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Inhumans (1998) #1-12
Inhumans
Residing on Earth inside the domed city of Attilan, this race of artificially-spawned beings must protect itself from vicious attack.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
66 people are currently reading
817 people want to read
About the author
Paul Jenkins
1,259 books153 followersPaul Jenkins is a British comic book writer. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
November 30, 2018
What I like about this is there is a race of extremely powerful Inhumans that live in Attilan. They are attacked by this weird group of army. They have the power to easily wipe out the army. They want to stay hidden and unknown from the world. They choose to let the humans fire on them. They think of the larger picture and higher good than fighting. I mean there were deaths and there was some fighting, but it is an interesting concept. We only get to see a very little bit of what they can do.
I'm not sure even with all the interesting stuff with power above that we needed another group of superpowered beings in Marvel. I think the X-men were plenty. This was an ok story, but I didn't think it was great.
This book was a whole run, but I don't think I'm interested enough to read anything else about the Inhumans. Maybe I'll give a new run a try in the future. It was fun that a dog was part of the Inhuman team. That was different and this dog is huge. They call him Lockjaw.
I'm not sure even with all the interesting stuff with power above that we needed another group of superpowered beings in Marvel. I think the X-men were plenty. This was an ok story, but I didn't think it was great.
This book was a whole run, but I don't think I'm interested enough to read anything else about the Inhumans. Maybe I'll give a new run a try in the future. It was fun that a dog was part of the Inhuman team. That was different and this dog is huge. They call him Lockjaw.
November 7, 2022
Welcome to Attilan...
...home of the Inhumans. It is currently located in the former location of Atlantis causing problems with undersea Prince Namor and nearby neighbors who covet their technology. Attilan and the Inhumans also have in house problems thanks to the one and only Maximus the Mad, brother of Inhuman King Black Bolt.
This short miniseries of Inhumans provides an in-depth view of their society from the monarchy, terrigenesis, and the alpha primitives. It gives a nice view of the royal family and the troubles they face in the world.
The story was insightful and somewhat interesting, but for some strange reason it chose to spend a bunch of its middle issues with the royal family in a holding pattern while Maximus was running wild. I always find it annoying when I'm stuck languishing day by day with the characters during siege type events. A few paragraph view or a page view of events during a siege is more than enough and is preferable to wasting issues on a siege.
This miniseries on the Inhumans makes me wonder how hard is it for a man with a destructive voice to keep quiet. I certainly never thought of how dangerous it could be for such a man just to mumble in his sleep.
...home of the Inhumans. It is currently located in the former location of Atlantis causing problems with undersea Prince Namor and nearby neighbors who covet their technology. Attilan and the Inhumans also have in house problems thanks to the one and only Maximus the Mad, brother of Inhuman King Black Bolt.
This short miniseries of Inhumans provides an in-depth view of their society from the monarchy, terrigenesis, and the alpha primitives. It gives a nice view of the royal family and the troubles they face in the world.
The story was insightful and somewhat interesting, but for some strange reason it chose to spend a bunch of its middle issues with the royal family in a holding pattern while Maximus was running wild. I always find it annoying when I'm stuck languishing day by day with the characters during siege type events. A few paragraph view or a page view of events during a siege is more than enough and is preferable to wasting issues on a siege.
This miniseries on the Inhumans makes me wonder how hard is it for a man with a destructive voice to keep quiet. I certainly never thought of how dangerous it could be for such a man just to mumble in his sleep.
June 6, 2017
Inhumans by Paul Jenkins covers a group that I don't often run into-the Inhumans on Attilan. Led by their silent king, Black Bolt (his whisper can level mountains)-the Inhumans thrive by the mutations caused by the Terrigen Mists. It helps them to unlock their genetic code and become something else.
But it turns out all is not well in Inhuman society. Black Bolts brother is brilliant but a complete maniac. The Alpha Primitive work force is restive. A young Inhuman, Woz, undegoes the Terrigen mists and comes out an Alpha Primate. This is somehow part of Maximus' plan to escape and rule Attilan again. Throw into this an invasion of Portuguese mercs led by a Soviet (where do they come up with this crap? seriously?) and the Inhumans seem to set take a huge fall. What is Black Bolt up too? Is there more going on than all the other Inhuman's know?
That is the main plot behind this decent tale. I enjoyed the beautiful artwork and appreciated a look at this group. The way things work in Attilan and their cultural concepts was quite fascinating. I enjoyed looking at Black Bolt, Maximus and the other Inhumans. The plot though a little convoluted isn't bad and there are some good pieces of writing. The examination of the Inhuman-Alpha Primitives is interesting. beautifully illustrated by the talented Jae Lee this was a very entertaining story detailing some major changes to the world of the Inhumans. If you find yourself interested or a fan than you will also enjoy this one.
But it turns out all is not well in Inhuman society. Black Bolts brother is brilliant but a complete maniac. The Alpha Primitive work force is restive. A young Inhuman, Woz, undegoes the Terrigen mists and comes out an Alpha Primate. This is somehow part of Maximus' plan to escape and rule Attilan again. Throw into this an invasion of Portuguese mercs led by a Soviet (where do they come up with this crap? seriously?) and the Inhumans seem to set take a huge fall. What is Black Bolt up too? Is there more going on than all the other Inhuman's know?
That is the main plot behind this decent tale. I enjoyed the beautiful artwork and appreciated a look at this group. The way things work in Attilan and their cultural concepts was quite fascinating. I enjoyed looking at Black Bolt, Maximus and the other Inhumans. The plot though a little convoluted isn't bad and there are some good pieces of writing. The examination of the Inhuman-Alpha Primitives is interesting. beautifully illustrated by the talented Jae Lee this was a very entertaining story detailing some major changes to the world of the Inhumans. If you find yourself interested or a fan than you will also enjoy this one.
March 3, 2015
Does anyone remember the Guide To The Marvel Universe series from the 80's - the encyclopedia of images, power sets and plot histories that Sir Stan convinced us collectors we *had* to have as loyal Marvel Zombies. This book feels like an appendix chapter. I feel like I've been through a remedial class in Inhumans, disguised as a "story" with a "plot".
The book is both frustrating and satisfying. It takes forever to get to the point of his "story", which is to say I think Jenkins is uninterested in dramatics, and much more into history-telling and "telling". Seems a very novelistic book, and that probably works well for some folks.
Jenkins crafts a slow burn *so* slow it's impossible to distinguish it from a glacier. Yes they move when measured over long periods of time, but otherwise they seem insignificantly immobile and thus not worth noticing.
Yes we get a chance to step back and be taught the basics of Inhuman characters and their relationships and politics. Yes we get to observe what the cycles of life are like in this small realm.
But holy gods does it take forever for anything to *happen*. The fundamental plot of the first six issues is: Maximus tried to use humans to engineer an escape. That's it. That's the only drama for pages and pages - will he or won't he escape?
And Lordy, does Mr. Jenkins spend a long time telling us about all this. Through narration boxes - the lazy narrative tool of the damned (or more likely, the novelist who hasn't bothered to learn the craft of comic storytelling). What's worse about it though, is he spends a lot of time talking about abstract stuff, in second person, that hardly or cryptically relates to the nonsense plot going on on the page.
Have you ever read a comic where the pictures say one thing, the text talks about something entirely different, and you're left trying to figure out what the fuck the creators were trying to convey with the two? Maybe I'm supposed to take a Confucius lesson from this book - rather than telling me a dramatic tale of these actual characters, maybe this book is supposed to be a parable about inaction and the consequences? Maybe Jenkins wrote it hoping that George W. Bush would read it and get off his ass and *really* bomb the shit out of the entire world?
There's ultimately some kind of resolution to this, and I'll admit that one of my secondary goals was achieved: I've gotten to know the characters and their relationships - not through seeing them act, but solely through the incessant narration that leaves no detail to chance.
Jae Lee's art is like stills from that ancient game Myst: beautiful, nearly motionless, cold and lifeless. It's like we're separated from the action by impenetrable glass (which in my case, I am, reading this digitally on a tablet - which meta-ness makes my head hurt).
There's something both beautiful and off-putting about the art style. Maybe it's a product of what was possible in digital art in 2000, but the inking of shadows takes on this very jagged (not smoothed) quality that makes it hard to "read" facial expressions - I can't tell whether Gorgon is frowning or he's just caught below an invisible tree with super-jagged leaves casting a magical shadow over his face. Other than this perhaps-stylistic choice, and the museum poses of everything in frame, it's a pretty book.
Is this required reading in Inhumans canon? Hardly. Almost nothing important actually happens - at least, it doesn't seem referenced in the future the way House of M ("No more mutants") or the Kree-Skrull war are forever burned in our brain. But as an Inhumans 101 course? Hell yes - this could be considered *the* living textbook.
The book is both frustrating and satisfying. It takes forever to get to the point of his "story", which is to say I think Jenkins is uninterested in dramatics, and much more into history-telling and "telling". Seems a very novelistic book, and that probably works well for some folks.
Jenkins crafts a slow burn *so* slow it's impossible to distinguish it from a glacier. Yes they move when measured over long periods of time, but otherwise they seem insignificantly immobile and thus not worth noticing.
Yes we get a chance to step back and be taught the basics of Inhuman characters and their relationships and politics. Yes we get to observe what the cycles of life are like in this small realm.
But holy gods does it take forever for anything to *happen*. The fundamental plot of the first six issues is: Maximus tried to use humans to engineer an escape. That's it. That's the only drama for pages and pages - will he or won't he escape?
And Lordy, does Mr. Jenkins spend a long time telling us about all this. Through narration boxes - the lazy narrative tool of the damned (or more likely, the novelist who hasn't bothered to learn the craft of comic storytelling). What's worse about it though, is he spends a lot of time talking about abstract stuff, in second person, that hardly or cryptically relates to the nonsense plot going on on the page.
Have you ever read a comic where the pictures say one thing, the text talks about something entirely different, and you're left trying to figure out what the fuck the creators were trying to convey with the two? Maybe I'm supposed to take a Confucius lesson from this book - rather than telling me a dramatic tale of these actual characters, maybe this book is supposed to be a parable about inaction and the consequences? Maybe Jenkins wrote it hoping that George W. Bush would read it and get off his ass and *really* bomb the shit out of the entire world?
There's ultimately some kind of resolution to this, and I'll admit that one of my secondary goals was achieved: I've gotten to know the characters and their relationships - not through seeing them act, but solely through the incessant narration that leaves no detail to chance.
Jae Lee's art is like stills from that ancient game Myst: beautiful, nearly motionless, cold and lifeless. It's like we're separated from the action by impenetrable glass (which in my case, I am, reading this digitally on a tablet - which meta-ness makes my head hurt).
There's something both beautiful and off-putting about the art style. Maybe it's a product of what was possible in digital art in 2000, but the inking of shadows takes on this very jagged (not smoothed) quality that makes it hard to "read" facial expressions - I can't tell whether Gorgon is frowning or he's just caught below an invisible tree with super-jagged leaves casting a magical shadow over his face. Other than this perhaps-stylistic choice, and the museum poses of everything in frame, it's a pretty book.
Is this required reading in Inhumans canon? Hardly. Almost nothing important actually happens - at least, it doesn't seem referenced in the future the way House of M ("No more mutants") or the Kree-Skrull war are forever burned in our brain. But as an Inhumans 101 course? Hell yes - this could be considered *the* living textbook.
November 8, 2021
Uno de mis mayores pendientes en el Universo Marvel como lecturas fueron Los Cuatro Fantásticos, la Patrulla-X y los Inhumanos. Con los dos primeros obviamente de ellos algo leía pero lo justo, las apariciones esporádicas que hicieran en algunos eventos o acompañando en la trama principal de alguna serie de Ultimate Spiderman o Nuevos Vengadores que leía a tutiplén de chaval. Pero con los Inhumanos la cosa era distinta, puesto que son una facción que se aísla de forma voluntaria de toda relación con la humanidad, ellos prefieren vivir al margen de todos. Por lo tanto lo máximo que leía de esta peña era alguna aparición de Rayo Negro en World War Hulk y poco más. Era un completo ignorante respecto a esta facción tan parecida a los mutantes, pues ambos tienen la misma peculiaridad de que cada individuo tiene un poder distinto, incluso rozando en algunas ocasiones más una monstruosidad que un don en sí.
Pero aquí llega subsanado mi ignorancia con la lectura de este los Inhumanos de Paul Jenkins y Jae Lee dentro del sello Marvel Knights (ese sello más adulto y trasgresor de la Marvel de Quesada que tan bien brillo a finales de los 90). Una obra que me ha sorprendido para bien. No solo es perfecta para iniciados, es que te premia no saber mucho porque la historia se cuenta a paso lento, cocinándose poco a poco. Te va presentando a sus personajes: la Familia Real de esta utopía llamada Attilan; la sociedad inhumana tan diferente entre ellos como iguales; los rechazados de la sociedad en las afueras, provocado por su poca utilidad cuando se les ofrecieron sus poderes; los Alfa Primitivos, seres genéticamente predispuestos a trabajar en la subestructura de la ciudad como esclavos bienintencionados; Maximus, el hermano loco del Rey Rayo Negro que desencadenara toda la historia. Un historia sobre el peso de una Utopía, donde incluye la intriga política, la crítica social, conspiraciones dentro y fuera de la cúpula mágica de Attilan y planes dentro de otros planes. Con una narración reflexiva, pausada, que como digo al principio puede resultar lenta, pero porque tiene que presentar muchos conceptos, y que te lo cuenta todo perfectamente compilado en doce números.
Si tenéis curiosidad, adelante, como digo no hace falta ser ningún veterano del Universo Marvel para conocer esta historia. Y por favor, ni intentéis ver esa monstruosidad de serie de televisión llamada “Inhumans” que perpetraron ABC y Marvel Studios hace años (de la cual irónicamente se han desligado como de la mierda), para que luego digan que todo lo que hace Marvel Studios es bueno…
“Imagina que fueras incapaz de emitir un sonido…ni un sollozo, ni una queja… ni una sola palabra en tu vida. Nunca. Entonces imagina que te dieran la oportunidad de hablar una sola vez ¿Qué dirías?”
Pero aquí llega subsanado mi ignorancia con la lectura de este los Inhumanos de Paul Jenkins y Jae Lee dentro del sello Marvel Knights (ese sello más adulto y trasgresor de la Marvel de Quesada que tan bien brillo a finales de los 90). Una obra que me ha sorprendido para bien. No solo es perfecta para iniciados, es que te premia no saber mucho porque la historia se cuenta a paso lento, cocinándose poco a poco. Te va presentando a sus personajes: la Familia Real de esta utopía llamada Attilan; la sociedad inhumana tan diferente entre ellos como iguales; los rechazados de la sociedad en las afueras, provocado por su poca utilidad cuando se les ofrecieron sus poderes; los Alfa Primitivos, seres genéticamente predispuestos a trabajar en la subestructura de la ciudad como esclavos bienintencionados; Maximus, el hermano loco del Rey Rayo Negro que desencadenara toda la historia. Un historia sobre el peso de una Utopía, donde incluye la intriga política, la crítica social, conspiraciones dentro y fuera de la cúpula mágica de Attilan y planes dentro de otros planes. Con una narración reflexiva, pausada, que como digo al principio puede resultar lenta, pero porque tiene que presentar muchos conceptos, y que te lo cuenta todo perfectamente compilado en doce números.
— Les hemos declarado la guerra.
— ¿Estáis locos? La guerra se les declara a países del tercer mundo, no a dioses vivientes.
Si tenéis curiosidad, adelante, como digo no hace falta ser ningún veterano del Universo Marvel para conocer esta historia. Y por favor, ni intentéis ver esa monstruosidad de serie de televisión llamada “Inhumans” que perpetraron ABC y Marvel Studios hace años (de la cual irónicamente se han desligado como de la mierda), para que luego digan que todo lo que hace Marvel Studios es bueno…
May 25, 2018
I had a hard time rating this. Not because I didn't like it, or didn't like it, but because I feel indifferent about it. Almost...Inhuman...Okay I'll shut up now.
So what's it about? You get to learn who the Inhumans are. Why they are different. This is political warfare happening at all times. Humans scared, Inhumans trying to govern their own, plans upon plans, twist and turns, it's going to be a big brawl in the end that'll end in death and destruction which all that's left in the end.
Good: The art is fantastic. I also enjoyed some smaller moments, mostly characters coming to terms of who they are. I also enjoyed the political nature of it all in this title.
Bad: It's a slow burn. It takes a lot to get it going and it feels a bit stretched as it goes on.
Overall it's a unique title. I wouldn't say you "Had" to read it but it feels more "adult-only" title. Very little action but it's powerful stance on war and coming to terms of being a king are interesting. A 3.5 out of 5.
So what's it about? You get to learn who the Inhumans are. Why they are different. This is political warfare happening at all times. Humans scared, Inhumans trying to govern their own, plans upon plans, twist and turns, it's going to be a big brawl in the end that'll end in death and destruction which all that's left in the end.
Good: The art is fantastic. I also enjoyed some smaller moments, mostly characters coming to terms of who they are. I also enjoyed the political nature of it all in this title.
Bad: It's a slow burn. It takes a lot to get it going and it feels a bit stretched as it goes on.
Overall it's a unique title. I wouldn't say you "Had" to read it but it feels more "adult-only" title. Very little action but it's powerful stance on war and coming to terms of being a king are interesting. A 3.5 out of 5.
December 1, 2014
I feel like I'm Jack Donaghy
Because this was boring. I'm bored now. The plot was entirely meh, the art was visually unappealing to me and seemed dated. Oooo shadows.... oooo shiny female appendages...blahhhhh. I couldve gotten over the art honestly if the story was compelling, but it was lackluster. Only at one point did I care what was happening and that was when Triton was flashing back to watching a ship sink. The was some deep stuff. The rest was just sort of emo-ish and convoluted.
November 14, 2010
Do you know that feeling when you pick up a new book and you read the first page and you get goosebumps all over because this is better than you thought it might be? And then you read the whole book and you're NOT disappointed? It's an all-too rare feeling, but that's definitely the case with me and this book.
After reading some comics where the Inhumans appeared mostly in the background, and especially after seeing some posts on tumblr, I decided to give this book a try. And boy, am I glad I did, because this was fantastic.
Attilan, home of the Inhumans, is under attack, both from without and within. And Black Bolt, their king, decides to do - nothing?
I can't say whether this comic is the best introduction to the Inhumans (and the thing is, I've read stuff involving them before, but I remember being hopelessly confused), but I'd say it definitely is a good introduction. You get a good idea of the characters and their relationships without it ever feeling like pure exposition. The plot is a great political drama mixed with personal conflicts.
I admit it's hard to put into words why I loved it as much as I did. Paul Jenkins' writing just has this truly epic feel to it (as much as I've come to loathe this word); it captured me from the very first sentence. And Jae Lee is nothing but gorgeous. Seriously, I could just sit here and leaf through the whole book again and again. Especially with a character like Black Bolt, looks matter and there were so many panels that took my breath away that I lost count.
Attilan as a society most definitely has its problems, and I definitely want to read more about them - what exactly happened with the Alpha Primitives prior to this book, for example, and what everybody's thoughts are on this forced labor. The signs visible in the substructure are nothing but creepy and disturbing ("Work is good", "Fatigue is your goal", "Your King Loves You"), and it's clear that both the writer and the characters are aware of this issue and its problematics. (Although the idea that the Alpha Primitives can't escape their servitude as is suggested here really makes me highly uncomfortable, and it's why I want to read more.)
Before I read this book, I was already very much intrigued by Black Bold and his relationship with Medusa. To say I completely fell in love with both the character and this relationship would be an immense understatement - most of the time, all I could think was (and I am, sadly enough, not kidding) asdfdskfjhasdjkf. Because. Wow. If you know me you may know I hardly ever ship m/f pairings, but this may just be my new m/f OTP.
So, yeah, I really, really, really, really liked this, and I can't wait to read more.
After reading some comics where the Inhumans appeared mostly in the background, and especially after seeing some posts on tumblr, I decided to give this book a try. And boy, am I glad I did, because this was fantastic.
Attilan, home of the Inhumans, is under attack, both from without and within. And Black Bolt, their king, decides to do - nothing?
I can't say whether this comic is the best introduction to the Inhumans (and the thing is, I've read stuff involving them before, but I remember being hopelessly confused), but I'd say it definitely is a good introduction. You get a good idea of the characters and their relationships without it ever feeling like pure exposition. The plot is a great political drama mixed with personal conflicts.
I admit it's hard to put into words why I loved it as much as I did. Paul Jenkins' writing just has this truly epic feel to it (as much as I've come to loathe this word); it captured me from the very first sentence. And Jae Lee is nothing but gorgeous. Seriously, I could just sit here and leaf through the whole book again and again. Especially with a character like Black Bolt, looks matter and there were so many panels that took my breath away that I lost count.
Attilan as a society most definitely has its problems, and I definitely want to read more about them - what exactly happened with the Alpha Primitives prior to this book, for example, and what everybody's thoughts are on this forced labor. The signs visible in the substructure are nothing but creepy and disturbing ("Work is good", "Fatigue is your goal", "Your King Loves You"), and it's clear that both the writer and the characters are aware of this issue and its problematics. (Although the idea that the Alpha Primitives can't escape their servitude as is suggested here really makes me highly uncomfortable, and it's why I want to read more.)
Before I read this book, I was already very much intrigued by Black Bold and his relationship with Medusa. To say I completely fell in love with both the character and this relationship would be an immense understatement - most of the time, all I could think was (and I am, sadly enough, not kidding) asdfdskfjhasdjkf. Because. Wow. If you know me you may know I hardly ever ship m/f pairings, but this may just be my new m/f OTP.
So, yeah, I really, really, really, really liked this, and I can't wait to read more.
June 6, 2014
Jenkins and Lee together craft a story of family, monarchy and betrayal, while also establishing a status-quo for the Inhumans that would see them through the next decade of Marvel Comics.
Maximus, brother of Black Bolt, betrays his kind in order to take his brothers throne. It's a plot that's played out slowly by Jenkins, taking a few issues to come to fruition. Jenkins has 12 issues in total to play with here, but he still doesn't rush into anything. First he establishes his concept for the Inhumans, and lets Jae Lee establish the look and tone of the book.
Jae Lee isn't someone I'm a fan of, but his artwork here really suits the moody tone that they're going for. Tensions are high in Attilan, characters are finding it difficult to trust each other, and all the while Black Bolt is silent, knowing a single whisper could end the conflict, but still not resorting to it. Jae Lee is better suited to a story like this than, say, his more recent stuff on Batman/Superman.
A good entry point for the Inhumans. Who, if rumours are to be believed, are set to become big movie stars in the near future.
Maximus, brother of Black Bolt, betrays his kind in order to take his brothers throne. It's a plot that's played out slowly by Jenkins, taking a few issues to come to fruition. Jenkins has 12 issues in total to play with here, but he still doesn't rush into anything. First he establishes his concept for the Inhumans, and lets Jae Lee establish the look and tone of the book.
Jae Lee isn't someone I'm a fan of, but his artwork here really suits the moody tone that they're going for. Tensions are high in Attilan, characters are finding it difficult to trust each other, and all the while Black Bolt is silent, knowing a single whisper could end the conflict, but still not resorting to it. Jae Lee is better suited to a story like this than, say, his more recent stuff on Batman/Superman.
A good entry point for the Inhumans. Who, if rumours are to be believed, are set to become big movie stars in the near future.
October 14, 2018
Ero curioso di saperne di più sugli “Inumani” dato il consolidarsi della loro presenza nelle testate della Casa delle Idee e la mia scarsa conoscenza nei loro confronti. Questo volume, che racconta una storia davvero affascinante tanto che le ho dato 4 stelle, mi lascia però soddisfatto a metà. Pur mettendomi al corrente del passato, presente e futuro della razza, con tanto di gerarchie e diversi stili di vita, scalfisce appena la superficie del discorso “nebbie terrigene” - che tra l’altro era il punto che mi interessava di più :P
Anche se ho gradito la lettura spero non mi capiterà di incontrarli troppo spesso, sono molto ben fatti ma se la tirano troppo.
Lockjaw è uno spettacolo :D
Anche se ho gradito la lettura spero non mi capiterà di incontrarli troppo spesso, sono molto ben fatti ma se la tirano troppo.
Lockjaw è uno spettacolo :D
July 27, 2017
When it comes to Marvel superheroes, most of them are flawed outcasts whether it is the X-Men as mutants are often victims of prejudice or even Spider-Man who is seen as a public menace whilst his alter-ego is a nerd targeted by bullies. In the case of the Inhumans, who made their introduction in the pages of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four, they are a race of superhumans, conceived by the Kree empire, who primarily and deliberately distance themselves from the horrors of humanity, whilst under the leadership of the Inhuman Royal Family.
Secluded on their island kingdom of Attilan, the Inhumans are under attack from without and within, from the human invaders to King Black Bolt's insane brother, Maximus the Mad. As this attack shakes the Inhumans to their core, what can the Royal Family do in response, particularly the king who remains silent throughout the impending doom?
Throughout this twelve-issue miniseries by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, you are delving into the former location of Atlantis where we see how the Inhumans live as their mutations are self-inflicted and as a coming-of-age ritual, each Inhuman expose themselves to the Terrigen Mists that impart unearthly powers – some extraordinary, some monstrous. If an Inhuman fails this ritual, he/she become part of the Alpha Primitives, a slave race that works under the grounds of Attilan, without much interaction with the citizens.
As much as the Inhumans rid themselves from the flaws of humanity, they themselves are flawed as stated by Karnak, whose ability is to find the weakness in anything and then exploit it, and it is the flaw from within that will bring the collapse of Attilan. What Jenkins achieves in each issue, is by providing a different angle to this world that feels initially alienating and yet there is a three-dimensional voice towards a variety of characters, whether it is certain members of the Royal Family to our favourite bulldog-like being Lockjaw, who pretty much wanders through the invasion without knowing why.
Very much a third-person narrative with captions told by a nameless narrator, you see how these characters ticked with each one reacting to this attack, whilst Black Bolt, who has the power of a destructive hypersonic voice, remains a silent enigma, much to the dismay of his closest family members including his wife Queen Medusa, as well as the delight from scene-stealing madman Maximus. Although Jenkins does wrestle with too many characters, including known Marvel characters Reed Richards and Namor, as well as thinly-written human baddies, we get more of a sense of drama and tension within the company of the eponymous race.
With Jae Lee as artist, he is someone who has an artistic sensibility that is unconventional to superhero comics, and in the case of the outlandish nature of the Inhumans, Lee is an ideal fit if not perfect in execution. Lee is known for his heavy use of silhouettes and is used evidently here when he tries to add extra detail to his characters, despite ultimately looking a bit ugly, although he does craft impressive facial expressions when it comes to Maximus, as well as Medusa's hair which has a life of its own.
As part of the Marvel Knights line-up, Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee's Inhumans is a terrific examination of a reclusive society of super-powered beings who each have their own flaw (let alone abilities) and how they confront it.
Secluded on their island kingdom of Attilan, the Inhumans are under attack from without and within, from the human invaders to King Black Bolt's insane brother, Maximus the Mad. As this attack shakes the Inhumans to their core, what can the Royal Family do in response, particularly the king who remains silent throughout the impending doom?
Throughout this twelve-issue miniseries by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, you are delving into the former location of Atlantis where we see how the Inhumans live as their mutations are self-inflicted and as a coming-of-age ritual, each Inhuman expose themselves to the Terrigen Mists that impart unearthly powers – some extraordinary, some monstrous. If an Inhuman fails this ritual, he/she become part of the Alpha Primitives, a slave race that works under the grounds of Attilan, without much interaction with the citizens.
As much as the Inhumans rid themselves from the flaws of humanity, they themselves are flawed as stated by Karnak, whose ability is to find the weakness in anything and then exploit it, and it is the flaw from within that will bring the collapse of Attilan. What Jenkins achieves in each issue, is by providing a different angle to this world that feels initially alienating and yet there is a three-dimensional voice towards a variety of characters, whether it is certain members of the Royal Family to our favourite bulldog-like being Lockjaw, who pretty much wanders through the invasion without knowing why.
Very much a third-person narrative with captions told by a nameless narrator, you see how these characters ticked with each one reacting to this attack, whilst Black Bolt, who has the power of a destructive hypersonic voice, remains a silent enigma, much to the dismay of his closest family members including his wife Queen Medusa, as well as the delight from scene-stealing madman Maximus. Although Jenkins does wrestle with too many characters, including known Marvel characters Reed Richards and Namor, as well as thinly-written human baddies, we get more of a sense of drama and tension within the company of the eponymous race.
With Jae Lee as artist, he is someone who has an artistic sensibility that is unconventional to superhero comics, and in the case of the outlandish nature of the Inhumans, Lee is an ideal fit if not perfect in execution. Lee is known for his heavy use of silhouettes and is used evidently here when he tries to add extra detail to his characters, despite ultimately looking a bit ugly, although he does craft impressive facial expressions when it comes to Maximus, as well as Medusa's hair which has a life of its own.
As part of the Marvel Knights line-up, Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee's Inhumans is a terrific examination of a reclusive society of super-powered beings who each have their own flaw (let alone abilities) and how they confront it.
August 5, 2016
Just really didn't care for this one.
October 25, 2020
The Inhumans occupy such a unique creative space in the Marvel universe, one not often explored. This series isn't a superhero story, it's a war drama that's all about the complex political systems of the Inhumans and how they interact with the various human political systems.
Externally, human forces are invading, human allies refuse to join in (for fear of starting World War III), and Namor wants the Inhuman city to stop sitting on a raised-to-the-surface Atlantis. Internally, Black Bolt is trying to stop this war without fighting back and is taking heavy losses, some his closest allies in the form of the Inhuman Royal Family are questioning his leadership, and his brother Maximus the Mad is organizing an uprising of the Alpha Primitives and trying to seize control of the kingdom. Every plot slowly builds from the first issue onwards and chugs towards a thrilling climax that... doesn't really happen.
Everything comes together but it's anti-climactic. I wasn't expecting a big superhero fight but the big keikaku plan came about so suddenly and also ended so suddenly. I think the team got caught up in exploring all the ins and outs of Inhuman society, the points of view for all the different characters, that the narrative started to sag in the middle. This series is more a world-building book and a study of the Inhumans than it is a compelling singular story and you know what? I think that's what the creative team was aiming for. They nailed that part.
Jae Lee's art fits an Inhumans book because sometimes it doesn't look human at all (unfortunately the case for both the Inhumans and the regular people). Lots of dark and serious tones in the use of shadow and the colouring, making it look gritty but not quite edgy. My favourite sequences are when Lee gets to draw the wide array of Inhumans, with all their weird quirks and powers and strange appearances. No two Inhumans look alike, and I was always turning the page to see what each new scene would add.
This is one of the most interesting books this era of Marvel produced, and a unique standalone story of political intrigue that we never really get to see as Marvel readers. It might not be my favourite thing I've read recently but for anyone who's had Inhumans shoved as "the new X-Men" or "Black Bolt and the others I guess", it's a great introduction to the characters and completely worth the read.
Externally, human forces are invading, human allies refuse to join in (for fear of starting World War III), and Namor wants the Inhuman city to stop sitting on a raised-to-the-surface Atlantis. Internally, Black Bolt is trying to stop this war without fighting back and is taking heavy losses, some his closest allies in the form of the Inhuman Royal Family are questioning his leadership, and his brother Maximus the Mad is organizing an uprising of the Alpha Primitives and trying to seize control of the kingdom. Every plot slowly builds from the first issue onwards and chugs towards a thrilling climax that... doesn't really happen.
Everything comes together but it's anti-climactic. I wasn't expecting a big superhero fight but the big keikaku plan came about so suddenly and also ended so suddenly. I think the team got caught up in exploring all the ins and outs of Inhuman society, the points of view for all the different characters, that the narrative started to sag in the middle. This series is more a world-building book and a study of the Inhumans than it is a compelling singular story and you know what? I think that's what the creative team was aiming for. They nailed that part.
Jae Lee's art fits an Inhumans book because sometimes it doesn't look human at all (unfortunately the case for both the Inhumans and the regular people). Lots of dark and serious tones in the use of shadow and the colouring, making it look gritty but not quite edgy. My favourite sequences are when Lee gets to draw the wide array of Inhumans, with all their weird quirks and powers and strange appearances. No two Inhumans look alike, and I was always turning the page to see what each new scene would add.
This is one of the most interesting books this era of Marvel produced, and a unique standalone story of political intrigue that we never really get to see as Marvel readers. It might not be my favourite thing I've read recently but for anyone who's had Inhumans shoved as "the new X-Men" or "Black Bolt and the others I guess", it's a great introduction to the characters and completely worth the read.
January 30, 2016
I thought I would like this because it is Marvel's mature line(Marvel Knights) but it was so underwhelming and lost my interest.
October 21, 2017
Loved the art and enjoyed the story. Full review to come.
November 14, 2021
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“Imagine you could never make another sound, not for the rest of your life. Not a sigh, not a yawn. Not a single word. Ever. Then imagine you were given one chance to speak. What would you say?”
meet the inhumans! they have this weird thing they do where they look like normal kids and then when they become adults, they walk into these things called the terrigen mists which make them mutant like? black bolt is the king, his power is if he speaks everyone dies. medusa is his wife, and max is his brother (and also the villain). apparently their city has been off the coast of portugal this whole time, and of course, white people show up to try to fuck it all up. literally why can't they just LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE WHO WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE but profound as fuck. holy shit. i really loved this.
“Imagine you could never make another sound, not for the rest of your life. Not a sigh, not a yawn. Not a single word. Ever. Then imagine you were given one chance to speak. What would you say?”
meet the inhumans! they have this weird thing they do where they look like normal kids and then when they become adults, they walk into these things called the terrigen mists which make them mutant like? black bolt is the king, his power is if he speaks everyone dies. medusa is his wife, and max is his brother (and also the villain). apparently their city has been off the coast of portugal this whole time, and of course, white people show up to try to fuck it all up. literally why can't they just LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE WHO WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE but profound as fuck. holy shit. i really loved this.
April 10, 2020
Story starts with interesting premise, humans wanting to conquer city of Inhumans with all it's secrets. Black Bolt as king must protect it and at the same time face schemes of his evil brother. Whole nation of Inhumans will all their superpowers and strange society is pretty impressive and sparks reader's curiosity. Somewhere from the half whole pace slowed down and at the one point it looked like it'll slip to the average, but ending was really amazing. One of my main interest in this book was because of art of Jae Lee, which is great, although in this book focused mostly on characters, not so much on scenery. Would love to see more of his take on Attilan city and architecture. 4.5*
September 3, 2023
"Imagine you could never make another sound, not for the rest of your life. Not a sigh. Not a yawn. Not a single word. Ever. Then, imagine you were given one chance to speak. What would you say?"
August 11, 2014
So spurred by the success and general likability of Marvel's phase two slate of films with the promise of even better things to come, I've finally decided to go directly to the sources. A caveat for all the reviews to follow on this shelf: I'm a lifelong, die-hard DC fan who's had little or no interest in any of the Marvel titles beyond the occasional Spider-Man story here or there. I'm woefully ignorant of the company's major events and figures and this is my attempt to rectify things. I got myself a subscription to Marvel Unlimited and I'm diving in following The Complete Marvel Reading Order Guide compiled by Dave Buesing to navigate my way from the late 20th century on. I think I spent more time googling "Where to start reading ...." for a host of titles than I have on actually reading titles and I figured his guide was organized in a more appealing fashion than most others, so what the heck. Here I go....
The Inhumans! Who the hell are they? And why should I start with them?
I still have no idea, but this trade collection of 12 issues from volume two definitely has me on board and a believer in Buesing's general sense of what's good and what isn't. The Inhumans are a race of superhumans (originally created by Stan Lee in 1965, when they first appeared in an issue of the Fantastic Four) who've isolated themselves and their tiny island nation of Attilan on the vestiges of what was once Atlantis, fearing contact with humans and the contaminants they would introduce into their perfectly genetically engineered paradise. The absolute monarch of Attilan is the silent and brooding Black Bolt, whose very words have the power to split the planet asunder. Bolt has recently come to the throne after a dark period in Attilanian history where his mad brother Maximus took the throne and led an uprising of slaves to establish a kind of Caligulan empire of terror. Maximus is safely locked in a prison below the island. For now. However with the induction of the next generation of Attilanians who are having their genetic gifts bestowed upon them, a series of events unfolds that threatens the isolationism of the Inhumans and forces Black Bolt into a desperate choice: does he unleash his power and decimate the human-inhuman force threatening his peaceful people, or does he allow his kind to go extinct rather than commit genocide?
I'm a completely blank slate when it comes to these characters, and I thought it a wonderful introduction to the Marvel universe. The art was stunning and reminded me of grittier Alex Ross and the narrative and dialogue presented by Paul Jenkins was really great. Not too many cliches, and overall he avoided the crappy comic writer trap of describing the action going on in the panel - which I absolutely despise (yes, I'm talking about you again Grant Morrison). You don't need to know anything at all about the history of the Marvel universe to take the dive on this one, and one gets the feeling that the events that unfold in this series are going to have consequences further down the road. The events of The Inhumans take place within a bubble, almost entirely on the island nation of Attilan. Part dynastic struggle, family drama, and morality tale about the responsibility of power and the justice of its exercise - there's enough complexity and depth here to satisfy more mature readers. There are quite a few surprises along the way and the narrative seems to center on key figures in each new issue, beginning and ending with Black Bolt and emphasizing his inner turmoil over the burden not just of protecting and securing the future of his people, but dealing with the burden of the power that resides within him. His inner world is beautifully illuminated by Jae Lee in the absence of dialogue and Bolt manages to be statuesque and contemplative with brief glimmers of genuine emotion that come through like lightning bolts in key frames. The central conflict is resolved in a satisfactorily ingenious way and still left room for serious contemplation about the morality of the choices made by the central characters. Jenkins doesn't forgive his heroes for making difficult choices or provide them with convenient outs and while they may save the day by saving lives they leave behind in their wake ruined reputations, seemingly irreperable breaches of trust and hypocrisies that threaten their identities as "the good guys."
Again, in a word, mature. Art: dazzling. Up next according to Buesing: Avengers Legends, Vol. 1: Avengers Forever by none other than Kurt Busiek! One of my favorite comics authors of all time. Looking forward to that one.
The Inhumans! Who the hell are they? And why should I start with them?
I still have no idea, but this trade collection of 12 issues from volume two definitely has me on board and a believer in Buesing's general sense of what's good and what isn't. The Inhumans are a race of superhumans (originally created by Stan Lee in 1965, when they first appeared in an issue of the Fantastic Four) who've isolated themselves and their tiny island nation of Attilan on the vestiges of what was once Atlantis, fearing contact with humans and the contaminants they would introduce into their perfectly genetically engineered paradise. The absolute monarch of Attilan is the silent and brooding Black Bolt, whose very words have the power to split the planet asunder. Bolt has recently come to the throne after a dark period in Attilanian history where his mad brother Maximus took the throne and led an uprising of slaves to establish a kind of Caligulan empire of terror. Maximus is safely locked in a prison below the island. For now. However with the induction of the next generation of Attilanians who are having their genetic gifts bestowed upon them, a series of events unfolds that threatens the isolationism of the Inhumans and forces Black Bolt into a desperate choice: does he unleash his power and decimate the human-inhuman force threatening his peaceful people, or does he allow his kind to go extinct rather than commit genocide?
I'm a completely blank slate when it comes to these characters, and I thought it a wonderful introduction to the Marvel universe. The art was stunning and reminded me of grittier Alex Ross and the narrative and dialogue presented by Paul Jenkins was really great. Not too many cliches, and overall he avoided the crappy comic writer trap of describing the action going on in the panel - which I absolutely despise (yes, I'm talking about you again Grant Morrison). You don't need to know anything at all about the history of the Marvel universe to take the dive on this one, and one gets the feeling that the events that unfold in this series are going to have consequences further down the road. The events of The Inhumans take place within a bubble, almost entirely on the island nation of Attilan. Part dynastic struggle, family drama, and morality tale about the responsibility of power and the justice of its exercise - there's enough complexity and depth here to satisfy more mature readers. There are quite a few surprises along the way and the narrative seems to center on key figures in each new issue, beginning and ending with Black Bolt and emphasizing his inner turmoil over the burden not just of protecting and securing the future of his people, but dealing with the burden of the power that resides within him. His inner world is beautifully illuminated by Jae Lee in the absence of dialogue and Bolt manages to be statuesque and contemplative with brief glimmers of genuine emotion that come through like lightning bolts in key frames. The central conflict is resolved in a satisfactorily ingenious way and still left room for serious contemplation about the morality of the choices made by the central characters. Jenkins doesn't forgive his heroes for making difficult choices or provide them with convenient outs and while they may save the day by saving lives they leave behind in their wake ruined reputations, seemingly irreperable breaches of trust and hypocrisies that threaten their identities as "the good guys."
Again, in a word, mature. Art: dazzling. Up next according to Buesing: Avengers Legends, Vol. 1: Avengers Forever by none other than Kurt Busiek! One of my favorite comics authors of all time. Looking forward to that one.
August 17, 2016
I read the Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee Inhumans run from 1998-1999 on Marvel Unlimited. This is the start of my Marvel read through as this is a good place to start for the modern Marvel storylines. I enjoyed this and knowing nothing about Inhumans was perfectly fine, I caught on rather quickly. Humans are attacking the Inhuman city known as Attilan. Inhumans are individuals that evolve from the terrigen mist into diversely different creatures with strong powers. They are basically what the ancient world thought of as gods. It was a good story with excellent art from Lee. I'd recommend this run to people in the future.
November 20, 2016
12 issues of some serious story telling. Dont expect to laugh or smile during this pretty dark book, its a heavy story in a watchmen sort of way. The inhumans are on earth in a protective bubble that has been revealed to the world. Its your classic " are they friend of enemy" story that revolves around black bolts decision to act against the humans. Maximus, black bolt's brother is imprisoned and is not to happy with his position. All hell breaks loose as the humans take action against the inhumans and Maximus plots his escape. The story is fine but like i said its very serious with zero humor and pretty light on the action. Im on the fence about reading more to be honest.
September 17, 2018
Final muy abierto, pero con ganas de saber que pasará con Atilan y Maximus. Se puede decir de este último que es un villano bien construido.
June 28, 2016
To check out my reviews: http://dancinginth3dark.blogspot.com
I love superheroes. Ever since I discovered Superman, Batman, X-Men, and Spider-Man as a child, I've always wonder how cool it was to have special abilities and fighting villains in order to protect the Earth. As a child I never knew the difference between DC and Marvel and at first hand I haven't seen the supposed feud between these two rivals but my interest around comics grew once Marvel made the Iron-Man film with the talented Robert Downey Jr.
For years I've wanted to invest my time and resources getting into the comic universe because not only does it help to understand these iconic characters but it provides more background information into the films. A great example is recently I went to go see Captain America Civil War. It was a phenomenal movie, I believe personally one of the best Marvel films of all time and yet throughout the film I was a bit confused and I believe while the comics differ from the film, I could have grasp a better understanding behind the actions of these superheroes.
If I could afford time and money I would pick both DC and Marvel. But since I only have time for one series and they are making countless films, I thought it would be better to start with Marvel. Sadly this thought came about a year ago and when I wanted to start I learned that it's a hot mess when it comes to both Marvel and DC universe. You cannot read any of the new comics because most of the plot is based from the previous series and this is a constant pattern which is frustrating and irritating. Luckily I did my research and decided to start on Marvel Knights which is a complete restart of the whole franchise in my opinion and the first comic I am supposed to read is Inhumans which is brilliant perfect for a comic newbie.
Going into this book I have to admit for everyone who wants to begin reading Marvel Comics please forget about everything you know about Marvel characters. This series is a standalone even though the Inhumans history is tied to Fantastic Four (they make little Easter eggs throughout letting you know that!). Ignore all previous knowledge because it is going to be confusing wondering where is the Avengers? Why is Black Widow working for the Russians? And constant other nonsense that will distract from reading this epic comic book.
Do you remember the icon legend of Atlantis? Yeah well in this world Atlantis was a real ancient city that was destroyed into the sea. It cater to extraordinary beings that aren't human and one of its other cities like Attilan survived that cater to preservation of these inhumans. For centuries, Attilan has lived in this dome bubble protecting them from the toxic air of Earth and preventing anyone from leaving or entering Attilan.
Humans are apprehensive about this island because they fear as always that these Inhumans are going to one day break free and destroy the human race. From this comic book I learned already that I hate half of the human race because every time we encounter something that is completely different or we do not understand we immediately attack it and instead of bringing peace we release chaos.
Within Attilan we learn that every inhuman is unique both in appearance and abilities and they are governed by King Black Bolt. He essentially looks like Captain America and acts like him except Black Bolt cannot speak because his super powers can cause a sonic disruption that cannot the city and even the planet. So he takes a vow of silence and he protects the citizens of Attilan and he's perfect with no faults. The big consequence of his perfection lies in his family where he has a brother named Maximus who can easily manipulate minds and he's essentially a lunatic because he easily loses sense of what is reality. The good news is Maximus is in prison but the bad news is for how long? As I'm reading this comic I cannot help associate Black Bolt and Maximus with Thor and Loki except Maximus is not lovable at all just an evil ruler.
Everything is fine and dandy for Black Bolt and the city of Attilan until one day Maximus comes up with this plan to break free out of jail and the only way to do that is bring chaos to the city and wreak havoc. He cannot do that all by himself so he gets a few of his human friends to do most of the heavy lifting which is to attack Attilan. At first it seems pointless for humans to attack because Attilan's protective dome is impenetrable but as the hours proceed it become apparent that it's possible for humans to infiltrate.
Now Black Bolt has a cluster mess to deal with because he cannot attack the humans because then it will become a war with the human race and they will never stop fighting and he needs to protect his citizens who are his main concern and prevent them from attacking humans especially when some humans kill many soldiers protecting the city. Plus his brother escapes prison and tries to perform a rebellion to become King again. It's a chaotic situation which was fascinating to me because while you get plenty of action in this series for the most part it deals with politics and the consequences of war.
The series was utterly brilliant and for a second I forgot that this was a Marvel comic. I believe the fact that we are dealing with alien race made it simple for us to be distracted compare to Avengers where the heroes are fighting to save mankind. Black Bolt is an interesting character because in many ways he acts like a God (which is the reason why they chose him as King) but has human qualities that leaves room for error. Half way into the comic I realize his plan all along because I've seen similar plots but the journey from the first page till the end was exciting and entertaining.
What made my reading experience fantastic and entertaining is that I went into this comic blindly because the entire comic deals with the Inhumans and how they cope with this situation without the help of anyone but their own. I am sorry for constantly mentioning it but it's crucial with this series because I know no matter how many times I repeat myself there will always be someone who is reading the comic book and wondering about the Avengers and getting upset about it and either stop reading the comic or move on to sometime else.
I do not know what the plot of this story has to do with the upcoming comics that I will be reading but I believe this will not be the last time that I hear about Black Bolt and the Inhumans. I am happy that I found this series and finding the right place to begin this Marvel universe. Next on my comic exploration is Deadpool!!!!!!
I love superheroes. Ever since I discovered Superman, Batman, X-Men, and Spider-Man as a child, I've always wonder how cool it was to have special abilities and fighting villains in order to protect the Earth. As a child I never knew the difference between DC and Marvel and at first hand I haven't seen the supposed feud between these two rivals but my interest around comics grew once Marvel made the Iron-Man film with the talented Robert Downey Jr.
For years I've wanted to invest my time and resources getting into the comic universe because not only does it help to understand these iconic characters but it provides more background information into the films. A great example is recently I went to go see Captain America Civil War. It was a phenomenal movie, I believe personally one of the best Marvel films of all time and yet throughout the film I was a bit confused and I believe while the comics differ from the film, I could have grasp a better understanding behind the actions of these superheroes.
If I could afford time and money I would pick both DC and Marvel. But since I only have time for one series and they are making countless films, I thought it would be better to start with Marvel. Sadly this thought came about a year ago and when I wanted to start I learned that it's a hot mess when it comes to both Marvel and DC universe. You cannot read any of the new comics because most of the plot is based from the previous series and this is a constant pattern which is frustrating and irritating. Luckily I did my research and decided to start on Marvel Knights which is a complete restart of the whole franchise in my opinion and the first comic I am supposed to read is Inhumans which is brilliant perfect for a comic newbie.
Going into this book I have to admit for everyone who wants to begin reading Marvel Comics please forget about everything you know about Marvel characters. This series is a standalone even though the Inhumans history is tied to Fantastic Four (they make little Easter eggs throughout letting you know that!). Ignore all previous knowledge because it is going to be confusing wondering where is the Avengers? Why is Black Widow working for the Russians? And constant other nonsense that will distract from reading this epic comic book.
Do you remember the icon legend of Atlantis? Yeah well in this world Atlantis was a real ancient city that was destroyed into the sea. It cater to extraordinary beings that aren't human and one of its other cities like Attilan survived that cater to preservation of these inhumans. For centuries, Attilan has lived in this dome bubble protecting them from the toxic air of Earth and preventing anyone from leaving or entering Attilan.
Humans are apprehensive about this island because they fear as always that these Inhumans are going to one day break free and destroy the human race. From this comic book I learned already that I hate half of the human race because every time we encounter something that is completely different or we do not understand we immediately attack it and instead of bringing peace we release chaos.
Within Attilan we learn that every inhuman is unique both in appearance and abilities and they are governed by King Black Bolt. He essentially looks like Captain America and acts like him except Black Bolt cannot speak because his super powers can cause a sonic disruption that cannot the city and even the planet. So he takes a vow of silence and he protects the citizens of Attilan and he's perfect with no faults. The big consequence of his perfection lies in his family where he has a brother named Maximus who can easily manipulate minds and he's essentially a lunatic because he easily loses sense of what is reality. The good news is Maximus is in prison but the bad news is for how long? As I'm reading this comic I cannot help associate Black Bolt and Maximus with Thor and Loki except Maximus is not lovable at all just an evil ruler.
Everything is fine and dandy for Black Bolt and the city of Attilan until one day Maximus comes up with this plan to break free out of jail and the only way to do that is bring chaos to the city and wreak havoc. He cannot do that all by himself so he gets a few of his human friends to do most of the heavy lifting which is to attack Attilan. At first it seems pointless for humans to attack because Attilan's protective dome is impenetrable but as the hours proceed it become apparent that it's possible for humans to infiltrate.
Now Black Bolt has a cluster mess to deal with because he cannot attack the humans because then it will become a war with the human race and they will never stop fighting and he needs to protect his citizens who are his main concern and prevent them from attacking humans especially when some humans kill many soldiers protecting the city. Plus his brother escapes prison and tries to perform a rebellion to become King again. It's a chaotic situation which was fascinating to me because while you get plenty of action in this series for the most part it deals with politics and the consequences of war.
The series was utterly brilliant and for a second I forgot that this was a Marvel comic. I believe the fact that we are dealing with alien race made it simple for us to be distracted compare to Avengers where the heroes are fighting to save mankind. Black Bolt is an interesting character because in many ways he acts like a God (which is the reason why they chose him as King) but has human qualities that leaves room for error. Half way into the comic I realize his plan all along because I've seen similar plots but the journey from the first page till the end was exciting and entertaining.
What made my reading experience fantastic and entertaining is that I went into this comic blindly because the entire comic deals with the Inhumans and how they cope with this situation without the help of anyone but their own. I am sorry for constantly mentioning it but it's crucial with this series because I know no matter how many times I repeat myself there will always be someone who is reading the comic book and wondering about the Avengers and getting upset about it and either stop reading the comic or move on to sometime else.
I do not know what the plot of this story has to do with the upcoming comics that I will be reading but I believe this will not be the last time that I hear about Black Bolt and the Inhumans. I am happy that I found this series and finding the right place to begin this Marvel universe. Next on my comic exploration is Deadpool!!!!!!
August 10, 2022
Well that was something. I don’t think I straight up hate this but it’s not interesting in the slightest. The best parts were when they talked about the people black bolt has fought because the artwork was really cool in those scenes, but yeah idk this was really boring for a book that had a war going on the entire time, these guys literally just stood around the entire time asking the guy that CANT TALK what were going to do and GETTING MAD that he dosent answer lmfao. Also the allegorical stuff in here is pretty weak as well since it’s kinda all over the place with commentary on… slaves… that the inhumans still use by the end of the book…. K. Also just otherism in general like x men but boring straight to the point alien politics that dosent really go anywhere. Medusa and black bolt are cool but they weren’t explored much in this rather just kinda did shit without letting the audience know so that it could be a twist.
3/10
3/10
June 21, 2019
Tavole pazzesche unite a una sceneggiatura introspettiva, incentrata sull'analisi della società degli Inumani con Freccia Nera al suo comando. Una prima minaccia che incombe, la prima di tante altre, e un piano ben ingegnato per sventarlo.
April 4, 2020
Bit of a slog at times. Defs a slow burn. Less action and more political in its story telling. Got a better understanding of some of the characters but I'm still not hooked on the inhumans yet
April 11, 2022
4.5 stars!! Had never heard of this superhero(???) team before reading this but it was nothing like I had expected. Instead of a run-of-the-mill superhero team book I got an extremely well-written piece of science fiction that was surprisingly deep. Not what I was expecting at all.
December 3, 2014
In order to get ready for the oncoming Inhumans movie from Marvel Studios (though the inhumans look like they will be making an appearance on Agents of SHIELD first), I decided to give this rendition of the quirky Marvel heroes a shot. Inhumans mostly feature as supporting characters in some great Avengers, FF and X-men stories, but the push to popularize them now doesn't bother me at all, in fact, I think it is time for the Inhumans, in all their weirdness, to take the comic world by storm. But back to the book review. The story is fair, but not exceptional superhero fare; however, Jenkins characterization and writing is spot on, and he does a mean Black Bolt. Jae Lee's art is great to look at, a lot of really nice painted scenes that are more effective at showing expression rather than the kinetic action scenes that the graphic novel demands in its later chapters. While all the coolest Inhumans (Black Bolt, Maximus, Lockjaw and Medusa) make appearances, the story is firmly that of the silent leader Black Bolt. It is a shame that the conflict leaves a little to be desired, and we never really get to see the Inhumans in action. Rather, we see the world try to come to terms with them, which has limited effect in creating a seminal tale for the Inhumans. Great art, good writing, but ultimately a lacklustre story that didn't come together for me at the end.
February 12, 2018
I went into this thinking I wouldn't really care for it, but somehow I got hooked quickly. The art really set the tone for this story; it was my first real read based on the Inhumans, a set of characters I never really cared about until now. I wanted to read this ahead of the War of Kings storyline as I'll finally be reading the entirety of the DnA cosmic saga starting with Annihilation soon. Back to this story... I found the interactions between the royal family to be quite interesting...tense at times, humorous at others. Gorgon is a buffoon and for some reason I dig it. He's ready to destroy someone for anything that ticks him off. Black Bold is now a favorite character of mine...I never thought about the things he has to endure and prepare for...like what would happen if he were to shout in midst of a dream, or laugh at a joke.
The writing/art were a superb combo for this story...I don't know if I would have enjoyed it with any other set of characters that I was familiar with (if that makes sense) but I thought it jived well for this narrative.
I knew little to nothing about the Inhumans going into this, and now I can hardly wait to get my hands on more. Totally recommended.
The writing/art were a superb combo for this story...I don't know if I would have enjoyed it with any other set of characters that I was familiar with (if that makes sense) but I thought it jived well for this narrative.
I knew little to nothing about the Inhumans going into this, and now I can hardly wait to get my hands on more. Totally recommended.
December 8, 2016
Una bomba que se contiene en su explosión la cual llega muy suave al final. A pesar de presentar una estructura que permite conocer otros matices emocionales de la familia real de Attilan la historia se vuelve anticlimática. Número a número la tensión aumenta prometiendo un desenlace cuyas consecuencias debieran ser devastadoras mas solo deja claro que la confianza, pilar fundamental de cualquier tipo de relación, es la única que sufre daños severos quedando la duda en el aire si, con el tiempo, podrá recobrarse a través del perdón por las extremas decisiones que se tomaron.
Un arte de Jae Lee cual fotografías tan característico de su trabajo y un guión de Paul Jenkins que prometía más.
Pensé que una nueva lectura de este trabajo me dejaría satisfecho pero quedé neutro. No todas las obras maduran como uno espera.
Un arte de Jae Lee cual fotografías tan característico de su trabajo y un guión de Paul Jenkins que prometía más.
Pensé que una nueva lectura de este trabajo me dejaría satisfecho pero quedé neutro. No todas las obras maduran como uno espera.
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