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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
Bit of an odd duck, this series.
It was somewhat interesting, I will say that. Admittedly, what makes all of this odd for me is that I would presume, “with a bit of magic and Tony Stark” they could recreate all of them? Right? I guess it’s the same “issue” throughout Marvel comic history and Avengers: Infinity War - if they did they wouldn’t be exactly the same?
Eh, anyway, I felt a bit sorry for Virginia. Clearly she was trying to protect her family. Inherently, that kind of storyline just pisses me off because I’ve seen it so many times. A wife and mother dies to protect her family because motherhood is implicit in all women, even synthezoids. How interesting that yet another Avengers v Vision plot happens and seemingly completely ignored in ANAD Avengers?
But anyway, if you liked the first volume, you’ll like this one.
It was somewhat interesting, I will say that. Admittedly, what makes all of this odd for me is that I would presume, “with a bit of magic and Tony Stark” they could recreate all of them? Right? I guess it’s the same “issue” throughout Marvel comic history and Avengers: Infinity War - if they did they wouldn’t be exactly the same?
Eh, anyway, I felt a bit sorry for Virginia. Clearly she was trying to protect her family. Inherently, that kind of storyline just pisses me off because I’ve seen it so many times. A wife and mother dies to protect her family because motherhood is implicit in all women, even synthezoids. How interesting that yet another Avengers v Vision plot happens and seemingly completely ignored in ANAD Avengers?
But anyway, if you liked the first volume, you’ll like this one.
To piggyback off of my review for vol 1: "Dark, heavy and chock full of some really deep thinking, Tom King's take on an oft underappreciated Avenger makes for a fantastic read." With vol 2, King goes darker, heavier and throws in more story-within-a-story narrative, which creates ample opportunity for fantastic stylistic choices to set these internal narratives apart from the main story line.
When he is best he is little worse than a man, and when he is worst he is little better than a beast.This is a superhero comic, so I don't think it much of a spoiler to say--despite the foreshadowing and darkness of the first volume--that in the end the world is saved. But this is only somewhat a story about saving the world.
~ Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
Much more than that, this is a tragedy about love, family, and the human condition.
Parents sacrifice their lives for their children. Then children become parents and sacrifice their own lives. And so all is sacrificed and nothing is gained. Life, then becomes the pursuit of an unobtainable purpose by absurd means.This book succeeds marvelously as both types of story. It is tense and thoughtful and moving and existentially frustrating, with an ending that is as unsatisfying as it is satisfying--as it should be.
It is most excellent.
A synthezoid's prayer:
"I am praying for [his] soul to be at rest."For more background and context, I'll refer you to my review of the first volume.
"I see."
"I do not know if there is a God. It seems unlikely."
"Yes. It does seem unlikely."
"I also do not know if [he] had a soul. This, too, seems unlikely."
"Yes."
"So first, I pray that there is a God. Then I pray that [he] had a soul. Then I play for God to allow [his] soul to rest."
The ending (vol.2) seemed more conventional to me than the set-up (vol. 1), but the whole thing is still worthwhile.
Somehow, I figured that the second half of this mesmerising series would not live up to the expectations of the first. There is, however, a grand joy in reading a series so succinctly put together, and so enchanting. Not a panel feels amiss and the magical quality of Tom King's writing is arresting throughout.
Volume 2 follows the Visions as they scramble to keep their heads above water. It starts off with a melancholy reflection of Vision's tumultuous relationship with the Scarlet Witch. We fast forward through the highlights and low lights of their life together, eerily beginning and ending issue #7 with mirrored panels of Vision and his 'wife' - first Wanda and now Virginia. If that's not a forewarning for how Vision's new life is going to turn out, then I don't know what is.
Things go sideways (more so than expected) soon after, when it is foreseen that Vision will raze the world. The Avengers get involved, and as is usually the case, when Tony Stark comes up with a plan things usually go south because of it.
Vision's brother Victor turns up and lives with the Visions. All is well but when Victor's secret is found out, the Vision family are torn apart, never to be brought together again. A heart-wrenching few panels drive home this point - who knew a bunch of synthezoids could provoke such emotions in us.
You'd think a comic book about a synthezoid family trying to live in a quiet suburb would be unoriginal and silly, but if anything the two volumes of The Vision have taught us, it is that anything written well can be absorbing, good and real. While art has always questioned how human machines can be, The Vision series is one of the more beautiful renditions of an attempted answer to that question. I am so glad that I decided to randomly pick up this series because it helped me put a little faith in comics, even if it is temporary.
The one place the creators go wrong is the ending. Endings are hard, and when you've built up this melancholic world of sorrow, death and destruction, you can want to get out of it all and find the rainbow. But that's where The Vision's ending doesn't fit. It is far too rushed and abrupt. The sunniness of the last few panels is at odds with the dark drama that came before. Despite it's perfection, the happy ending is undeserving of the darkness that came before; it feels tacked on and contrived. It's those final few panels that lets the whole of Volume 2 down. It's hard to make a perfect ending, but this one feels like it fizzles out. A more ponderous, thoughtful and philosophical ending would have better befitted this sublime series.
This is, however, a surreal 12 issue series; one which, I hope, will take on the mantle of a modern classic comic book. This one is for the ages. Read it for the art, the writing, the melancholy and the relevance.
Volume 2 follows the Visions as they scramble to keep their heads above water. It starts off with a melancholy reflection of Vision's tumultuous relationship with the Scarlet Witch. We fast forward through the highlights and low lights of their life together, eerily beginning and ending issue #7 with mirrored panels of Vision and his 'wife' - first Wanda and now Virginia. If that's not a forewarning for how Vision's new life is going to turn out, then I don't know what is.
Things go sideways (more so than expected) soon after, when it is foreseen that Vision will raze the world. The Avengers get involved, and as is usually the case, when Tony Stark comes up with a plan things usually go south because of it.
Vision's brother Victor turns up and lives with the Visions. All is well but when Victor's secret is found out, the Vision family are torn apart, never to be brought together again. A heart-wrenching few panels drive home this point - who knew a bunch of synthezoids could provoke such emotions in us.
You'd think a comic book about a synthezoid family trying to live in a quiet suburb would be unoriginal and silly, but if anything the two volumes of The Vision have taught us, it is that anything written well can be absorbing, good and real. While art has always questioned how human machines can be, The Vision series is one of the more beautiful renditions of an attempted answer to that question. I am so glad that I decided to randomly pick up this series because it helped me put a little faith in comics, even if it is temporary.
The one place the creators go wrong is the ending. Endings are hard, and when you've built up this melancholic world of sorrow, death and destruction, you can want to get out of it all and find the rainbow. But that's where The Vision's ending doesn't fit. It is far too rushed and abrupt. The sunniness of the last few panels is at odds with the dark drama that came before. Despite it's perfection, the happy ending is undeserving of the darkness that came before; it feels tacked on and contrived. It's those final few panels that lets the whole of Volume 2 down. It's hard to make a perfect ending, but this one feels like it fizzles out. A more ponderous, thoughtful and philosophical ending would have better befitted this sublime series.
This is, however, a surreal 12 issue series; one which, I hope, will take on the mantle of a modern classic comic book. This one is for the ages. Read it for the art, the writing, the melancholy and the relevance.
I am blown away! What a series.
Have always loved Vision but haven't been able to keep up with all the comics over the years. This volume includes a little history about Vision if you need to catch up, which helped remind me of all the crazy things that have happened to Vision in the past.
The art is stunning. Vision and his family look amazing. There's something starkly beautiful about their suburban surroundings, so at odds with their mechanical selves, thus highlighting their 'otherness', a pivotal plot point.
However, it is the story that has floored me. The first volume was amazing but the second... What a rollercoaster of emotions. It's easy to make robots/ androids into emotionless killing machines but this story focuses on what makes them human. Absolutely beautiful. And that ending! Chills down my spine.
This series has done justice by a much-loved character. They've taken the more unique aspects of Vision's existence and crafted a story that belongs completely to him and his family. It couldn't have been done with any other character and the writer has used that to his advantage.
Highly recommended to anyone who loves a hard-hitting story about love and acceptance. You don't even need to be a Marvel fan to enjoy it!
Have always loved Vision but haven't been able to keep up with all the comics over the years. This volume includes a little history about Vision if you need to catch up, which helped remind me of all the crazy things that have happened to Vision in the past.
The art is stunning. Vision and his family look amazing. There's something starkly beautiful about their suburban surroundings, so at odds with their mechanical selves, thus highlighting their 'otherness', a pivotal plot point.
However, it is the story that has floored me. The first volume was amazing but the second... What a rollercoaster of emotions. It's easy to make robots/ androids into emotionless killing machines but this story focuses on what makes them human. Absolutely beautiful. And that ending! Chills down my spine.
This series has done justice by a much-loved character. They've taken the more unique aspects of Vision's existence and crafted a story that belongs completely to him and his family. It couldn't have been done with any other character and the writer has used that to his advantage.
Highly recommended to anyone who loves a hard-hitting story about love and acceptance. You don't even need to be a Marvel fan to enjoy it!
The two volumes of The Vision taken together are an amazing story, that as a whole is profoundly unsettling as only a story about AI gone wrong can be in this day and age. I wish it were longer.
Wow. Tom King took this arc to some dark places. This series is definitely for those interested in the characters and not looking for tons of action.
I'm not super familiar with the story of the Scarlet Witch and The Vision, but this second volume dives into The Vision's past a bit which gives us more insight into Virginia.
Great read.
I'm not super familiar with the story of the Scarlet Witch and The Vision, but this second volume dives into The Vision's past a bit which gives us more insight into Virginia.
Great read.