Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • Review: Stargate: Universe DVD

      Danny Djeljosevic
      December 17, 2010
      Columns, Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    Recent
    • Revisiting the Witchblade/Fathom/Tomb Raider Crossover

      Daniel Gehen
      February 8, 2021
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • Collecting Profile: She-Venom

      Danny Djeljosevic
      October 19, 2019
      Big Two, Collectibles, Marvel Comics, Miscellaneous Comic Book Content
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      January 22, 2021
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • Bloodshot in gunfight

      Getting to know Bloodshot before the movie

      Danny Djeljosevic
      March 11, 2020
      Columns, Indie, Valiant
    Recent
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 5.0

      Adventure Time Seasons 1 & 2 Blu-ray Review

      Danny Djeljosevic
      June 28, 2013
      Reviews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • 2.3

      Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

      Daniel Gehen
      February 16, 2021
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Classic Interview: Dick Giordano - "It was more fun to be a creator AND an editor!"

      Danny Djeljosevic
      July 24, 2015
      Classic Interviews, Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Small Press Super-Heroes of the '80s: Miracleman

      Danny Djeljosevic
      October 31, 2014
      Classic Comics Cavalcade, Columns
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • Kickstarter Spotlight: End of Days: Scorched Earth

      Danny Djeljosevic
      March 20, 2015
      Kickstarter Spotlight, News
    Recent
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • You Gotta Read This: 'Her Eternal Moonlight Sailor Moon's Female Fans In North America'

      Danny Djeljosevic
      October 5, 2016
      Books
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Collecting Profile: Blue Beetle
  • Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia
  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter
  • Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good
  • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY
  • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN'S UNIVERSE
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Reviews

Fear Itself: Book of the Skull (One-Shot)

Danny Djeljosevic
March 22, 2011
Reviews

World War II in the Marvel Universe must have been absurd. On the side of the Axis Powers we have, among others, a man with a pink bag on his head and a man whose entire skull is exposed and blood red. Then, on the Allies, we have a naked man in green panties, a robot continually on fire and a dude decked out in the colors of the American flag. I’m not sure, amidst the horrors of war, which would be scarier. Wait, I know — the superheroes. Bright red skeleton men would be expected.

Ed Brubaker seems to be embracing the silliness of the Marvel Universe’s psedo-reality shtick, resisting the urge to keep events grounded and mundane. Which is funny, because Brubaker has historically been a crime guy, so it’s been fun watching him branch out into comic book crazines as in Captain America: Reborn. He gives us the goods immediately in Fear Itself: Book of the Skull — on Page 2, we have languished Nazi robots. Sin, the Red Skull’s daughter, gleefully shrieks that she’s a far worse villain than her dad. Then there’s a book whose cover is bound in the skin of dead Atlanteans. And, in a flashback, Red Skull remarks that he “exterminated a gypsy tribe for the secret dead language carved into their backs at birth.”

I love comics.

Fear Itself: Book of the Skull cuts between Sin and Baron Zemo seeking the aforementioned Atlantean skin book to carry on for her father while, in the past, we get an idea of what Red Skull was looking for. Then Captain America, Bucky and Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner fight Nazis and a conjured Frost Giant. Unfortunately, I don’t know if one needs to read this chapter in order to appreciate the upcoming Fear Itself event, but I’m sure it will appeal to readers who want to know every facet of the story. As long as the main series is self-contained enough, I’ll be happy.

Despite Brubaker’s writing, Captain America stuff feels requisite, as if it was decided that there needed to be superheroes in the story to make readers pick it up. The main thrust of the book is Sin and Baron Zemo, which is fine and entertaining in the same way that stuff like Thunderbolts and Secret Six are entertaining. Watching supervillains interact is always fun because their alliances are always uneasy. This would have benefitted from sticking with the villains’ perspectives (I presume we’ll have enough of that in the main series) and left the heroes as minor characters.

I’d hardly call it a must-read, but Fear Itself: Book of the Skull is a suitable book to whet the appetite if of those chomping at the bit for Fear Itself to go into full swing in a couple of weeks.

Danny DjeljosevicEd BrubakerJoe CaramagnaMarvelScot EatonSunny Cho

Share On:
Tweet
Adventure Comics #524
Top 10 Weapons In Comics

About The Author

Danny Djeljosevic

Danny Djeljosevic is a comic book creator, award-winning filmmaker (assuming you have absolutely no follow-up questions), film/music critic for Spectrum Culture and Co-Managing Editor of Comics Bulletin. Follow him on Twitter at @djeljosevic or find him somewhere in San Diego, often wearing a hat. Read his comic with Mike Prezzato, "Sgt. Death and his Metachromatic Men," over at Champion City Comics and check out his other comics at his Tumblr, Sequential Fuckery. His webcomic The Ghost Engine, with artist Eric Zawadzki, updates twice a week.

Related Posts

  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter

    nguyen ly
    February 20, 2021
  • Collecting Profile: Jessica Jones

    nguyen ly
    February 6, 2021

Latest Reviews

  • 3.0

    Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

    Daniel Gehen
    February 22, 2021
  • 4.5

    Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

    Daniel Gehen
    February 19, 2021
  • 2.3

    Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

    Daniel Gehen
    February 16, 2021
  • 4.3

    Review: RADIANT BLACK #1 Shines Brightly

    Daniel Gehen
    February 12, 2021
  • 2.7

    Review: DEEP BEYOND #1 Can’t Commit to a Premise

    Daniel Gehen
    February 4, 2021
  • 2.0

    VINDICATION Falls Short of its Lofty Goals (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    February 1, 2021
  • 4.5

    DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    January 22, 2021
  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

    Daniel Gehen
    December 14, 2020
  • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

    Daniel Gehen
    December 3, 2020
  • 4.5

    TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    October 29, 2020
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders