X-23 #1 and New Comics Discussion
While I enjoyed the continuing storylines in X-Factor and New Mutants, it seems most appropriate to discuss the brand-new X-23 series.
Overall, I enjoyed the book -- I like Liu as a writer and I think she has a great sense of X-23's character. The interactions with the other students felt right, if a bit heavy-handed, and I'm interested in the status quo this first issue sets up. Not much happens, but I like that -- a first issue of a new solo series SHOULD emphasize character, and relationships, first and foremost, to ground potential new fans. This was very effective in that respect.
I'll admit, though, that my distaste for the X-Force storyline has bled into distaste for anything that references it, even in an attempt to rehabilitate characters who were part of it. I wouldn't say anyone is out of character here, but I'm a bit tired of seeing Scott trying to justify something that never made sense for him to do in the first place. (It doesn't help that he's given moral lessons here by EMMA, of all people.) I like the turn at the end, though, of Scott trying to work with Laura to channel her energies toward more productive goals, and I'll be interested to see where the former-mutant boarding house story goes.
Also, while I like Will Conrad's art generally, everyone in this book has extremely Caucasian features. I wouldn't have recognized Nori, for instance, without her blue hair. And the scene with Storm, while very well done, didn't work for me at first because I had no idea that was Storm. Between her Caucasian features and the colorist's use of a very light brown skin tone (in a shadowy scene), I didn't even realize the character being depicted was black, and since her name wasn't used I had no idea who was speaking for several panels. Hopefully, should these characters appear again, we'll see some improvement.
And for God's sake, can someone give Julian some prosthetic hands? These are the X-MEN.
So what did you think of X-23, or any of this week's comics? I also picked up Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine, and wasn't overly impressed, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on that, or on anything else in the world of X.
Overall, I enjoyed the book -- I like Liu as a writer and I think she has a great sense of X-23's character. The interactions with the other students felt right, if a bit heavy-handed, and I'm interested in the status quo this first issue sets up. Not much happens, but I like that -- a first issue of a new solo series SHOULD emphasize character, and relationships, first and foremost, to ground potential new fans. This was very effective in that respect.
I'll admit, though, that my distaste for the X-Force storyline has bled into distaste for anything that references it, even in an attempt to rehabilitate characters who were part of it. I wouldn't say anyone is out of character here, but I'm a bit tired of seeing Scott trying to justify something that never made sense for him to do in the first place. (It doesn't help that he's given moral lessons here by EMMA, of all people.) I like the turn at the end, though, of Scott trying to work with Laura to channel her energies toward more productive goals, and I'll be interested to see where the former-mutant boarding house story goes.
Also, while I like Will Conrad's art generally, everyone in this book has extremely Caucasian features. I wouldn't have recognized Nori, for instance, without her blue hair. And the scene with Storm, while very well done, didn't work for me at first because I had no idea that was Storm. Between her Caucasian features and the colorist's use of a very light brown skin tone (in a shadowy scene), I didn't even realize the character being depicted was black, and since her name wasn't used I had no idea who was speaking for several panels. Hopefully, should these characters appear again, we'll see some improvement.
And for God's sake, can someone give Julian some prosthetic hands? These are the X-MEN.
So what did you think of X-23, or any of this week's comics? I also picked up Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine, and wasn't overly impressed, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on that, or on anything else in the world of X.