The scientists of Los Alamos have declared their independence from the United States. Now teaming with the scientists of Star City, the Soviet equivalent of the Manhattan Projects, the world's most brilliant minds seek to become the masters of not only the world but the universe as well. But it will not be easy as President Truman has unleashed the Illuminati, a mad assortment of super-powered humans upon the base with only one mission- take the base- leave no prisoners- kill everyone!!!
I'm still a fan of the groundbreaking series by Jonathan Hickman, but I didn't enjoy this volume as much as the previous one. For one thing, last volume seemed to follow the timeline of 1940-1945-ish pretty well. Yes, this is a fictional account of the Manhattan Project but the plotting was so well done that I was able to appreciate my knowledge of World War II history in regards to the events that transpired in the comics.
But in this volume we jump from President Truman to newly appointed Commander-In-Chief John Kennedy. Where did Eisenhower go? If in this timeline Kennedy became the 34th president instead of the famed General, then it was Hickman's responsibility to inform the readers that Kennedy's presidency begins in 1952. That's just one of several diversions from our timeline that the author neglects to alert us to. Instead of captions stating 'now' and 'then,' I really could have used some dates.
Another problem I have with this volume is the level of violence. If this edition was Spinal Tap's amp, the violence would be set at 11. Volume 1 wasn't for the faint of heart, but compared to this collection, the last book was an anthology of nursery rhymes. I also felt like the shock factor added to the mix detracted from the story itself.
Thankfully, the last chapter opens the Manhattan Projects up to a new dimension of possibilities. For some time, the deranged mind of Robert Oppenheimer has been like a vault that isn't water tight and every once in a while the safe's contents leak out, allowing the reader to catch a glimpse of his fractured psyche. But the last chapter titled 'Finite Oppenheimers' we see just how many multiple personalities the demented physicist has absorbed throughout the multiverse. Let's just say it's a lot and they're not all happy to have become a part of Oppenheimer's think tank collective.
Worth Consuming
Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.
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