The battle lines were drawn in the first titanic issue, and the war has stretched on for weeks. Marvels interstellar war epic has almost reached its zenith, but not before more blood is shed. This issue is one of the first to deal with the death of Lilandra. There unfortunately is one serious editorial blooper but aside from that the issue is pretty solid.

The editorial mistake has to do with Darkhawk, the lame o character that got drug out of mothballs for this. He is the one that killed Lilandra, and at the end of his last issue he was left holding the bag. This issue of War of Kings completely ignores that which is frustrating, how could such a well crafted story make such an error?

With that aside the issue is still pretty good. Gladiator is mad as hell after the death of Lilandra and takes out his vengeance on one of the most ancient Shi’ar houses. I really like the way that Abnett and Lanning are handling the political angle of the story. The idea that the Shi’ar are on the verge of tearing itself apart under Vulcan’s rule makes a lot of sense and is a good way to focus the story. I just wish that the dynamic duo of writing would address the war directly a little more.

We know that the Shi’ar and the Kree are fighting, but only because they are telling us this, not because we get to really see it. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, what is wrong with a long maxi-series ala Crisis on Infinite Earths. The whole time I’ve been reading War of Kings my gut has been asking what the rush is for. I understand that things need to work in concert but aren’t they selling War of Kings short?

Be that as it may, War of Kings is still one heck of a story. The choices the characters make have large scale consequences, and what is at stake is the very fate of the galaxy, it doesn’t get much better than that. The family of tie-ins have also been very beneficial to the overall story of War of Kings, which each little piece adding more and more to the overall mosaic being put together.

What the Inhumans have planned for the Shi’ar is massive. It changes the way you look at Black Bolt and Medusa, as well as their relationship with the Kree. Ronan the Accuser stands to lose the most when this is all said and done. Mostly because comics have a habit of putting all it’s pieces back to the way they were found. So I expect to see all the cool character development done with Ronan to be promptly undone by series end which is sad.

Yes, now is that bittersweet moment where comics almost always let the older generation down just a little bit. What I mean is that War of Kings presents a great opportunity for almost all the characters involved. The war should change some or even all of the characters involved permanently, but it won’t. Soon the Inhumans will be back on the moon, Nova will continue to languish as a b-list hero, and the Starjammers will fade away almost entirely. If anything this will serve as their final farewell for a good long time which is probably the saddest thing of all.

Don’t get me wrong, War of Kings is one of the best things Marvel has going, I’m just sad that it’s almost over.