Exiles #47
Originally presented at Comixtreme.com.
Quick Rating: Good
Title: Earn Your Wings Part Two
With Namora in the Fantastic Four’s custody, the Exiles try to break her out.
Writer: Tony Bedard
Art: Mizuki Sakakibara
Colors: JC
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Mike Marts
Cover Art: Mizuki Sakakibara
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Review: Tony Bedard’s second issue of Exiles is mine too, and I’m more impressed with this one than last issue. With their new member Namora being held captive by Namor and the Fantastic Four, the Exiles and Beak sneak off to the Baxter Building to bust her out. What follows is the standard superhero misunderstanding and major throwdown as the Thing and the Human Torch find a bunch of strange mutants hanging around on their roof. Since the Exiles are strangers, though, the scene doesn’t seem quite as clichéd as it usually does, and the whole thing works pretty well.
We also get Namora’s rundown on the history of her own universe, which gets into the alternate reality concept that really appealed to me about the book in the first place. It’s a classic science fiction concept that seems to have found a great home in this title.
Beak’s inclusion in the series is working really well. He’s a character whose storyline in New X-Men had run its course, but he meshes pretty well in this series - so well, in fact, that one not only suspects, but hopes that when the Exiles leave the mainstream Marvel Universe, they take him with them as their new member instead of the spiteful and angry Namora
Sakakibara’s artwork is another strong suit. He has a soft style that’s pretty unique in the universe of superhero artists, but he doesn’t lose any of the strength that the characters need. His fight scenes work well too - I can’t imagine that it’s an easy task to depict Sasquatch throwing the Thing around like a rag doll, but he manages it.
I decided to give this series a try when Tony Bedard took the helm. As of last issue, I was still undecided, but this middle part of the storyline has moved me closer towards being a regular reader. I’m enjoying it, and that’s what I go to the comic book store for.
Rating: 3.5/5