Comic Review: Kang The Conqueror (2021-) #1

Kang The Conqueror #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing

Artist: Carlos Magno

Kang The Conqueror #1 is something I’ve been excited for since it’s initial solicit. Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing really impressed me with their short stint on Green Arrow, and somehow I immediately knew they were a good match for this character. Carlos Magno, on the other hand, was someone I wasn’t entirely impressed with over on Invaders, but I felt he had what it takes despite my hang-ups.  Though this issue starts off a tad shaky, it redeems itself in the second half.

This issue focuses on a simple conceit; an old Kang reaches out to a young Nathaniel Richards (who is also Kang) to instruct him on becoming Kang. That idea is rock solid and utterly true to the character. However, for about half the issue, I feared the execution wasn’t holding up. It was very dense, squeezing in a lot of information into a short span, while being quite wordy at that. Kang is a fun and ridiculous character, and this slow exploration of this character didn’t feel right. I was feeling it should be more bombastic and silly, as that’s what works about the character. So, I was worried that one of my favorite Marvel villains could fall flat in the face of his first series.

However, by the end I felt better. The vision of the creative team becomes clear somewhere in the second half, and it genuinely shocked me. The ruthlessness of Kang is on full display, and the pace significantly ramps up. Once the cliffhanger hit, I was sold. This story promises a delightful Kang story from the perspective of his younger self, while at the same time displaying what is so wild about his more definitive self. It’s not perfect, but with the long setup out of the way, I left with high hopes.

Carlos Magnos, who I’m familiar with due to his up and down work in Invaders, displays a significant improvement in storytelling. I never found myself lost in what I was seeing, and every character is distinct despite the story featuring multiple Kangs. He stuffs a lot into a small space, but manages to keep the thread of the story clear. I wasn’t always impressed with his work on Invaders, but I did see his potential, and this book makes it clear it to me that that potential can be reached. The art’s not perfect, but I see much more positive technique than negative.

Kang The Conqueror #1 starts off shaky, but ultimately delivers on it’s promise. Kelly and Lanzing show a fundamental understanding of one of my favorite characters and, though it’s not perfect, the future of this book appears bright. Carlos Magno shows a side of himself I’ve never seen before and proves himself to be the right choice for this book. Cheers to Immortus, and Nathaniel, and Rama-tut, and whatever other version of Kang lovingly graces our eyeballs.