schmidt. I can't stand seeing animals get hurt. The other day I killed a moth and my atheist self said a prayer for the poor little guy. I'm sorry moth! May you receive an eternal reward for your sacrifice! But I also eat meat so I'm a hypocrite, moving on...
I hate seeing animals get hurt. Especially dogs and cats and other animals Americans love more than people. So this little plot point accomplished a task. But it also felt cheap. Of course people are going to hate seeing someone club a bunch of innocent dogs! That's easy! Way easier than making me feel emotions for a human character and then having them killed.
So at this point, I get it, Schmidt is evil. And throughout the short run he goes on to be more and more evil. It's an origin story of sorts but it never ties it back to the Red Skull we know.
Usually when I see Red Skull pop into a story it's just presumed you already know him. Obviously he's a bad guy, just look at him. But I actually don't know much about him! I thought this would be his story but it's not.
It's Johann Schmidt's story. At least his earliest story. But it's definitely not Red Skull's story.
If you read Red Skull: Incarnate as a story of an evil young lad in Nazi Germany, it's adequate. It's got some good moving pieces and his manipulations fall into line even if they feel a little rushed. It's not a bad read, just won't wow you either.
But as a Red Skull story it fails.
July 28, 2013
Ever wondered how the Red Skull became the Red Skull? Well, that will have to wait but this piece covers the Red Skull as a real orphan named Johann Schmidt coming of age as the Nazis rise to power.
It's a tale of desperation and betrayal with the world of Schmidt being evident in that only the powerful will thrive, not the just or morale. In some ways the use of Nazi history may be too truthful and unsettling to some readers but in the afterward author Greg Pak felt today's politicians trivialized the brutality of the Third Reich and so he wanted to show it in action.
ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B to B plus; STORY/PLOTTING/EDITING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; HISTORICAL FOCUSES/ACCURACY: B plus;
WHEN READ: mid December 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
It's a tale of desperation and betrayal with the world of Schmidt being evident in that only the powerful will thrive, not the just or morale. In some ways the use of Nazi history may be too truthful and unsettling to some readers but in the afterward author Greg Pak felt today's politicians trivialized the brutality of the Third Reich and so he wanted to show it in action.
ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B to B plus; STORY/PLOTTING/EDITING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B to B plus; HISTORICAL FOCUSES/ACCURACY: B plus;
WHEN READ: mid December 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
February 1, 2012
How does someone become a Nazi super-villain like the Red Skull? More to the point, how do you tell such a story without descending into some mustachio-twirling melodrama?
You do it like this, a tale of young German orphan Johann Schmidt and his ascent (descent) into the trusted circle of the Fuhrer. Pak grounds his story solidly (with end notes, even) into German history of the 20s and 30s, using the economic, social, and political turmoil of that time to explain Schmidt's life.
If the book has a weakness (which only comes up in retrospect), it's that events are so tightly woven around the historic events that it's not sometimes clear how much agency Schmidt has, or sometimes *why* he does the things he does. Schmidt on multiple occasions acts in an unexpected fashion (usually more, but sometimes less, brutally). You can tell there's a reason for it, but the reason isn't always obvious, especially as cast members come and go (and often look quite alike), and as the story hops forward from one historically-grounded vignette or another, mapped carefully into what's been established (more or less) for the Skull's history.
In some ways, it's more a successful survey of Germany from the 20s-30s and the rise of the Nazi Party and Hitler, from the perspective of a participant-witness (Schmidt). But by the end, there is little doubt that, safe for the mask, Schmidt is in place to become the Skull (and so take the story out of history and into the comic book realm, a step that Pak wisely never shows us).
It's difficult to say anything positive about this book without making it sound like approval of its subject matter, which is dark and unpleasant. But it's an excellent example of how to do a historic work in comic book form, including backstory for the four-color heroes that inhabit most of the comic book world.
You do it like this, a tale of young German orphan Johann Schmidt and his ascent (descent) into the trusted circle of the Fuhrer. Pak grounds his story solidly (with end notes, even) into German history of the 20s and 30s, using the economic, social, and political turmoil of that time to explain Schmidt's life.
If the book has a weakness (which only comes up in retrospect), it's that events are so tightly woven around the historic events that it's not sometimes clear how much agency Schmidt has, or sometimes *why* he does the things he does. Schmidt on multiple occasions acts in an unexpected fashion (usually more, but sometimes less, brutally). You can tell there's a reason for it, but the reason isn't always obvious, especially as cast members come and go (and often look quite alike), and as the story hops forward from one historically-grounded vignette or another, mapped carefully into what's been established (more or less) for the Skull's history.
In some ways, it's more a successful survey of Germany from the 20s-30s and the rise of the Nazi Party and Hitler, from the perspective of a participant-witness (Schmidt). But by the end, there is little doubt that, safe for the mask, Schmidt is in place to become the Skull (and so take the story out of history and into the comic book realm, a step that Pak wisely never shows us).
It's difficult to say anything positive about this book without making it sound like approval of its subject matter, which is dark and unpleasant. But it's an excellent example of how to do a historic work in comic book form, including backstory for the four-color heroes that inhabit most of the comic book world.
September 29, 2017
It was a nice story, but still it felt like it left me empty-handed..
This didn't feel like an origin story of the Red Skull, one of the baddest asses from Marvel... No, I was expecting more depth from this.
This didn't feel like an origin story of the Red Skull, one of the baddest asses from Marvel... No, I was expecting more depth from this.
December 7, 2023
Very very serious. Which it’s hard not to be when writing a superhero-adjacent story alongside the rise of Hitler. But feels like the weight of that inhibits the creativity, with historical accuracy confused with storytelling. Very bland.
May 15, 2013
Greg Pak repite a la hora de llevarnos a la Alemania nazi para contarnos la infancia de otro villano del universo Marvel. Ya lo hizo hace un par de años con “Magneto: Testamento” y ahora se mete con otro villano de enjundia, pero del bando contrario. Pasamos del judío victima que era Magneto, al miembro de confianza del partido Nazi que es Red Skull, o mejor dicho, Johann Schmidt.
En esta miniserie de 5 números conocemos la vida de Johann desde su nacimiento, en el que muere su madre, al paso por el orfanato y posteriores tiempos conviviendo con un padre y su hija judíos. Al igual que él, somos testigos de la transformación que sufre Alemania, desde la crisis y la inflación galopante de los primeros años de su vida, al ascenso nazi.
En un mundo duro y cruel, Johann va abriéndose camino, con claros síntomas de ser un autentico sociópata, pero en un tiempo y lugar donde eso no te convertía ni mucho menos en lo mas peligroso de las calles. Así al igual que Alemania se transforma, Johann lo hace con ella, siguiendo su filosofía propia de estar siempre del lado del más fuerte, sin importar si tiene razón o no.
El problema es que a pesar de lo atractivo de la ambientación y del jugo que se lo podía haber sacado, al igual que con “Magneto: Testamento”, me vuelvo a quedar frío y con sensación de leer algo excesivamente simplista. No me hace comprender mejor a Red Skull ni entender mejor porque es como es y me he quedado con la impresión de que hubiera sido mucho más interesante conocer su etapa puramente nazi al lado de Hitler. No he ganado nada con esta lectura de sus orígenes y tengo que reconocer que me ha decepcionado bastante y mas teniendo en cuenta las portadas tan acojonantes dibujadas por el vallisoletano David Aja, que son con mucho, lo mejor de este cómic. Pero dan una idea equivocada de lo que nos espera dentro.
En esta miniserie de 5 números conocemos la vida de Johann desde su nacimiento, en el que muere su madre, al paso por el orfanato y posteriores tiempos conviviendo con un padre y su hija judíos. Al igual que él, somos testigos de la transformación que sufre Alemania, desde la crisis y la inflación galopante de los primeros años de su vida, al ascenso nazi.
En un mundo duro y cruel, Johann va abriéndose camino, con claros síntomas de ser un autentico sociópata, pero en un tiempo y lugar donde eso no te convertía ni mucho menos en lo mas peligroso de las calles. Así al igual que Alemania se transforma, Johann lo hace con ella, siguiendo su filosofía propia de estar siempre del lado del más fuerte, sin importar si tiene razón o no.
El problema es que a pesar de lo atractivo de la ambientación y del jugo que se lo podía haber sacado, al igual que con “Magneto: Testamento”, me vuelvo a quedar frío y con sensación de leer algo excesivamente simplista. No me hace comprender mejor a Red Skull ni entender mejor porque es como es y me he quedado con la impresión de que hubiera sido mucho más interesante conocer su etapa puramente nazi al lado de Hitler. No he ganado nada con esta lectura de sus orígenes y tengo que reconocer que me ha decepcionado bastante y mas teniendo en cuenta las portadas tan acojonantes dibujadas por el vallisoletano David Aja, que son con mucho, lo mejor de este cómic. Pero dan una idea equivocada de lo que nos espera dentro.
February 10, 2017
Examining the origin of Johann Schmidt: the Red Skull. Being a huge Captain Captain America fan, when I came across this, I had to own it. I can't stand the Red Skull... don't get my wrong he's the perfect foil to the Sentinel of Liberty but I hate the Red Skull and everything he stands for. Still, I had to read it!
From the economic crisis of World War I Germany up through the rise of the Nazi party and the beginning's of the Holocaust all the way to Hitler wrangling total control of Germany, Schmidt is there somewhere on the edge of history. He's just bidding his time until he can become a major power player in Nazi Germany and nobody will get in the way on his path to glory. Not friends, allies, and especially not those who wrong him.
With riots, brutal beatings, racism, and terror, this scariest thing about this collected miniseries from 2012 is how much it reminds me of our world today.
I had a little bit of trouble with how innocent Schmidt becomes. But now that I've had some time to process this story, I think writer Greg Pak (World War Hulk) did the right thing not making the pre-Red Skull lad entirely evil. Having someone who at first had good intentions turn his back on his beliefs basically signifies that Schmidt sold his soul for power. Another grim aspect of this powerful book that resonates through the headlines of today just as much as it did 70 years ago.
With an afterword that documents the historical events that pepper this miniseries, this is something that as dark and gritty as it is, should not be missed.
From the economic crisis of World War I Germany up through the rise of the Nazi party and the beginning's of the Holocaust all the way to Hitler wrangling total control of Germany, Schmidt is there somewhere on the edge of history. He's just bidding his time until he can become a major power player in Nazi Germany and nobody will get in the way on his path to glory. Not friends, allies, and especially not those who wrong him.
With riots, brutal beatings, racism, and terror, this scariest thing about this collected miniseries from 2012 is how much it reminds me of our world today.
I had a little bit of trouble with how innocent Schmidt becomes. But now that I've had some time to process this story, I think writer Greg Pak (World War Hulk) did the right thing not making the pre-Red Skull lad entirely evil. Having someone who at first had good intentions turn his back on his beliefs basically signifies that Schmidt sold his soul for power. Another grim aspect of this powerful book that resonates through the headlines of today just as much as it did 70 years ago.
With an afterword that documents the historical events that pepper this miniseries, this is something that as dark and gritty as it is, should not be missed.
October 17, 2015
I am not a Marvel fan at all, only few books found a way to my bookshelf (1602, Eternals). But, given that my old friend illustrated this book, and Pak himself did everything to get myself to this year's NYC Comicon, I had an obligation to read it;-) Luckily, the theme of this book was something that interested me. It goes without saying that I never heard of Red Skull before (Marvel Universe can screw itself), naturally, but when I realized that I am going to read about Nazi Germany, my mood brightened!
Greg really mastered Germany's history, so it was enjoyable to read how Schmidt slowly becomes Red Skull. For those who are not familiar with the rise of Nazism, this book might be overwhelming, even though Pak went an extra mile at the end with the endnotes (which helped me a lot to understand what is going on in the background, even though I have fine knowledge of European history).
Why not 5 stars? Well, I didn't see full transformation of Schmidt into Red Skull. Maybe he did not became Red Skull by 1934. yet (as I said, I have no clue about Marvel Universe, nor I do care), but if the name of the book is Incarnate, I was expecting to see Red Skull on the last page, at least.
Anyway, given that this comes from the Spiderman and Co. publishing company, this book is a refreshment!!!
Greg really mastered Germany's history, so it was enjoyable to read how Schmidt slowly becomes Red Skull. For those who are not familiar with the rise of Nazism, this book might be overwhelming, even though Pak went an extra mile at the end with the endnotes (which helped me a lot to understand what is going on in the background, even though I have fine knowledge of European history).
Why not 5 stars? Well, I didn't see full transformation of Schmidt into Red Skull. Maybe he did not became Red Skull by 1934. yet (as I said, I have no clue about Marvel Universe, nor I do care), but if the name of the book is Incarnate, I was expecting to see Red Skull on the last page, at least.
Anyway, given that this comes from the Spiderman and Co. publishing company, this book is a refreshment!!!
December 10, 2020
I so much wanted to love this book. I love Pak's work on Hulk, and the Red Skull is my favorite Marvel Villain. He is the perfect mirror image of Captain America. Yet when I finished the collection I was left with a feeling of frustration towards the whole story. The collection takes 5 books and tries to give you a backstory of the man who would become the Red Skull. All 5 of the books could have been condensed into 1 and actually shown us something interesting in the other 4. While Pak does a good job reminding everyone how bad the Nazis were during this time period, he still doesn't really show us the depths of evilness required to become the right-hand man of Hitler himself. I'll give it 3 stars because it offs a bit of a look into the character, but I haven't been this disappointed in a comic collection in years.
February 14, 2017
In this intriguing work, Pak tells the story of the Red Skull’s childhood in Nazi Germany and how he eventually rose within the Nazi party’s ranks.
The story is bleak but very human and grounded. The artwork is great, and the story avoids cliches and has many interesting twists.Pak tells how Schmidt learns cruel truths from various father figures, and how, in the midst of clashes between Nazis and Communists, he is willing to go to anyone for protection,and betrays them if it suits his needs. By the time he actually joins the Nazis for real, he has already killed several of them. Pak’s Red Skull has no ideology and believes only in himself.
A great story overall.
The story is bleak but very human and grounded. The artwork is great, and the story avoids cliches and has many interesting twists.Pak tells how Schmidt learns cruel truths from various father figures, and how, in the midst of clashes between Nazis and Communists, he is willing to go to anyone for protection,and betrays them if it suits his needs. By the time he actually joins the Nazis for real, he has already killed several of them. Pak’s Red Skull has no ideology and believes only in himself.
A great story overall.
November 21, 2021
So...it's about a kid making his way into the Nazi ranks, because that's how he feels he can stay on top. It's utterly horrifying, as you can imagine anything about the rise of the Nazi party would be. And Johann's a fascinating character; every time he says something or makes a decision (like the one at the end of the fourth chapter), I imagine that he absolutely means what he's saying. It's terrifying and horrifying to think that people like this exist (and make no mistake, they do), but it's valuable to understand them, as well, and understand how they gain power. Great, great stuff.
April 15, 2018
It was a well narrated documentary of Johann Schmidt, the boy who grows up to become the Red Skull. This book only accounts his rise to power and nothing about how he got his villainous appearance. There is mindless killing. The struggle to survive. And the book really captures the feel of being in Nazi Germany. I learnt about some iconic events that shaped the course of history. The book has kept it real. The artwork is chilling, and vividly captures the black souls of people during those times.
April 16, 2017
I read and loved this series when it was originally released, for the art as well as the story - the covers alone are some of the most powerful of any comic books I've ever seen. This trade paperback collection makes me like the story even more. The historical references add weight that is most welcome in a tale that revolves around the Nazis' rise to power, and the endnotes meticulously cite specific references. Chilling, well-written, and nuanced.
September 7, 2012
Pak's genius is to show the slow development of a child psychopath pushed by circumstance, history, and his own genetics into becoming Hitler's personal super soldier. It is genuinely scary and utterly engrossing: the levels at which this youth thinks through his position and ruthlessly chooses to advance himself are worthy of the most sophisticated villain. A must read.
September 22, 2012
An actually enjoyable read. I like stories that give a human face to evil characters like the Red Skull. It is true artistry when the writer and artist make their audience actually want to see their main character fall deeper into hell.
February 26, 2015
It was really interesting. There was a lot of actual history in there, which made it all the more depressing! No, but it was well-researched & they even had a bibliography, which is pretty awesome for a comic book.
August 18, 2015
Very well done. I'm impressed at how good this was. I couldn't put it down. I'd recommend this to any Marvel Fan boy or anyone interested in early history of the Nazi party pre world war too. This was an excellent period piece and explanation of the Red Skull.
Read
June 22, 2015De como un par de chicos se lian entre judios, nazis y comunistas y uno se convierte en uno de los mayores villanos del Universo Marvel, todo de manera...predecible, lenta y aburrida. Esperaba mucho mas, apenas las portadas de David Aja son excelentes, de resto es una historia muy ,muy normalita.
October 7, 2012
This graphic novel explores the early life of Cap's most famous foe.
March 26, 2016
Powerful stuff, can easily recommend this to anyone and everyone.
April 30, 2021
This is a Red Skull story without any of the comic things that make you interested in reading the Red Skull. That's not to say that it's bad, but it is certainly not what I was expecting. The book follows Johann Schmidt, who would eventually become the Red Skull, as a little boy growing up in an orphanage. And as the years go by we get to see the rise of the Nazi party in germany through significant historical events happening in Germany, all while Schmidt continues to fight everyone and stand up for himself. And only himself.
He doesn't start out as the cruel man we know the supervillain to be, but there's always an anger in him and a need to hurt others who hurt him. And as the years go by, with Germany being a rough place to live, he only survives by giving in to his darkest impulses. The rage continues to build, and he keeps doing darker and darker things. Of course this isn't the origin story of how the Red Skull became the Red Skull, but instead it's the origin story of how Johann Schmidt joined the Nazis- the "Red Skull" thing is left out.
Which is fine. Anyone can do great evil, and ordinary people can become the worst. Johann Schmidt is another boy who became a bad man- you could blame it on his upbringing, but there are so many other characters in this book going through similar things who do their best to fight the Nazis. It's an important story to tell of how human these great monsters are, and how they're not some mystical force but flawed people who have chosen their wickedness and selfishness over morals again and again and again.
He doesn't start out as the cruel man we know the supervillain to be, but there's always an anger in him and a need to hurt others who hurt him. And as the years go by, with Germany being a rough place to live, he only survives by giving in to his darkest impulses. The rage continues to build, and he keeps doing darker and darker things. Of course this isn't the origin story of how the Red Skull became the Red Skull, but instead it's the origin story of how Johann Schmidt joined the Nazis- the "Red Skull" thing is left out.
Which is fine. Anyone can do great evil, and ordinary people can become the worst. Johann Schmidt is another boy who became a bad man- you could blame it on his upbringing, but there are so many other characters in this book going through similar things who do their best to fight the Nazis. It's an important story to tell of how human these great monsters are, and how they're not some mystical force but flawed people who have chosen their wickedness and selfishness over morals again and again and again.
April 30, 2018
Why is it that all the villains back stories have to do with bullying, abuse and/or a lack of family structure? Does it speak to the value we have on family even though society is moving more toward family of choice rather than family of origin?
This book was an interesting blend of history and fiction. Not sure if the real motivations of the main character. Not sure it is a story that should have been told. Maybe some stories would be better without knowing all the details. Kind of like the joker in the dark knight. He tells a different version of his past with every encounter.
Interesting read if nothing else. Good for a Saturday.
This book was an interesting blend of history and fiction. Not sure if the real motivations of the main character. Not sure it is a story that should have been told. Maybe some stories would be better without knowing all the details. Kind of like the joker in the dark knight. He tells a different version of his past with every encounter.
Interesting read if nothing else. Good for a Saturday.
January 13, 2018
Lo único que merece la pena son las (maravillosas) portadas de David Aja, la historia quiere contarnos como el futuro Craneo Rojo llegó a conocer a Adolf Hitler. La historia pasa sin pena ni gloria.
March 26, 2023
O roteiro fica bom devido ao seu embasamento histórico atrelado a primeira / segunda guerra mundial, dando uma boa origem para RedSkull e mostrando sua frieza … Poderia ser mais elaborada e caímos novamente no enredo de que ele se tornou o que é devido a uma infância perturbada, o que chega a ser um pouco cliche.
Arte padrão de HQs novas, nada demais
Overall - 3.5 / 5
Arte padrão de HQs novas, nada demais
Overall - 3.5 / 5
August 24, 2022
Shout Out to greg pak and mirko colak to capturing the cruel spirit of Red Skull in this origin book. the fearlessness and the brutality of this well thought out approach in this story is memorable. i forget who did the coloring but it is on point as well.
January 23, 2024
4,5 estrelas
June 26, 2024
Great read
A very well written story with a great use of fiction and true historical placement. Great Art work also lifted the story from the pages.
A very well written story with a great use of fiction and true historical placement. Great Art work also lifted the story from the pages.
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