REVIEW: ‘Queen in Black’ Issue 1

Queen in Black Issue 1 is an event comic published by Marvel Comics, written by Al Ewing, art by Iban Coello and Zé Carlos, colors by Guru-eFX, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

Hela is now the queen of all symbiotes and is preparing an invasion of Earth. Knull is the God of light, and not very far behind.

This event brings many of Ewing’s and other creators’ storylines into one gigantic book. All-New Venom, Knull, Thor, and others all feed into another symbiotic invasion of Earth. In that regard, at least some part of the setup in Queen in Black Issue 1 will be hard for readers to understand. Ewing, therefore, takes some time to build up the key figures in the book, from those in space to the defenders on Earth.

This opening chapter is huge, over twice the size of a normal comic. That means it’s absolutely packed with battles, interstellar machinations, and humor. It’s interesting to see the scale of the event, with the comic side of the Marvel Universe hurtling towards Earth.

There is an epic feel to Queen in Black Issue 1, due to all of the veins that have pumped symbiotic blood into it. Then the first invasion comes, with a similar intensity to that of the first King in Black event. Whilst it is another symbiotic invasion, this sequel offers enough changes within the teams to ease any fears of repetition. The sequel is much, much bigger.

What makes this event unique is the inclusion of two major villains, both representing the opposite sides of the light spectrum. Hela is the Goddess of Death already, but is now armed with a symbiote army and Tyr, the Asgardian God of War. That is enough of a monstrous villain to warrant an event of its own. Another aspect of Hela is that Thor wiped the knowledge of Asgard and everything associated with it from everyone’s memories on Earth. So this is new to all of them, from Captain America to Spider-Man. The only figure who knows who any of the Asgardians are is Beta Ray Bill, who has become a font of info in Queen in Black Issue 1.

And for Knull, there is Captain Alliance, the Skrull’s answer to Captain America. A brand new figure, and some of the comedy within Queen in Black Issue 1 stems from just how much of a copy the Skrull is. This time around, the heroes get some chance to prepare, and it’s intriguing to see the figures that Ewing is including in this story. Mary Jane is Venom, Scarlet Witch is the Sorcerer Supreme, and Nova has returned. It changes how plans are made and how attacks unfold. The dialogue of the villains drips with glee over the death they’re about to unleash.

The art perfectly embraces the sheer chaos unleashed within Queen in Black Issue 1. Some of the designs are glorious, from Knull’s new look to the new additions to Hela’s army. Knull went from being dripping with symbiotic tendrils to using dangerous crystals of light. His face is still twisted with millennia of mania. Hela’s dress now has those tendrils of black goo, and every member of her army is slightly different. They represent multiple races, so they come in all shapes and sizes. What unites them is the familiar coating of symbiotic skin they all now possess. Beta Ray Bill is absolutely massive, with a small head filled with detail.

The other characters have large eyes that help make them expressive. And then there is the invasion itself, which is a cacophonous display of carnage. Each iconic location has its own specific symbiotes to deal with, and the heroes drop out of the sky to take them on. It’s an enthralling opening gambit. And whilst the Earth is Ground Zero, Knull has his own fight with one of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful heroes. It’s a sign of the incredible action within this crossover.

The colors are crucial to the story, as Queen in Black Issue 1 is all about the contrast within the light spectrum. Knull has migrated from black to white, and the light he admits is incredibly intense. Everything about him and his powers is coated in a white or extremely light blue hue. Meanwhile, Hela and her forces are coated in black, which is a shade synonymous with the God of the Symbiotes.

Each individual army the Hela sends down has its own primary color, worn in the eyes and chest piece. And as the powers and costumes are broken out across the universe, there is a selection of terrific shades. The lettering features numerous custom word balloons, with a host of different forces all gathering. But they are all easy to read.

Queen in Black Issue 1 is a true epic and an embodiment of comic book chaos. Everything about this opening chapter is big. The scale is almost unfathomable, built across a multitude of series. And it’s twinned by the fact that there are not one, but two major villains bearing down on the planet. It can make it hard to focus, but the onslaught is jaw-dropping. Both Ewing and the art team can cope with the pressure and the various parties involved because he understands all of the characters and what they have been heading towards. There is a heap of backstory behind almost every action, but as much help is given as possible to make it palatable.

Queen in Black Issue 1 is available now wherever comics are sold.