Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet one-shot, Maximum Security # 1, Iron Man # 35, Thor # 30, Uncanny X-Men # 387, Black Panther # 25, Captain America # 36, Bishop # 15, Maximum # 2, Gambit # 23, X-Men # 107, X-Men Unlimited # 29, Avengers # 35, Maximum Security # 3
(Note: Despite my knowing there are other tie-ins, not all of them tie into the central story – or really at all. Hence, I’m just using the main books from the crossover.)
The story starts during a meeting with the Intergalactic Council. Concerns have been raised about humans in light of Professor X leading Cadre K to breeding facilities to save K-Class Mutant Skrulls. While this is happening, though, Ego the Living Planet returns and causes all sorts of trouble. The Silver Surfer and Cadre K eventually take Ego down, much to the humiliation of the Council. It is then decided that humanity must be dealt with. Newcomers the Ruul have an idea: transport all alien convicts there and quarantine the solar system.
As USAgent and other heroes encounter more and more aliens, he takes command of the Avengers. The Avengers confront Ronan, who is aboard a ship in orbit of the Earth. Ronan punts the super-heroes back to the ground and they soon discover that Ego is slowly manifesting itself on Earth. Iron Man and the Fantastic Four investigate and being to understand that a host will be needed to contain Ego. The Silver Surfer volunteers.
In the meantime, Earth is amok with aliens. Cap stops one from accidentally blowing up the Statue of Liberty in an effort to leave. Beta-Ray Bill comes back. The last surviving D’Bari seeks revenge on Jean. The Black Panther and his liaison Everett K. Ross stumble upon a temple which serves as portal to another planet, but is destroyed by aliens on the other side to stop the convicts from fleeing.
In space, Lilandria tells Professor X that he needs to get to Deathbird, as she has the key to freeing Earth. As Professor X and Cadre K search for her, they encounter the returned Bishop. During a heated confrontation, Bishop gains a keycard from her. She then goes flying out into space. Bishop then volunteers to be shipped back to Earth ala a space convict. In the meantime, the Cadre K telepath Z’Cann lands on Earth and makes contact with the X-Men. She bonds with Rogue and Rogue finds out the plan.
Ego continues to grow out of control, absorbing people and landmass. While the Commission of Superhuman Activities recruits aliens to help resist, USAgent discovers that the Ruul are really the Kree and are taking orders from the Supreme Intelligence.
Gambit then retrieves some information on how to stop Ego. As he does, the X-Men head to Ellis Island and retrieve Bishop, then meet with Goliath (Hank Pym) and Warbird (Carol Danvers). They once more break into Ronan’s ship and gain access to various controls and get some information. Then, they head back to Earth.
In space, an Avengers team that had been out in the cosmos before the shit hit the fan goes to meet with the Intergalactic Council. They are shortly captured by the Ruul, who are really an evolved form of Kree, thanks to the Nega-Bomb and the Forever Crystal. They also learn that the Supreme Intelligence is planning on taking control of the Ego/Earth using towers set up and absorbed on Earth in conjunction with the satellites keeping Earth quarantined.
Using codes retrieved using Deathbird keycard on board Ronan’s ship, the X-Men and the Avengers led a team of heroes and aliens onto one of the satellites and release the system from the quarantine. They also teleport Cadre K and Professor X there as well.
On the surface, using information provided by Gambit, the team there get Silver Surfer to absorb some of Ego. Unfortunately, it’s not enough. Ronan then arrives, using some of Ego’s power. A battle royale follows, but when Quasar absorbs the rest of Ego and is forced into exile, the good guys win . . . even though the Kree Empire is back up and running again.
In terms of other Marvel events and/or line-wide crossovers, “Maximum Security” is probably comparable to “Secret Wars.” It lacks the grim feel of “Infinity Gauntlet” and “Onslaught.” It also pulls away from the deepness that exists in “House of M” and “Civil War.” When I started to read “Maximum Security,” I knew I was getting into story that was big, old school action/adventure epic.
Kurt Busiek is the writer of the main book and “Avengers.” Other writers contributing the central story would be Dan Jurgens, Joe Quesada, Joe Harris, Fabian Nicieza, Joe Pruett, and Chris Claremont. A note on Claremont, because I’ve been so mean to him lately – these are the issues where we see signs of improvement. Again, not with the “X-Men” team, but with the “Uncanny” team. Centering on Jean was a great idea and he really does a fine job with it.
As far as Kurt Busiek goes, I can’t applaud him enough. This was the writer that got me into “Avengers” in the first place. He sweeps across various worlds, focuses on scores of characters . . . it’s a wonder how he’s able to keep all this going on while keep the story grounded with the characters.
Speaking of characters, hats off for making the main characters of the story those that we just don’t expect. USAgent, Professor X, Lilandria, Quasar, Tigra, Bishop, Photon, Moondragon, Jack O’Hearts, Cersie all serve as the main characters. Sure, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, and the Fantastic Four are all there in the spotlight, but the characters I listed above are the stars of the show.
The art varies from issue to issue, but in terms of “Maximum Security” itself, I find it a little lacking. Jerry Ordway is a great artist, of course, but at times, the art comes off as weak. This might be attributed to the inkers, though.
One of my wishes was that this story would be a little longer, spending more time with the aftermath. But for what we got it, it was good. Overall, a great, fun story. The effects are lasting, as it kinda undid what was done with “Operation: Galactic Storm.”
~W~
No comments:
Post a Comment