Title: The Vision.
Writer(s): Tom King.
Penciller(s): Gabriel Hernandez Walta (#1-6, #8-12) & Michael Walsh (#7).
Colourist(s): Jordie Bellaire.
Letterer(s): VC’s Clayton Cowles.
Publisher: Marvel.
Format: Hardcover.
Release Date: January 23rd 2018.
Pages: 488.
Genre(s): Comics, Science-Fiction.
ISBN13: 9781302908539.
My Overall Rating:
Sometimes you just want to belong, to be part of something bigger, to be normal when everything else hints that you are not. While life presents itself as an open playground where one can fully actualize himself with the proper means, it is the pursuit of happiness that remains integral to achieving contentment. For a synthezoid created to destroy and not embrace life, happiness might just be the attainment of normalcy, to be human, and to relish the gift of family without judgment or ill-treatment. Exploring existential questions about life through the superhero Vision comes the creative team of Tom King and artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta who look to explore a story of belonging and tragedy in a 12-issue limited comic book series. This hardcover volume also contains detailed behind-the-scene content, from sketches to scripts, that fans will love to discover, especially in regards to the entire process behind the creation of this magnum opus.
What is The Vision about? The Vision of the Avengers wants a normal life. Having been created by Ultron with the sole purpose to serve his master and destroy Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, it has never been in his program to belong to a homogeneous society, especially when he is not human. To embark on this new journey, he returns to the laboratory where Ultron created him as a weapon and creates the one thing that could allow him to become normal: a family. And thus is born his wife Virginia, and his teenage twins, Viv and Vin. While normalcy isn’t just moving into the suburbs of Washington, D.C, the Vision will have to learn to adapt to his environment, to his job, to his role as a parent, and especially to the people around him. Unfortunately, skeletons in his closet will make things a bit difficult.
“To assert as truth that which has no meaning is the core mission of humanity.”
— Tom King
Nothing can be easy for a family of advanced artificial intelligence looking to blend in with humans who have never been around entities that possess enhanced abilities, from intellect to strength, capable of killing at a moment’s notice. While the Visions have established somewhat of a routine that allows them to indulge in human activities, from visiting museums to going to school, it is being accepted as normal amongst others that prove to be the hardest task yet. In this incredibly compelling and gut-wrenching story, writer Tom King and artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta achieve unimaginable humanity through the Visions while grounding them in their habitual rational and logical thought processes and behaviours. The lessons learned through adversity bring these characters to explore normal human behaviours processed through the lenses of synthezoids only to invite readers to ponder questions about life and what makes us human.
With themes of love, family, religion, and justice, explored through multiple key characters, it is only befitting that the artwork follows suit and establishes a cohesive and coherent form to the narrative. Little can be reproached at what artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta achieves as he portrays the Visions in a very robotic yet human design that is further crystallized by writer Tom King’s own monotonous writing. The softness of these characters is also beautifully contrasted to their deadlier facets when the narrative shifts and reminds us of the very threat that makes Vision and his creations doomed to be feared no matter what. The excellent colouring also captures a modern American setting that contributes to the illusion in which Vision lives. While one could imagine that emotions would be difficult to grasp by these characters, this story proves otherwise and presents the Vision and his family with raw feelings stunningly captured through their facial expressions and body language.
In the end, this creative team outdoes themselves in elevating this character’s reputation by giving readers around the world the chance to understand the complexity of this superhero’s existence through a tale that explores the very question of what it means to be alive.
The Vision is a heartbreaking tale of truth, happiness, and life as a family of synthezoids attempts to embrace the American dream.
Who’s ready for the first Disney+ Original Marvel TV series to come out!? WandaVision Premieres on January 15th, 2021!
Roars and Echoes 
Very interesting, I don’t know if I’ll manage to get my hands on the comics, but now I’m definitely even more eager to see the show 🙂
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It’s definitely worth checking out for a self-contained story with gravitas, and even in anticipation for the show! Hope you enjoy WandaVision, my man. 😀
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This book is my favourite work by King, so far. I think it’s one of the best comics that Marvel has published in the last few years. Awesome review Lashaan!
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I can confidently say that all of his limited series outside of his Batman work are excellent in some way. It’s just sad that he couldn’t achieve similar quality material with Batman (apart from 1 or 2 solid story-arcs). Thanks for reading, Wakizashi!
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I thought Vision and the Scarlet Witch were an official couple? When did that un-happen?
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They are. In this story, their relationship is part of the past. Before they had to put an end to it when Vision was “reborn” with the original Vision’s “data”. To embrace normality, he explores his own created family here. 😀
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Man, that is some weird perambulations for a story to take….
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Me! I am ready for that series to come out LOL
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I hope you enjoy it, Sophie! 😀
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Fab review Lashaan! Can’t wait to hear you think of Wanda Vision!
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Thanks, Nicki! I look forward to sharing it once I’m done watching the episodes as they come out now! 😀
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This sounds so good! I’m quite excited for WandaVision!
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Right?! I feel like it’s going to be a tear-jerker! Hope you enjoy WandaVision! 😀
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I’m excited to see you post this. I have the individual comic books and absolutely loved it, however I wasn’t being critical when I read it. It was before I became a “critic”. 😉
I’m truly more pumped than I normally am, more than even Randy Savage about the WandaVision show. Thanks for sharing your wonderful thoughts about this amazing work, Lashaan.
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Hahaha now everyone can be a critic! 😀 I’m glad to hear your excitement for the show, my man. I can’t wait to see what it’ll offer us fans! 😀
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I watched the first two episodes last night and I’d say they did a bang up job. 🤠
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That Twister cover is just plain twisted! 🙂 I don’t know much at all about the Vision but this does sound interesting.
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It’s a fantastic place to start if you want to acquaint yourself with the character and some of the complex issues he has to deal with! Thanks for reading, Todd! 😀
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Viv and Vin? I could not get past that. Though, the plot does sound enticing, if not a tidbit cliche
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Hahahah very adequate names, if you ask me. 😉 It’s well-done and worth checking out to discover Vision’s character and story. 😀
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Okay, whatever my thoughts on King, I’ll give this one a chance – you sell it all too well, Lashaan! 😀
But seriously, this looks very interesting. Excuse me, I’m going to check if it’s available in my library 🙂
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Hahahah I’m telling you! You need to try his limited series and look beyond his Batman stuff. So far, everything he does that reads like a self-contained story is truly fascinating. I hope you get to try this one out and see for yourself. 😀
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Already ordered from the library 😉
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This sounds interesting with great theme and looks like it was executed really well. Can’t wait to read your movie review. Amazing review, Lashaan!
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I’m convinced the TV series will do something worthwhile. Thanks for reading! 😀
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Excellent review sir and high praise indeed. I’ve always been curious about this title and heard nothing but good things about it so I really must check it out (plus, it’s Tom King) – especially since I’m loving WandaVision, have you been watching it? Amazing – the best thing to come out of the MCU in a long while, I love the out-of-the-box creativity (and luckily I grew up watching reruns of old sitcoms in the 80s/90s).
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I highly recommend it, my friend. As I’ve always argued, when it comes to King, his best stuff is in limited series with max 12 issues. They pretty much ALL worked for me (Sherriff of Babylon, Superman: Up in the Sky, Mister Miracle, etc.).
I have been safely avoiding the series and the spoilers online as much as possible for now hahah I’m planning on going through them soon as it reaches closer to its grand finale. Pretty glad to see that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be coming out very soon too! The wait in between is pretty nonexistent! 😀
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Indeed, I just wish they’d put Black Widow on there now that the Marvel Phase 4 train has left!
Very brave of you to not be watching WandaVision as each episode comes out and I mighty effort to avoid spoilers…I had something spoiled before me days before the episode was even released! Glad it’s a weekly release because there’s no way I’d be able to get through it fast enough to avoid everything.
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