"The Everlasting" (2002/04/01)
"Time Enough for Living" Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting 1 (April 2002)
"The Good of the Many" Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting 2 (May 2002)
"The Devil You Know" Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting 3 (June 2002)
"The Genesis Well" Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting 4 (July 2002)

Reader Rating: Below Average

Summary: Watkins, Aubrey & company battle the convoluted machinations of the mysterious Marduk. Along with his fellow demi-gods, Aqhat and Papahanau-Moku, Marduk seeks to bathe in the Genesis Well, a source of immortality powered by human deaths.

Marduk’s plans to foment war include Flag-Smasher and the Collective Man. Namor, Thor, “J.J.” Watkins (father of the current Citizen V) and members of the Liberty Legion (Blue Diamond, Miss America, the Thin Man, The Whizzer) appear in various flashbacks. Paulette Brazee is seen in action as the second Citizen V, 1953. Jim Hammond (the original Human Torch) joins the V-Battalion, which includes Roger Aubrey (the Destroyer), Elizabeth Barstow (the Silver Scorpion), Fred Davis Jr. (Bucky), Nuklo, Goldfire and Topspin. Andie Sterman narrates.

Continuity: Goldfire is killed, Topspin resigns, Aubrey turns over the reigns of the V-Battalion to Hammond, nobody cares.

Comments: A murky, muddy mess. Lewis LaRosa’s art in the first three chapters is scratchy, awkward and often impenetrable. “Klebs Junior” is credited with the Chapter 4 art, which follows LaRosa’s style but is, at least, not painful to look at. Nicieza’s story contains some surprises – the resolutions of the Collective Man and Flag-Smasher subplots are somewhat interesting – but is rife with cliché plot elements. Goldfire is killed quickly and pointlessly. Topspin reaches an apparently dramatic decision to leave the Battalion, but we know nothing about the character so why should we care? And, in the end, even the macguffin makes no sense: Why do Marduk and company need the Genesis Well when they are, apparently, already “everlasting”?

Previous Thunderbolts Next
Previous Watkins Next

TOC * Home

This page was revised on September 9, 2002

Comments? Corrections? Make Contact