Somehow, The Manhattan Projects #7 manages to be pretty important to the series overall, and yet not particularly exciting. Here’s the official description from Image:

“ABOVE AND BEYOND”
At a top Secret meeting in Iceland, the Americans and Russians have a world-shattering encounter with the Science tyrants of the Manhattan Projects.

The thrilling FEEL GOOD, BAD SCIENCE series continues in THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS#7: ABOVE AND BEYOND!

Almost every time an issue of The Manhattan Projects comes out, I find myself counting the number of pages that have real content; there are always a bunch that have the circles and lines and quotes, but no story. Inevitably, the twenty pages of content are there, they just seem to go by fast, and this month, not that much happens, even when it does.

This issue sees an important change in the book’s status quo, as the American scientists of the Manhattan Projects join forces with the Russians of Star City. Most of the issue shows this alliance taking shape among the scientists, along with the (predictable) reaction of the American government at having its top scientists essentially turn traitor.

Jonathan Hickman includes A LOT of dialogue. There is some action, and a rather bizarre shot of crazy Harry Truman’s oval office, excellently rendered by Nick Pitarra. Still, all those conversations are a bit tedious, and Pitarra makes them more difficult by including many close-up shots of the characters. One panel is just Oppenheimer’s bowtie. Another is Groves’ chin.

All in all, despite the interesting changes and reveals we see this issue, it’s ultimately bogged down by the excess of conversation. It’s understandable that, in a book about intellectuals, a lot of the plot would be mental and take place in conversations, but I really wish there were a greater sense that things were happening.

3/5