Review by Isaac Magaña
Reprints: Nova #4-7, Wraith #1-4, Annihilation: Conquest #1-6

Nova #4-7
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artists: Sean Chen & Scott Hanna with Brian Denham
Colorist: Guru eFX
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit

Wraith #1-4
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Artist: Kyle Hotz
Colorist: Gina Going-Raney
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit

Annihilation: Conquest #1-6
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Penciler: Tom Raney with Wellington Alves
Inker: Scott Hanna
Colorist: Frank D’Armata with Guru eFX
Letterer: VC’s Joe Carmagna

Assistant Editors: Alejandro Arbona & Lauren Sankovitch
Editor: Bill Rosemann

As book one of Annihilation: Conquest came to a close I was more than excited to pick up the next volume. The first volume gave me some familiar characters yet the writers gave them added depth. The plot was heading in a direction that I couldn’t predict. The first book was off to a great start and I hoped the second book would carry the same momentum. This time we don’t start with a prologue instead we jump right to a story involving Nova.

Nova has made it into Kree space but is immediately attacked by a Kree Sentry. After disposing of it he is attacked by another. Then he realizes this is a coordinated attack and not just pure coincidence or a Sentry malfunction. Overwhelmed he attempts to open a stargate to leave but instead almost collides into a barrier separating Kree Space from the rest the universe. Severely hurt he crashes on a remote planet where Kree soldiers have been stranded since the Annihilation Wave. Incapacitated due to serious injury Nova cannot function so the Nova Worldmind, the super-computer living in Nova’s body, deputizes one of the Kree soldiers. The new recruit is tasked with protecting Nova while in his weakened state. To make matters worse the insurgents from the Kree Home world have assimilated Gamora into their ranks. One of the deadliest assassins known throughout space now has her sites on Nova as her next target.

I have to give some praise to Abnett and Lanning for the way they’ve told this story. Every issue has some direct impact on the plot in a way that kept me motivated and glued to each issue. The issues never ended on a down note but instead used moments of tension. I always wanted know what was going to happen next. There were three artists associated with this mini-series so it’s hard to know which one to compliment and/or criticize. I will say, overall the art was great but Gamora’s costume seems like to much cheesecake for my tastes. Why does space’s deadliest female assassin have to wear such skimpy clothes? I doubt that her male counterpart would wear a thong as well. I will say the colors by Guru eFX were amazing. They were just beautiful. Guru eFX gave each issue that extra pop and each color stood out perfectly. The tone that follows Nova is quite different and really changes with the following mini-series.

This Wraith mini-series is about a character on a quest for vengeance. Throughout the course of the first issue we learn that this character is of Kree origin but is neither alive nor dead, he is in some sort of limbo state. He seeks revenge on a high class member of Kree society but can only recall a skull engulfed in flames as a signet worn on this person's ring. While attempting to make it to the Kree home world he is caught by invaders who have subjugated the Kree home world. The invaders have assimilated the Kree's own Ronan the Accuser who attempts to interrogate our hero.  Ronan even inadvertently gives him a name, Wraith. Adopting the title of Wraith he shares his origin with Ronan. While under relentless torture Wraith receives a vision and is told to stay on his quest but also seek allies for the coming battle. Breaking free from his confinement Wraith begins his search for allies as well as information that will lead him to fulfill his quest.
 
Grillo-Marxuach wrote an intriguing story. Here we have a character with no background or history known to anyone. This might be seen as a negative because of the lack of familiarity but I didn’t find it as such. While the Wraith character’s personality had some predictable moments the intriguing parts came from those around him responding to his condition. His set of powers is vague at first and partially confusing but makes sense by the end of the series. I think the character is a novel idea and I was happy he managed to find a home in this giant event. The art complimented the story well. Hortz used a lot of black and coloring to aid in creating a certain mood in the story. I believe the colorist, Going-Raney, may have had some light duties on this series due to the heavy usage of blacks. The colors used were sharp and a good contrast to the blacks. As this story closes we move closer to the main event, a confrontation on the Kree home world.

The Annihilation Conquest mini begins with an anti-insurgency force on the Kree home world; it fails and leads to a capture of the resistance forces. As the scene switches locations we are taken back to Quasar (Phyla) and her discovery of the Kree savior, Adam Warlock. There is a problem though, Adam has been awakened early from his cocoon and is not fully aware of himself or his powers. Meanwhile a non-assimilated Ronan is leading a small strike force to a planet ruled by the Annihilation Wave forces from the previous Annihilation story. There he hopes to find a weapon that will save the Kree home world. Peter Quill is also on the Kree home world doing some reconnaissance with his team in hopes of finding a weakness in the enemy’s defenses. Even Nova, along with new friends Warlock and Tyro, is on his way to the Kree home world. Every character is slowly converging to try and stop the invasion force that has assimilated the majority of the Kree Empire and the neighboring Kree planets. This all leads up to a big reveal that caught me by surprise.

Abnett and Lanning have impressed me, yet again. This last mini takes off and doesn’t stop. Everything is always tense and so close to failure for our heroes. I just couldn’t put this book down. I found the characters interesting and all of the dialog flowed easily and didn’t seem at all forced. To everyone who worked on the art on this mini, I congratulate you. Every panel was lit and every color was done right. This book was art. They even made a talking raccoon look good.

Annihilation Conquest truly stands as a successful sequel to Annihilation. That goes for the story and the art. My only complaint about Book II is that the Nova story stops but continues in issues that were not a part of Book II. You find out what happens to Nova due to a summary on a page before the Wraith mini-series. But this is one space story that does not disappoint and I’m glad I read it.  I’m really curious to see more of their adventures, especially that talking raccoon.

Rating: 7 out of 10 (Above Average)