Infinity Wars #4 Review/SPOILERS

[Prof. Warren]

Infinity Wars heads into its wildest chapter yet with issue #4.

Now that the Earth has been merged into a compressed amalgam world that resides in the Soul Gem, it's up to Loki to gather a band of heroes to wrest control of the Infinity Stones away from Gamora/Requiem and set things right.

His first stop is to the X-Mansion and the amalgamated form of Wolverine and Emma Frost, known as Diamond Patch - or "Emmarine", as Loki calls him.

Reading Loki's mind, Diamond Patch knows that Loki's story is true. He also knows that one day he will wield the Phoenix Force. He tells Loki that he will send a telepathic message in a bottle to himself the next time he encounters someone on the Phoenix Force. No sooner does he say this than Old Man Phoenix from the future appears. He gives Loki a Power Stone and separates Logan and Emma. Before OMP goes back to his time, Loki sees that the future King Thor is with him. OMP tells Loki to get the stones to Warlock, that he'll know what to do with them.

Now that Loki has Emma and her telepathic abilities allied with him, they don't need Logan. They leave him battling a spider creature at the X-Mansion while they head out to gather new recruits.

Meanwhile, in another reality, Phyla-vell and Moondragon are being threatened by their world's Requiem to reveal the location of the Reality Stone. Moondragon tricks Requiem and she and Phyla-vell escape out of that universe into the Soul World.

Back in Soul World, Emma and Loki locate the combined form of Ms. Marvel and Kang and separate them.

As Loki explains, he knew Requiem would read his mind and he imagined the people that he would need were crushed together, thereby making them easier and quicker for him to locate.

The group's next recruit is the amalgam of Scott Lang and Bruce Banner, known as Little Monster. Once Scott and Bruce are separated, and Bruce says that they need to start forming a plan but Loki tells him that it's not Bruce that they want on their team and Emma unleashes the Hulk.

Loki tells the group they've all been selected because they're all uniquely suited to wield infinity stones when the time is right.

They go to round up their last member - Adam Warlock, who is engaged in a battle with Devondra.

They help Warlock defeat it but it starts to reform itself. Warlock says that they need to bring everyone in order to fight Devondra but Loki says he has other plans.

As he says, none of this matters if they don't get the stones away from Gamora. He needs Warlock to show them the door out of Soul World so they can face Gamora out in reality.

As Loki and Warlock squabble about where the real battle lies, Emma says Warlock needs heroes while they need a way out. To aid Warlock, she sends out a psychic message to the amalgated heroes of Soul World - Arach-Knight, Iron Hammer, Soldier Supreme, Weapon Hex, etc. - calling them to the fight.

Meanwhile, Gamora stands with Flowa at the edge of the universe, vexed that she can't penetrate or see past the final barrier. Flowa suggests that this might not be a time for Infinite Power but infinite finesse. In Gamora's mind, the specter of Thanos tells her that he never made it this far and perhaps if he was really with her now but Gamora cuts him off.

Flowa tells Gamora that whatever happens next, whether Gamora can breach her way through the barrier or not, it should be truly worthy of song.

When Gamora asks why, we see that a group of Watchers are gathered above them.


TO BE CONTINUED!


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This was a really enjoyable IW chapter, with Duggan clearly having a good time with these amalgated characters, and Dedato's work here being arguably his best of the series so far.

And although you don't have to read it to follow IW #4, I have to give a shout out to Sleepwalker #1. It's not an essential read but it does give some greater clarity on what Gamora has done and it looks like this mini is going to have some fun playing around in the Soul World. And the sweet Todd Nauck artwork is a big plus in its favor as well.

[LordUltimus]

So basically the whole amalgam thing existed to sell tie-ins.

Good thing some of the tie-ins are actually good.

[Prof. Warren]

So basically the whole amalgam thing existed to sell tie-ins.

I wouldn't say that.

They're a part of the story and, while Loki and Emma separated the ones who they needed for their team, the other amalgams might well stay as they are for now.

When Emma sends out the summons, it seems like she wants the amalgams to join the battle and isn't necessarily interested in splitting them into their original identities.

And if you take the "only existed to sell tie-ins" line of thought to its most cynical end, you could say that every single comic book character ever was only created in the name of selling comics.

Good thing some of the tie-ins are actually good.

The couple I've checked out so far have been really solid.

[Rosebunse]

I want to like this event, I really do. I like the creative team, I like the characters, but damn, this event just doesn't grab me.

[Drakeon]

Marvel Cosmic is just not what it used to be.

As for this event it started off semi interesting but the Warped stuff just killed it for me. Far too gimicky.

I was hyped with how Soul World was being bulit up but so far the potential of the story didnt live up to it for me personally.

[U.N. Owen]

Once again, "why is Gamora?" becomes a perfectly valid question because her motivation makes no sense in the slightest.

[Rosebunse]

Once again, "why is Gamora?" becomes a perfectly valid question because her motivation makes no sense in the slightest.

Yeah, I'm confused. Why did she feel the need to warp everyone? Why would she follow an idea she got from Loki? Who in their right mind would ever think that was a good idea?

[Prof. Warren]

Yeah, I'm confused. Why did she feel the need to warp everyone? Why would she follow an idea she got from Loki? Who in their right mind would ever think that was a good idea?

If you want to impede the people who want to stand in your way, it's a fine idea.

It's suggested that, in halving the universe, Gamora was unconsciously mirroring Thanos but the base motivation was keeping the forces that were aligned against her at bay.

While there might be a million ways for someone wielding the Infinity Stones to accomplish that particular goal, her chosen method is as good as any.

[Rosebunse]

OK, that actually makes some sense. However, the reason why she needed to get everyone out of her way felt contrived and it seems like Duggan could have made this all much clearer.

[Del torro]

She said something about Devondra devouring all the souls that she kept in the soul stone, and when she is sated she would spin a new universe from her webs, I didn't really understand that part. Why does Gamora want a new universe to rule over

[theoneandonly]

tbf it seems a little thin on plot as the story seems to be moving ahead at a snail's pace.

[Prof. Warren]

tbf it seems a little thin on plot as the story seems to be moving ahead at a snail's pace.

That's one criticism I don't agree with. In a typical story about the Infinity Stones, Gamora wouldn't have even collected them all by now. Instead, she got them all by, like issue #2 and the story moved on to a whole other phase. Whether you like the story Duggan's telling or not, I think you have to concede that he's covered a lot of ground.

[theoneandonly]

well in the infinity gauntlet thanos made his move in the first issue itself and things never slowed down from that point. whereas in this storyline apart from the death of thanos everything is taking a little too much time to occur for me. infinity crusade also suffered from a similar problem imo. the goddess plot was too thin too warrant it's own event with the result that it felt like things were dragging on for too long but after infinity war they always were going to tell that story. not that this event doesn't have shocking moments but they feel gimmicky rather than essential to the development of a plot. of course I may be proven wrong later on if a strong plot emerges after linking all the plot points but so far it's a little all over the place with too much time being taken to connect all the dots and position the key players.

[Michael Watkins]

I hate how Deodato jr draws legs

[krazijoe]

Why doesn't Reed and kids just step in and fix this doodie?