Comic Reviews 04.05.2021

 

Hey y’all. We’ve got a small, but interesting pair of comics this week. Beyond these, I also read Silk #1 which was a solid, though unspectacular start to the character’s new miniseries. The new Power Rangers one shot was more interesting than it was good; I really enjoy how much focus the spacefaring aspects of the franchise are receiving recently.

I apologize for the lack of a Featured Review this weak, but I felt it best to keep the two review issues in this one post.

Anyway, on to the reviews!

Spoilers for: X-Men #19, The Flash #768

X-Men #19

Writer: Jonathon Hickman

Artist: Mahmud Asrar

Colors: Sunny Gho

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Designer: Tom Muller

Cover: Leinil Francis Yu and Gho

 

It will be nearly two months before this comic returns. This was a pretty good way to enter the boards though. A moving love story that does double duty as what appears to be an integral piece of Hickman’s overarching story going forward.

This issue is reminiscent of the Powers of X issue in which the various lives of Moira X are explored. Synch narrates the story of Wolverine, Darwin, and his time inside the Vault, which covers over 100 years. While much of the issue is vignettes showing the most important events, they are separated by a series of graphs. Or rather, a very long graph split across multiple pages. Said graph features a three-pronged, color coded timeline with each prong tracking a separate protagonist.

The trio fight for over 100 years to find more information about the Children and the Vault. The most notable info they gather is that the Children capture and experiment of Darwin. Using what they learn, the Children will be able to evolve into an unplanned fourth generation that is theoretically capable of defeating the mutants.

More importantly, Wolverine and Synch fall in love. Like a deep, forged over 100 years of hardship kind of love. Sadly, it comes to an end when she sacrifices herself to provide Synch with enough time to escape the Vault. He does not make it far, but is able to contact Xavier, who scans his mind. Our trio of protagonists are revived on Krakoa, but Synch is the only one that remembers their adventure because he is the only one that made it out and could be scanned. This means Wolverine does not remember their romance, but Synch decides it is good enough for him that she is alive. It is a subtle, nuanced portrayal of a relationship that had me all the way in my feelings.

As always, Mahmud and Asrar’s art is excellent, but Mueller (and likely Cowles) are the stars of this issue. The X-books have looked really cool since House of X/Power of X and this issue takes it to the next level. The timeline pages are clean, clear, and precise. Despite plenty of negative space, it feels as though no space is wasted on these pages. It is a fun way to tell a story over a long period of time and they executed it 5o perfection.

 

The Flash #768

Writer: Jeremy Adams

Artist: Brandon Peterson, Marco Santucci, and David Lafuente

Color: Mike Atiyeh, Arif Prianto, and Luis Guerrero

Letters: Steve Wands

Cover: Peterson and Atiyeh

 

This comic is not good. It is not the worst comic I have ever read; it is not even the worst Flash comic I have read in 2021—the Future State miniseries was, uh, not good. Despite being over double length, this issue fails to tell an interesting or coherent story or examine its characters in any meaningful way. In fact, most characters feel completely detached from the proceedings and preceding stories featuring the same characters.

Take for example Wally West. In this issue, he retires. He wants Barry to take away his powers so he is not tempted to rejoin the superhero life, but first they have a race. During the race, there is a neat a dual monologue that conveys both speedsters’ thoughts and how they parallel each other. A big part of Wally’s are about how he has spent so much time chasing Barry’s legacy that he is forgot to be himself. That is an interesting path to take Wally down. So interesting, in fact, it was done 30 years ago, and Wally has long moved beyond that concern.

Barry spends much of this issue being mostly personality-less exposition machine. He is presented as some sort of Speed Force expert and genius scientist, but that is not what the character is. He is very smart, but Mr. Terrific is in this issue and they are treated as equals. It just is not the character.

The art on this issue is a saving grace. While Peterson’s art is far too stiff for the events he is depicting, he leads a stellar trio of artists backed by phenomenal art teams. The biggest problem is that the artists’ styles are a bit too different, and colorists do not do enough to attempt to blend them. Each individual section is quite good though.