The Manhattan Projects #12 Review


In recent issues, The Manhattan Projects has continued to gain a sense of purpose, even as the plot becomes more and more complicated. That seems to be the trend with much of Jonathan Hickman‘s work. Fantastic Four was that way, and for now,  Avengers seems to be sticking to that pattern as well. This isn’t to say that Hickman’s runs don’t have a sense of direction early on; it’s just that we the readers can’t always see the direction at the start. Now, The Manhattan Projects has passed the introduction, and is deep into the middle stage where we see the rabbit hole going deeper and deeper and deeper. Here’s the official description of The Manhattan Projects #12 from Image:

“THE FERMI PARADOX”
Learn the secret history of Enrico Fermi and, more importantly, “if someone is out there” why we haven’t “found them yet.”

Doppelgängers have been a recurring theme for MP, and almost everyone isn’t who they appear to be. The series has been upfront with readers about Enrico Fermi being an alien, but the only other person to know is his friend, Harry Daghlian. This issue picks up just where the last left off, with the two of them on the moon and (FIRST PAGE SPOILER) leaps immediately into yet another betrayal (which is also an ongoing theme of the series). As the solicit suggest, the topic of extra-terrestrial contact is again addressed, but the one-two punch of the issue is way it supplies new information about previous events and causes us to reinterpret them.

Nick Pitarra again brings great art to this issue, but particularly awesome are his facial expressions for Fermi’s alien form. Fermi’s rage and angst and indecision are so masterfully drawn, he becomes the most human character of the book. There are also some rad action scenes, including one where the whole Projects team unsuccessfully opens fire on the alien.

The Manhattan Projects #12 drags the skeletons out of yet another character’s closet, but, in the process, it makes last issue’s focus character, Harry Daghlian, even more likeable as he suffers the betrayal of a friend.

4.5/5


Zac has yet to get tired of listening to “Come On Eileen” on loop. Follow him on twitter.

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