You’ve got to love a book that includes the tagline, “Get in on the ground floor of Marvel’s next big franchise.”  To be honest, it’s hard to get excited about anything “new” and/or “big” from either of the Big 2. DC New 52, Marvel Now? Yawn. But, when Joe “Freakin'” Maduriera is drawing The Inhumans, you show up to the party.

MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

First, I must say I’ve always had a fondness for The Inhumans, from the brain of Jack Kirby and introduced to us in the pages of The Fantastic Four. The superpowered royal family from the not-so-dark side of the moon has always had a certain mystique, especially Queen Medusa with her fierce, flat-ironed Brave hairdo. I met her during John Byrne’s legendary FF run, and it was love at first sight.

The Inhumans have had a few incarnations since then, most notably The Marvel Knights series by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee.

Now, The Inhumans are back and geared up to be epic. Terrigan mists are randomly giving people superpowers, and Medusa is looking for her missing husband Blackbolt. (Can’t wait for him to show up – the quintessential strong, silent type.)    

The first issue reads a little like an ’80s space movie in the best ways. There are a few cliche’s, such as the protagonist, Dante, developing “Inferno” powers, but there are enough thrills and unintentionally funny shocks like Dante’s invalid mother being unceremoniously killed during the process that gave him his powers. Classic.  I enjoyed Charles Soule’s script enough to read it. Marte Gracia’s colored artwork over Mad’s uninked pencils are exquisite. Speaking of witches, Joe Maduriera’s pencils were as epic and action packed as ever. Always a treat to see his art; however, I am torn. As much as I like seeing raw art, some deft inks would have made the art explode.

All in all, this is a solid beginning to a new era of The Inhumans.  Make mine Marvel. Now! or later.