On Friday I received my copy of the new Marvel title The Union which should have been out last year as part of the Empyre cross-over. Marvel screwing up as well as something else that screwed up 2020/2021 (can't recall at the moment what it was...) meant it was cancelled (The Union that is).
At the time there was definitely a loud "OOOH!" from my room (behave. We're better than that) because I'm a fan of Grist and his Jack Staff and Mud Man series' (even if CBO was not big enough to warrant a response to any of the messages or emails I sent him). Then I saw that he was not writing and drawing the book just working on the story. Still, art looked okay so I waited.
SPOILERS
I wish I had not gotten so excited. What a mess. Not sure if this was a re-write to take out any Empyre references or not but I kept re-reading pages and asking "WTF?!" Britannia (NOT the Britannia from Black Tower) is offed in this issue and my first thought was "Who cares?" Not established and will probably be reincarnated for a subsequent issue anyway" and I had to go to Marvel.Com for the piece below to see who was who because quite frankly, if you have not adequately introduced your series characters well enough in issue 1 then what was the point?
SPOILER (as though telling you Britannia dies was not a spoiler) I have to take a guess that the sudden appearance of a dragon and -whowever the fellas in uniform were)- guards turning into undead means we are either going to see Modred or Morgana le Fay turn up as the villain next issue.
Grist usually writes and scrtipts well so this was a BIG disappointment. Yes, I will get issue 2 but if it is of the same standard...I'm jumping ship.
The Brits Are Coming: Meet the Union, the New Super Team Coming in 'Empyre'
The latest Marvel Comic event will introduce a new team of heroes in 'The Union' by Paul Grist and Andrea Di Vito with a cover by R.B. Silva!
Hey Marvel Insiders – did you know reading this article could earn you 250 points? All you need to do is sign in or join now before you keep reading!
EMPYRE is shaping up to be an event that shakes up the entire universe, and what better way to take on a space invasion than with an alliance of heroes that spans the globe? Marvel Comics presents THE UNION, a new five-issue series spinning out of EMPYRE that unveils the latest super team taking on the intergalactic threat! Comprised of Britain's greatest Super Heroes -- Union Jack AKA Joseph Chapman, Snakes, Kelpie, the Choir, and Britannia -- the Union is stepping in to assist the Avengers and Fantastic Four in a battle that will test the limits of the fledgling crew!
THE UNION #1, written by legendary British comic creator Paul Grist (JUDGE DREDD, JACK STAFF) with art by Andrea Di Vito, features characters designed by R.B. Silva, who also provided the cover:
Grist expressed his excitement over writing THE UNION: "Forty years ago, Roger Stern and John Byrne introduced a new Union Jack into the pages of CAPTAIN AMERICA! This is the comic I've been waiting 40 years to write! New heroes! New adventures! And a team that's falling apart before it's even begun!"
Here's a closer look at Silva's character designs:
Said Silva: “I really like Medieval themes and when I was designing these, I thought of the series The Last Kingdom on Netflix. With Britannia and Kelpie, I wanted them to look like medieval warriors and I just simplified and modernized it from there. For Snakes, I thought of the visual for the Executioner. Someone the enemy will fear from just a look. And for the Choir, more of a light visual, something that can enable quick movements. On her knife I put three dragon's heads. I know on Wales’ flag they have a dragon with only one head but I thought, why not three? :)”
THE UNION #1, written by Paul Grist with art by Andrea Di Vito, goes on sale in May. Stay tuned to Marvel.com for more news about EMPYRE and all upcoming comic releases!
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