Some things when read are more frightening than reality. What makes a thing scary is that it could possibly happen. You think to yourself that the world is too rational of a place for it to be allowed to be brutally ruled. Matt Kindt has decided to ignite our fears with the series ‘Divinity III: Stalinverse.’ In the first issue Bloodshot, X-O Manowar, Shadowman and others of the Valiant universe are all fighting to maintain order for the love of the motherland. It seems that they’ve pledged allegiance to a despot. The problem is the Soviet Union has taken over the world. Still something is not quite right. It’s as if everyone has been hypnotized to believe that the world has always been this way. The U.S. has gone through another civil war, JFK was a rebel leader and not president. Everything feels wrong. And things don’t happen in a vacuum. No one knows that more than Colin King.
The thing is how did this all start? In a sequence that should have the musical score of Wu-Tang Clan, an imposing Bloodshot brings the pain. The artist rendition sets the tone. Fear is the only way to survive in this reality. Fear of being different, of having an opinion other than the one the state tells you will only bring a brutal death. After getting to know these characters in this reality you wonder what is the purpose of mind-wiping everyone. Is Project Rising behind this? They seem to be the go to baddies in Valiant, but there’s also Harada, the most powerful living psiot. B
ut why the Soviet Union? There’s seems to be a new player on the board and for Colin that is the worst possibility. After all the brilliant spy known as Ninjak values information. He can’t do his job effectively if there are too many holes to fill. Worse yet, he may not have an ally. In the current Valiant titles these heroes depend and count on one another. In ‘Bloodshot USA’ Ninjak and Unity are attempting to help the bloodshots a plague. In the ‘Eternal Warrior’ comics the titled character asks X-O Manowar to kill him. He does this out of trust. X-O will watch over his body until his return. Essentially there is a bond among these men and women that has been built and cultivated to the point where they’ve been collectively brought into this upside down world.
There is no question that it will be interesting to see how Kindt will navigate his narrative through these strong characters. They do have definitive opinions and their own code of ethics. And there is not one of them who likes being manipulated or being someone’s tool. But it’s the artwork that is so arresting. It’s as if it’s a character in itself. X-O’s severe haircut, Colin’s bureaucratic ticks, they all help tell a story.
For Colin King the most important thing is to find allies. He knows what’s going on, but still has to figure out who’s behind it. So many questions. You won’t be able to contain yourself for thirty days. That is the mark of an amazing comic book.
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