MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY- King in Black: Scream #1 Review

Earth’s mightiest heroes are not doing too well against the symbiote invasion of Knull, the King in Black. The aliens and the space dragons are taking over… both the planet and the collective minds and hearts of the human population. But when times are most desperate, sometimes the universe must turn to the unlikeliest of heroes. In this case, Scream is stepping up big time, evolving from terrifying villain to the superhero of the children as she goes up against Demagoblin. This may seem like the ultimate betrayal in the eyes of Knull… his own brethren symbiote turning against him. But perhaps this is exactly what needs to happen for our world to have even the smallest bit of chance in this ongoing war for survival. Get ready for some wicked intense action!

King in Black: Scream #1

STORY BY: Clay McLeod Chapman

ART BY: Garry Brown

COVER BY: InHyuk Lee, R.B. Silva, Ryan Brown

SCREAM RETURNS!

• Andi Benton has faced other symbiotes before, but never has she faced the power and might of KNULL himself!
• Does SCREAM have what it takes to put a dent in Knull’s symbiotic armor?
• Or is this the end for SCREAM?

SCREAM MY NAME!

PROS:

• Demagoblin totally works as a villain in this setting. Resurrected by Knull, with a new purpose in life: to recruit children and grow her cult that will support Knull in his crusade against humanity. Formerly Hobgoblin, Demagoblin is the perfect kind of sicko that Knull will recruit to become one of his generals planted in this battlefront. And the right kind of foe or opponent just happens to be Scream as well.
• This issue also successfully established the ruthless nature of symbiotes, when it gave a quick recap of how Shriek sacrificed herself for Carnage, only to have Carnage kill her back, to resurrect Demagoblin. This point of view also provides readers the dynamics of the symbiotes, and gives a hint that they are also very self-destructive. You tend to wonder if their efforts are sustainable or if they will all just implode, literally and figuratively.
• It is always a pleasure seeing characters redeemed, and turning over a new leaf. We already saw glimpses of this character transformation by Scream in previous spin-offs… but now the change has come to full fruition. Scream is a hero of the people… and of the children. It will definitely be difficult for her to do all this alone though. Right now, she is still outnumbered and she is also dealing with her own personal demons. But Scream is on the right track, for sure.
• The irony of having the little kiddie acolytes, brainwashed and hypnotized, being rescued by such a horrifying character is a beautiful and wonderful contrast, and a message to readers that you cannot always judge a book by its cover or its appearances. And most importantly, it reminds us that there is a hero in us all, regardless of past, history, or origins.
• The art team just did such a great job with this issue, as with the previous Scream installments. It is a perfect mix of grittiness, ruggedness, with a whole lot of vibrant colors thrown into the mix. It’s a rainbow of violence, if I may say so myself. Even just the images of Knull’s army running around town, and the panels depicting the successful invasion will make you feel the desperation of the Marvel Universe.

CONS:

• This story could have very well been spread out and developed even further. This storyline of helpless children being used and abused by Knull and his followers is the lowest that they can go, and this gave Scream the spotlight to showcase how to truly shine bright as a beacon of hope during the darkest times.

FINAL GRADE: A

Scream is grabbing this opportunity and making a name for herself. Scream is definitely one of the high points in this mega-crossover event, and I am sure readers are looking forward to seeing more of her in the future. And this is another strong, powerful woman making her presence felt in the Marvel Universe, which is a welcome addition always. Again, the artwork of this book was exceptional in presenting the story in both a colorful, beautiful but equally savage and violently appealing manner.