Review: Original Sin #2 (of 8)

Jason Aaron brings more questions than answers to his tale of the death of the Watcher, but is that a good thing or just a way to drag this book out for a full eight issues?

The second installment to Jason Aaron and Mike Deodato’s tale, that will “forever change the Marvel Universe,” is completely intriguing. Laced with more than a few occurrences of superhero fisticuffs, this issue weaves in and out of the separate storylines that follow the different teams assembled to find the Watcher’s murderer. Along the way, we find out that from the Moloids to nether realm demons, something or someone has been taking lives for a very long time and they might just be the ones responsible for the death of the Watcher as well. As old villains stick their heads out of the shadows and into the spotlight of the tale, our curiosity peaks, making us ponder about where all of this is going and just how did the numerous machinations Aaron throws at us merge to forge this tale?

Although there are many fronts and just as many plot twists to his story, Jason Aaron harnesses them with precision and has brought a darker voice to the Marvel Universe with this tale. Hinged on the murder of the Watcher, this story is bleak from the start, but the way Aaron gives “life” to the Mindless Ones is overtly creepy and brings the tale to a deeper level. The horrors that these creatures can “see” because they now know sin, is a direct reflection to the loss of innocence and their “awakening” in the world. It gives an underlying level of sadness to these creatures that are used as pawns in the grand scheme of things and now, only wish for their minds to “be quiet” by any means possible. This aspect of the story helps bring a richer quality to it and offsets the levity that usually permeates these types of tales.

This multifaceted tale is building up a great pace with plenty of surprises to keep us at the edge of our seats. Although the big reveal at the end was somewhat of a let down, everything before it has got me baited for whatever comes next!