Dave Harris
Oct 31, 2003, 03:42 am
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06t.JPG" align=left alt="New Mutants #6"></a>Reviewer: Dave Harris, HeroComplex00@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Poor
Story Title: (Just Like) Starting Over
The New Mutants come together as a team---those who can handle it.
Written by: Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir
Cover by: Joshua Middleton
Penciled by: Mark A. Robinson
Inked by: Pat Davidson & Scott Elmer
Colors by: Ian Hannin
Letters by: Rus Wooton
Assistant Editor: Mackenzie Cadenhead
Editor: C.B. Cebulski
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
*This Review May Contain Spoilers
I’m not normally an art guy. Writing---for me, that’s usually where things are at, I have to say. But my first comment here pretty much has to be about the art. Keron Grant’s work was a hot topic during the first few issues, and then the changes to the art staff surprised everyone, at first. The book’s art team has been put front and center, and so I really do have to go there, no matter just how sure I am that everyone’s already talked about it…at length.
Even after having read the issue, the art from last week’s preview pages are still the strongest images rattling around in my head. And frankly, that doesn’t bode well for the review. Grant’s work always had some oddity to it---a bizarre facial expression and some extraneous lines that could really be confusing. But this issue’s opening action scene is practically farcical. Perspectives are skewed and unrealistic. Poses are either awkward or caricatures. Distant characters become monochromatic shadow figures. At some threshold, facial features no longer appear. A question mark---I kid you not---is placed in the air above David’s head to indicate confusion and surprise. Now, clearly the message works in this case, so clarity is not the issue. It’s a fairly straight-forward question mark. But emotion is meant to be conveyed through the character’s actions and expressions; falling back on punctuational storytelling is just plain bizarre. The whole scene is a mess. Things even out as the issue progresses, but some of the more basic problems from the above don’t just go away, with inexplicable facial expressions being at the top of my list.
Now, believe me, talking about art for that long has been known to wind me. It’s all about deep breaths. In. Out. Ok. Well, on the bright side, #6 gives us another beautiful cover from Josh Middleton. I know, this doesn’t’ really compare to the internal art’s lambasting, but it’s at least something, and it really is a fine cover.
<table border=0 align=center><tr><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-1.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-1t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 1"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-2.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-2t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 2"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-3.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-3t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 3"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-4.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-4t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 4"></a></td></tr></table>
The odd thing about the writing, though, is that it seems like my ideal book would have been pretty insanely depressing. Most of the elements that I’ve enjoyed, and that I’ve found especially well-handled are those which go towards breaking the team apart. And maybe this is just a sad statement about the world, rather than commentary on the writing, but I’ve felt the cohesive elements of the series to be the least realistic of the bunch. Going all the way back to the introduction of Laurie and Sofia as roommates, it’s the easy parts, the happy parts, which read as stretches of believability.
Kevin’s introduction was dark, and his father’s casualty was real, and so the origin really rang true. His brooding last issue followed the same line, and I thought it fit well with his character. And this month, I think his near-kill of Donald Pierce fits perfectly with everything that has been built up around him---he needed to prove that his power could be used for the good, that he could be a hero. It makes perfect sense that he’d lose control of himself after seeing Laurie get hurt, and the fear that Dani’s power projected to him was very powerful, drawing from not only his fear of using his power, but the memory of his father. And finally, his departure from the school was the only way that his story could have played out, at least for now. I think that this aspect of the plot was very well done…but it’s also not exactly cheery, is it? Although, this does bring up the question of just where you can go when your power isn’t even controlled enough for Xavier’s, and it doesn’t seem like there is any good answer.
Unfortunately, the happy-ending-ness of the issue doesn’t strike nearly as powerfully. Last issue’s cliffhanger was really only worthwhile because there was doubt as to how events would unfold; by having Josh use his newfound powers to heal Laurie with absolutely no conflict or hesitation, the tension of the previous issue was pretty much negated. Now, I still hope that Laurie will deal with the fact that she almost died, and it seems like her feelings towards her savior might be at least one step down that road. But even so, Josh’s quick miracle feels like a cop-out against any ramifications of Pierce’s brutality, and we don’t get to see anything of what is going through his mind, which could have made for an intensely interesting character piece.
And that’s really the root of most of the problems. After the requisite fight, or conflict, or hesitation, everything just comes too easily. There was a fight with the Reavers, which our team was winning pretty handily, and then everyone goes back to the mansion for smores and normalcy. Laurie was hurt bad, but healed right away. Josh was confronted with the bigotry he’d been so eager to dish out, but his powers erase any evidence of it by the time we see him next, and despite his argument with David, I can’t take his anger seriously; he’s just dealing with things way too well for someone whose entire life was erased a day before.
And finally, the biggest one of all---Dani. Her wallowing was a little annoying, but it was also a natural reaction, and I wouldn’t change it even if I could. But someone who knows how to wallow, someone who’s really lost in self-pity, someone who is as angry as Dani is at having her first attempt at being a teacher turn out so disastrously. How can she be all smiles with her “aw, those kids are so sweet” face. Unless she has developed a crippling mania since her last regular appearance in a series, I just can’t grasp how this change could occur naturally, and so the issue ends on an incredibly hollow note.
Now that the first storyarc is truly and officially over, it’s anyone’s game. Anything could happen, so keep your eyes out. But for a series that began so strongly, the second half of the arc turned out to be a major letdown, and things will really have to change for the new story to hook me back into the series. But come back in November, and hopefully I’ll be back to my cheery ways and easy praise. Until then---
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmhalf.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmhalf.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=490&cat=NEW+MUTANTS)
Quick Rating: Poor
Story Title: (Just Like) Starting Over
The New Mutants come together as a team---those who can handle it.
Written by: Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir
Cover by: Joshua Middleton
Penciled by: Mark A. Robinson
Inked by: Pat Davidson & Scott Elmer
Colors by: Ian Hannin
Letters by: Rus Wooton
Assistant Editor: Mackenzie Cadenhead
Editor: C.B. Cebulski
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
*This Review May Contain Spoilers
I’m not normally an art guy. Writing---for me, that’s usually where things are at, I have to say. But my first comment here pretty much has to be about the art. Keron Grant’s work was a hot topic during the first few issues, and then the changes to the art staff surprised everyone, at first. The book’s art team has been put front and center, and so I really do have to go there, no matter just how sure I am that everyone’s already talked about it…at length.
Even after having read the issue, the art from last week’s preview pages are still the strongest images rattling around in my head. And frankly, that doesn’t bode well for the review. Grant’s work always had some oddity to it---a bizarre facial expression and some extraneous lines that could really be confusing. But this issue’s opening action scene is practically farcical. Perspectives are skewed and unrealistic. Poses are either awkward or caricatures. Distant characters become monochromatic shadow figures. At some threshold, facial features no longer appear. A question mark---I kid you not---is placed in the air above David’s head to indicate confusion and surprise. Now, clearly the message works in this case, so clarity is not the issue. It’s a fairly straight-forward question mark. But emotion is meant to be conveyed through the character’s actions and expressions; falling back on punctuational storytelling is just plain bizarre. The whole scene is a mess. Things even out as the issue progresses, but some of the more basic problems from the above don’t just go away, with inexplicable facial expressions being at the top of my list.
Now, believe me, talking about art for that long has been known to wind me. It’s all about deep breaths. In. Out. Ok. Well, on the bright side, #6 gives us another beautiful cover from Josh Middleton. I know, this doesn’t’ really compare to the internal art’s lambasting, but it’s at least something, and it really is a fine cover.
<table border=0 align=center><tr><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-1.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-1t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 1"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-2.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-2t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 2"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-3.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-3t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 3"></a></td><td align=middle><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-4.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/firstlooks/031029/newmutants06-4t.JPG" alt="New Mutants #6 Page 4"></a></td></tr></table>
The odd thing about the writing, though, is that it seems like my ideal book would have been pretty insanely depressing. Most of the elements that I’ve enjoyed, and that I’ve found especially well-handled are those which go towards breaking the team apart. And maybe this is just a sad statement about the world, rather than commentary on the writing, but I’ve felt the cohesive elements of the series to be the least realistic of the bunch. Going all the way back to the introduction of Laurie and Sofia as roommates, it’s the easy parts, the happy parts, which read as stretches of believability.
Kevin’s introduction was dark, and his father’s casualty was real, and so the origin really rang true. His brooding last issue followed the same line, and I thought it fit well with his character. And this month, I think his near-kill of Donald Pierce fits perfectly with everything that has been built up around him---he needed to prove that his power could be used for the good, that he could be a hero. It makes perfect sense that he’d lose control of himself after seeing Laurie get hurt, and the fear that Dani’s power projected to him was very powerful, drawing from not only his fear of using his power, but the memory of his father. And finally, his departure from the school was the only way that his story could have played out, at least for now. I think that this aspect of the plot was very well done…but it’s also not exactly cheery, is it? Although, this does bring up the question of just where you can go when your power isn’t even controlled enough for Xavier’s, and it doesn’t seem like there is any good answer.
Unfortunately, the happy-ending-ness of the issue doesn’t strike nearly as powerfully. Last issue’s cliffhanger was really only worthwhile because there was doubt as to how events would unfold; by having Josh use his newfound powers to heal Laurie with absolutely no conflict or hesitation, the tension of the previous issue was pretty much negated. Now, I still hope that Laurie will deal with the fact that she almost died, and it seems like her feelings towards her savior might be at least one step down that road. But even so, Josh’s quick miracle feels like a cop-out against any ramifications of Pierce’s brutality, and we don’t get to see anything of what is going through his mind, which could have made for an intensely interesting character piece.
And that’s really the root of most of the problems. After the requisite fight, or conflict, or hesitation, everything just comes too easily. There was a fight with the Reavers, which our team was winning pretty handily, and then everyone goes back to the mansion for smores and normalcy. Laurie was hurt bad, but healed right away. Josh was confronted with the bigotry he’d been so eager to dish out, but his powers erase any evidence of it by the time we see him next, and despite his argument with David, I can’t take his anger seriously; he’s just dealing with things way too well for someone whose entire life was erased a day before.
And finally, the biggest one of all---Dani. Her wallowing was a little annoying, but it was also a natural reaction, and I wouldn’t change it even if I could. But someone who knows how to wallow, someone who’s really lost in self-pity, someone who is as angry as Dani is at having her first attempt at being a teacher turn out so disastrously. How can she be all smiles with her “aw, those kids are so sweet” face. Unless she has developed a crippling mania since her last regular appearance in a series, I just can’t grasp how this change could occur naturally, and so the issue ends on an incredibly hollow note.
Now that the first storyarc is truly and officially over, it’s anyone’s game. Anything could happen, so keep your eyes out. But for a series that began so strongly, the second half of the arc turned out to be a major letdown, and things will really have to change for the new story to hook me back into the series. But come back in November, and hopefully I’ll be back to my cheery ways and easy praise. Until then---
ART:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmhalf.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg
STORY:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmhalf.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/reviews/nmnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=490&cat=NEW+MUTANTS)