Marvel: 1985 #5 (of 6) (Marvel – Millar / Edwards)
Toby Goodman’s figured out the only way he can save the real world of 1985 from an invasion of super-villains from the Marvel Universe—but to do so he has to lay his life on the line and journey to the one place he never imagined he’d go. It’s the trip of a lifetime—and it just might mean the end of all life on two dimensions. The super hero crossover you always dreamed of gets bigger and bolder, in a story with major ramifications in the Marvel Universe of today!
This is a strange one, it is. Brilliant concept! Exactly what every fanboy dreams of… what if this was all for real?!? What would it look like? Well, Mark Millar’s vision of this is pretty dark, intelligent and kind of slow moving in that deliberate sort of way. 1985 is Intelligent but long-winded.
Toby outfoxes the Trapster and makes it the Marvel Universe. Not too bad for a newbie, but then again I believe the younger half of the Power Pack defeated the Trapster too.
Well, Toby makes it to Marvel Manhattan only to be shooed away and be blown off by Jarvis and Roberta (at the Baxter Building). Towards the end of the issue he makes a connection with someone, Peter Parker. When the ten year old can tell you your whole life story (becasue has your entire run) you tend to perk up and listen. Meanwhile it seems like Toby’s quest might be way too late, in the real world as the villains continue their rampage and Galactus shows up.
I am really enjoying this, but with only one issue left and this promise from Millar to reveal the Hooded Man and how this series will impact FF, Old Man Logan and pretty much all of the modern MU… I worry that it might seem really rushed given in particular that we have been moving at a real calm story-teller’s pace so far. I don’t think it’s going to work, but I am eager to read it. I can have some faith in Millar. And if that doesn’t work out, I definitely have faith that Tommy Lee Edwards will pull off some more fantastic art. His unique “realistic” art style with his funky use of translucent color and shading creates a compelling environment for this storyline. This month his cover, while non-representative of the story, of Toby and the 80’s marvel heroines on an artist block page scores big with The Pullbox!
Issue Grade: A-
