After reading the first issue of Marvel’s summer crossover event ‘Fear Itself’ it’s clear writer Matt Fraction is trying to achieve two goals: repeat the success of Marvel’s 2006 blockbuster ‘Civil War’ and capitalize on the current ‘Thor’ and ‘Captain America’ film hype. ‘Fear Itself’ might be a crossover event featuring the entire cast of the Marvel universe, but it’s central characters are without a doubt Thor and Steve Rogers – Super Soldier (Sigh…you can’t just say Captain America now that Bucky is also trotting around in the stars and strips). Regardless of the soon-to-be hollywood heroes in the leading roles, comic fans can’t help but worry that ‘Fear Itself’ is going to be just another crossover in a long line of convoluted mega events. Fortunately, Fraction has five-years of event formulas to emulate and I think the series will be a success if he chooses to learn from past mistakes.

‘Fear Itself’ begins with Steve Rogers in the center of political riot over new developments on ground zero in Manhattan. Standing up against the crowd simply as Steve Rogers, the hero can do little to calm the rioters and is disillusioned by the madness he is unable to stop. Later at Avengers tower, Tony Stark suggests a reason behind the mob mentality, “People are mad right now, and broke and they’ve been lied to and ripped off.” Fraction is being very straightforward with the social commentary here and definitely reminds me of Marvel Civil War’s political subtext, which was a huge selling point. However, it was odd to hear this sentiment from billionaire Tony Stark, a character who also has been built up to be arguably one of the most unlikable heroes in the last five years. Clearly Fraction is trying to build up Stark’s popularity again as he has him go on to suggest rebuilding Asgard’s castle as a economic stimulus for the struggling country. To Thor’s dismay, Odin refuses Stark’s plan and demands that the gods return to Asgard fearing a conversation he had with the Watcher about a dark prophesy that signals the requiem of the gods. When Thor challenges his father decision he is forced to relinquish control of his hammer Mjölnir and taken against his will back to Asgard. Meanwhile, the Red Skull’s daughter Sin summons an ancient evil called the Worthy to earth and without the help of the gods it may be to much for the Avengers to stop.

I think the key for ‘Fear Itself’ to be a successful company-wide event is for Fraction not to promise long-lasting outcomes to the Marvel universe. A lot of readers, myself included, felt burned when mega events like “Civil War” and “House of M” promised long-lasting changes that were quickly erased in the course of a few years. If Marvel won’t stick to their guns with some of their bigger editorial directions then I don’t want to read them. Therefore, if Fraction chooses to keep the plot big enough to include all the Marvel superheroes, but small enough to not have the conclusion drag on over the course of a few years, he’ll hit the nail on the head. This is a lofty task nowadays but I think Fraction is up for the challenge, and he’ll have plenty of readers with Thor and Cap as the stars. Hell, if Fraction actually makes this a standalone epic the only thing comic fans will have to fear is the next crossover event.

-Jon

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