REVIEW: Maestro: World War M No.1 (of 5)

The nostalgia trip is far from over as Peter David returns back to the realm of the Future Imperfect as Maestro takes center stage yet again, this time in World War M – The Last Dance. Playing back to the Lee/Kane run, K.G.B. spy Emil Blonsky starts things off in a utopia of sorts … until the death of his wife at the hands of Banner is repeated over and over, which is a respectable nod to J.R. Jr.’s first “Incredible Hulk” run.

Somehow someway, M.O.D.O.K. coerce’s Blonsky to break free of the matrix he is in to face the post-apocalyptic reality that the Maestro had taken the reigns of. Seeing the previous tyrant, Dr. Doom back to Doomstadt in the previous arc to lick his wounds and ruminate on making good on his plans of vengeance through contacting Rick Jones in an attempt to sway him into a ploy to end the Maestro’s reign once and for all ! There are some surprises mainly at the start of the act in regards to the Banner/Hulk dynamic, but nothing ground shaking to the point that comic historians in the years to come would recount the interactions between Banner’s various personas here as a fever dream.

For those looking for blockbuster Hulk action, there is an ending sequence with the Maestro going head to head with the Defender’s Human Torch – giving the Sentry and Hulk’s most infamous matchups a run for their money. The book is stacked, setting up a brand new adventure for a character that David has made sure stays as immortal as his alternate younger self. Peralta’s pencils and Aburtov’s colors keep the scenes as fresh as this chapter of the Maestro, a character who though was only an idea for something of a one-shot keeps rearing his balding green head. And as much as David should be celebrated for this, he took the time is out on the final pages to take a page of N.O.R.E.’s to celebrate the work of Maestro co-creator, the real Trigon himself : George Perez, and give him his flowers while he still present on this planet.

A touching send off for the God, as Maestro could only dream to be, but alas, Perez and David’s character takes too much pleasure in destruction; something that Hulk fans love the Green Goliath for (and are sure not to be shorted of) when they pick up World War Maestro Act 1.

Score : 4/5

(W) Peter David (A) German Peralta, Pasqual Ferry (CA) Ron Lim