Jim Lemoine
Jun 5, 2003, 04:31 pm
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/agentx11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/agentx11t.jpg" align=left alt="Agent X #11"></a>Reviewer: Jim Lemoine, darkkelf@earthlink.net
Quick Rating: Average
Story Title: Fight the Power!
To rescue Sandi, Agent X teams with Fight-Man against the worst villains of Delta City!
Written by: Evan Dorkin
Pencilled by: Juan Bobillo
Inked by: Marcelo Sosa
Cover by: Brian Stelfreeze
Colors by: Chris Chuckry
Letters by: Cory Petit
Editor: Andrew Lis
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Agent X #11, while having its share of problems, is far better than the three fill-in issues that preceded it. For the first time in four months, I laughed at an issue of Agent X (rubber chickens always do that to me), and for the first time in three months, I actually saw a glimmer of Alex’s true character poking its head out (briefly) from within the cliches. This makes this issue good, but only in a relative sense: for an issue of Agent X overall, “Fight the Power!” remains disappointing.
Evan Dorkin, the writer of this fill-in arc, is a very, very funny man. I’ve always loved his work, including the original Fight-Man special that he wrote for Marvel ten years ago (which is referred to, surprisingly, in an editorial footnote; I thought Marvel didn’t do those anymore?). I’ve always counted on Dorkin as a writer who could consistently make me laugh. That’s what made last issue so bad to me: it wasn’t funny. This issue, while a bit better, still isn’t up to Dorkin’s usual standard of quality. I’m still convinced that this is a result of him forcing these two concepts, Agent X and Fight-Man, together. Sure, they’re both funny separately, but they just don’t work as well when written into the same world.
Juan Bobillo, perhaps best known to Marvelites for his fantastic work on Chris Claremont’s dramatic mini-series Mekanix, handles the artistic chores in this issue along with Marcelo Sosa. Maybe it’s just an internal bias after seeing Bobillo’s Mekanix, but his art just doesn’t seem to be suited for comedy. It’s great art, yes… highly detailed, emotive, and used excellently to move the story forward. But it’s not really all that funny, nor does it truly capture the caricature-ish nature of the characters involved within.
Alex Hayden himself, the book’s protagonist, looks and acts like nothing more than a villainous thug… which is a shame, since it’s certainly not how he looked or acted before this creative team started on the book. His assistant Sandi looks and acts like your stereotypical sexy assassin… which is a shame, since it’s certainly not how she looked or acted before this creative team started on the book. Fight-Man, here to hit, looks and acts like a big dumb wall… which is… well… okay, guys one out of three for you.
If this book was as funny as the original Fight-Man (or the original Agent X for that matter), I could forgive the lack of consistent appearance and characterization. Unfortunately, although we can see the potential on the fringes, it really isn’t. Dorkin is more than capable of telling a hilarious Fight-Man story, but he apparently has a lot of trouble doing it while working Alex and Sandi into the plot. The book’s best moments are easily the ones in which the Agent X cast are not involved… which is a shame when you consider whose book this is.
What I really appreciated about this issue was that Dorkin’s penchant for satire finally came into effect. It was much more muted in Agent X #10, but this month we get to see Dorkin lampoon, through the events, friends, and foes of Fight-Man, the entire superhero paradigm. These were easily the most enjoyable parts of the book, from the hostage-situation scenarios to the constant mentions of Fight-Man’s former sidekicks to the reaction of the common man to Fight-Man’s recent activity. This is good stuff… the kind of stuff that I expect from Dorkin… but none of it involves Alex or Sandi, tellingly.
And that’s really the core of it. Dorkin did as well as could be expected with this premise, but it just doesn’t work. You can’t mix the super-caricatured Fight-Man of the realm of superhero satire with Marvel Universe Agent X, an amusing assassin in ludicrous situations. When you try, one of the concepts has to suffer, and in this case, since he’s less familiar with Alex, Agent X is the first to go. It’s hard to be impressed with a fill-in issue when the creative team doesn’t take time to make the protagonists even barely recognizable.
While there are some exceptions (chickens?), most of the gags really aren’t up to Dorkin’s usual caliber, although Bobillo does a great job of rendering them artistically. Still, there are few moments that could actually be considered funny, as opposed to amusing. The majority of the jokes are simply gratuitous violence/healing-factor references or simple potty humor. And yes, sure, potty humor can be great, but when it isn’t, it’s pretty lame. As it is here.
Agent X #11 rounds out four relatively boring issues that really have very little, if anything, to do with Alex Hayden or his supporting cast. This issue is written by somebody who doesn’t really care about Alex, but instead used the opportunity to bring back his own humor concept (albeit a darn good one). This issue is drawn by a fantastic artist who does an admirable job, but one at least thus far unsuited to comedy. Agent X #11 is a Fight-Man story, not an Agent X story, and those thinking about buying it should keep that in mind.
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axhalf.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=218&cat=AGENT+X+%28DEADPOOL%29) and save!
Quick Rating: Average
Story Title: Fight the Power!
To rescue Sandi, Agent X teams with Fight-Man against the worst villains of Delta City!
Written by: Evan Dorkin
Pencilled by: Juan Bobillo
Inked by: Marcelo Sosa
Cover by: Brian Stelfreeze
Colors by: Chris Chuckry
Letters by: Cory Petit
Editor: Andrew Lis
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
Agent X #11, while having its share of problems, is far better than the three fill-in issues that preceded it. For the first time in four months, I laughed at an issue of Agent X (rubber chickens always do that to me), and for the first time in three months, I actually saw a glimmer of Alex’s true character poking its head out (briefly) from within the cliches. This makes this issue good, but only in a relative sense: for an issue of Agent X overall, “Fight the Power!” remains disappointing.
Evan Dorkin, the writer of this fill-in arc, is a very, very funny man. I’ve always loved his work, including the original Fight-Man special that he wrote for Marvel ten years ago (which is referred to, surprisingly, in an editorial footnote; I thought Marvel didn’t do those anymore?). I’ve always counted on Dorkin as a writer who could consistently make me laugh. That’s what made last issue so bad to me: it wasn’t funny. This issue, while a bit better, still isn’t up to Dorkin’s usual standard of quality. I’m still convinced that this is a result of him forcing these two concepts, Agent X and Fight-Man, together. Sure, they’re both funny separately, but they just don’t work as well when written into the same world.
Juan Bobillo, perhaps best known to Marvelites for his fantastic work on Chris Claremont’s dramatic mini-series Mekanix, handles the artistic chores in this issue along with Marcelo Sosa. Maybe it’s just an internal bias after seeing Bobillo’s Mekanix, but his art just doesn’t seem to be suited for comedy. It’s great art, yes… highly detailed, emotive, and used excellently to move the story forward. But it’s not really all that funny, nor does it truly capture the caricature-ish nature of the characters involved within.
Alex Hayden himself, the book’s protagonist, looks and acts like nothing more than a villainous thug… which is a shame, since it’s certainly not how he looked or acted before this creative team started on the book. His assistant Sandi looks and acts like your stereotypical sexy assassin… which is a shame, since it’s certainly not how she looked or acted before this creative team started on the book. Fight-Man, here to hit, looks and acts like a big dumb wall… which is… well… okay, guys one out of three for you.
If this book was as funny as the original Fight-Man (or the original Agent X for that matter), I could forgive the lack of consistent appearance and characterization. Unfortunately, although we can see the potential on the fringes, it really isn’t. Dorkin is more than capable of telling a hilarious Fight-Man story, but he apparently has a lot of trouble doing it while working Alex and Sandi into the plot. The book’s best moments are easily the ones in which the Agent X cast are not involved… which is a shame when you consider whose book this is.
What I really appreciated about this issue was that Dorkin’s penchant for satire finally came into effect. It was much more muted in Agent X #10, but this month we get to see Dorkin lampoon, through the events, friends, and foes of Fight-Man, the entire superhero paradigm. These were easily the most enjoyable parts of the book, from the hostage-situation scenarios to the constant mentions of Fight-Man’s former sidekicks to the reaction of the common man to Fight-Man’s recent activity. This is good stuff… the kind of stuff that I expect from Dorkin… but none of it involves Alex or Sandi, tellingly.
And that’s really the core of it. Dorkin did as well as could be expected with this premise, but it just doesn’t work. You can’t mix the super-caricatured Fight-Man of the realm of superhero satire with Marvel Universe Agent X, an amusing assassin in ludicrous situations. When you try, one of the concepts has to suffer, and in this case, since he’s less familiar with Alex, Agent X is the first to go. It’s hard to be impressed with a fill-in issue when the creative team doesn’t take time to make the protagonists even barely recognizable.
While there are some exceptions (chickens?), most of the gags really aren’t up to Dorkin’s usual caliber, although Bobillo does a great job of rendering them artistically. Still, there are few moments that could actually be considered funny, as opposed to amusing. The majority of the jokes are simply gratuitous violence/healing-factor references or simple potty humor. And yes, sure, potty humor can be great, but when it isn’t, it’s pretty lame. As it is here.
Agent X #11 rounds out four relatively boring issues that really have very little, if anything, to do with Alex Hayden or his supporting cast. This issue is written by somebody who doesn’t really care about Alex, but instead used the opportunity to bring back his own humor concept (albeit a darn good one). This issue is drawn by a fantastic artist who does an admirable job, but one at least thus far unsuited to comedy. Agent X #11 is a Fight-Man story, not an Agent X story, and those thinking about buying it should keep that in mind.
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axhalf.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/axnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=218&cat=AGENT+X+%28DEADPOOL%29) and save!