Category Archives: Reviews
Review: X-Factor #229
The story of the ‘dead’ Jamie Madrox picks back up this issue, and it’s a doozy! We’re into a full-on science fiction story, as Madrox seems to be on some strange, interdimensional adventure. A far cry from the noir roots of this series, but I’ll gladly read any tale starring my favorite superhero. He’s not quite dead just yet, and learning his final fate as this story progresses has got me on the edge of my seat. Writer Peter David is promising new revelations about the nature of Madrox’s duplication powers. And while I’m lukewarm to that idea, I’m excited for a good story.
X-Factor #229
And this one is pretty damn good one so far.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
What we have here is an alternate reality tale to introduce us to the idea of Madrox’s interdimensional adventure. Familiar characters appear, but everything is just so slightly different because it’s an alternate reality. Madrox is lost and confused, but he’s adapting and figuring it out. One great thing about this issue is that writer Peter David is able to focus on just one character, and the narrative really benefits. There are a lot of questions raised, and a lot of strangeness. Somehow Layla might even be involved. Nothing is spelled out clearly quite yet. But I’m confident we’re going to get answers in this story. It’s just going to be a nail-biter going from issue to issue until the end.
I hope Madrox is still alive by the end, and that he hasn’t been changed into an unrecognizable character. Is it so wrong for me to want to keep my favorite comic book character around?
Spoilers after the jump.
Review: The Ray #1
I can only assume that The Ray was a rejected idea for the New 52 back in September. Coming so soon after the big reboot, and resigned to just a mini-series, I imagine that some editor somewhere liked the idea enough to give it a lifeline. Which is fine. I’ll never oppose adding more comics to the shelf. But The Ray #1 is so bland, mediocre and generic that I can see why it was rejected. The book lacks a hook, lacks any creative or interesting idea to make it worthwhile.
The Ray #1
So if you like your superheroes ordinary and plain, The Ray is the book for you.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
That’s not to say The Ray is a bad read. It’s a perfectly fine comic book about a brand new superhero and his origin story. Though the concept isn’t new. The character of ‘the Ray’ has been around since 1940, and DC had a C-list character running around with his own series back in the 90s and up until the New 52 reboot. For this story, though, writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti are starting from scratch. The light-based powers are the same, but we’ve got a new hero, a new supporting cast, a new status quo and new villains. Unfortunately, Gray and Palmiotti did little to capture my attention.
I picked up The Ray #1 on a whim. I like the costume, it was a light comics buying week and I thought ‘what the heck?’. While I’m not disappointed that I bought the comic, I don’t know if I’ll buy anymore. The Ray just isn’t a very bright idea.
Spoilers after the jump.
Review: The Defenders #1
Ah, the Defenders, Marvel’s other superhero team. While the Avengers are the ones who get the most publicity, the Defenders have their place in a lots of fans’ hearts and minds. The team is actually kind of quaint. Which is probably the main drawing point behind writer Matt Fraction’s new take on the Defenders, which launched its first issue this week. Led by Doctor Strange, Defenders #1 is basically just a ‘gathering of heroes’ issue as he puts his team together to face a monstrous threat! A sense of whimsy and humor is at the forefront of the issue, though its not without a little action and adventure. The art of husband and wife team Terry and Rachel Dodson is as amazing as always, and is a huge boon to the first issue.
The Defenders #1
So overall, we’re looking at a pretty good start to what could be a very good series.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
While the Avengers may be the ones getting a movie next year, the Defenders have been around almost as long. But whereas the Avengers was always a solid team, the Defenders is usually made up of more independent heroes who just happen to team up for the sake of a bigger fight. The team is usually composed of B and C-List obscure characters like Valkyrie or Gargoyle. But the most famous members of the Defenders are the four that Fraction reunites for this series: Doctor Strange, Namor, Silver Surfer and the Incredible Hulk, as badass a team as you’re ever likely to get.
Like I said, this is mostly the story of how Doc Strange gathers together his team and a few new faces. Most of the characters get a little internal monologue, so it looks like everybody’s going to get some focus instead of this just being Doctor Strange & Friends. Fraction is clearly having fun with this series, and I’m more than willing to join him for the ride.
Spoilers after the jump.
Review: Punisher #6
A healthy dose of action and murdery excitement kicks the Punisher series up a notch. Writer Greg Rucka finally answered my call to do something with the book, but there are still a lot of holes and problems with the story. The same sorts of problems that have been ongoing, like a shocking reliance on the recap page to tell us important information, an almost characterless version of the Punisher and a story that jumps ahead rather than progress naturally.
Punisher #6
Still, the Punisher actually punishing people is a good read.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
The biggest development in this issue is that The Bride has finally gotten involved in the overall story. The problem with that is it’s an incredible leap from where she was last issue to this issue, and an even larger leap from where she was only two issues ago. It’s easy to understand her motivation, but I don’t think we have been properly shown her mental progression to reach this point. We also haven’t been shown nearly anything about the bad guys in this story, called The Exchange. And that is a very big problem when reading a Punisher story.
I think it’s crucial in a Punisher story that you really want to see the bad guys get punished. Whether it’s movies, comics, TV or any medium, having a fully-realized antagonist is key. Think of all the great villains you love to hate. Or the villains you can really identify with, who think they’re doing the right thing, like Magneto. These are villains you can get behind because they are well-fleshed out. It’s why the hero’s eventual victory over them has such an emotional impact. And it’s moreso with the Punisher, because hated or beloved, that villain is going to die by his hand.
But with the Exchange, I just don’t care about them. Nor do I care that they and their faceless henchmen will die. I stand by my rating that this issue was a good read, but I have a lot to nitpick after the jump.
Review: X-Factor #228
The fallout from Multiple Man’s shocking murder hits the X-Factor family hard in this follow-up issue. Unfortunately, this is a shining example of how too many characters is hurting the book. What should be an emotional issue as X-Factor deals with both the death of their friend and the still-rampaging villain is instead a juggling of a dozen or so characters. Nobody gets more than a few panels to express themselves, and they have to choose between Madrox or Bloodbath, or sometimes squeezing feelings on both into one moment.
X-Factor #228
This robs Madrox’s death from any true emotional fallout. For a book based on character and team interaction, I was hoping for more of both.
Comic review: 3/5: Alright.
I suppose this could be considered a good issue. It’s solidly written and well-paced, providing a suitable climax for the Bloodbath arc. The new villain continues to be both fun and menacing, while the team has some good moments. But like I said earlier, it’s missing any true character-based reaction to Madrox’s death. X-Factor has always been more about its characters than overall stories. They’re something of a family, or at least a group of friends hanging out. And while the various members are clearly upset that Madrox is dead, none of it rings on any deeper emotional level.
The massive cast of characters leaves little room for any character depth. And that’s a damn shame. At least the cover kicks all kind of ass.
