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PARADISE X: XEN #1
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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Marvel Comics
Main story
Writer: Jim Krueger & Alex Ross
Pencils: Steve Yeowell
Inks: Bill Sienkiewicz
Colors: Jose Villarrubia
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Mike Marts
"You Can Call Me Al, Part Two"
Writer: Ron Zimmerman
Pencils: Al Rio
Inks: Sandu Florea
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Axel Alonso
Price: $4.50 US/$7.25 CAN |
Main story: I haven't been the biggest booster of the Earth/Universe/Paradise X books. There have been moments of real strength in the various series and specials, mind you, and Xen had the potential to be one of the strongest. Delightfully moody and textured art, compelling plotlines and a thoroughly accessible script. In the end, though, the book doesn't quite come together, as Krueger doesn't seem sure which story he's trying to tell here.
Lord Sunfire agrees to pledge his aid and that of the Xen, his metahuman guardsmen, to Dr. Strange, who leads a quest into Asgard. Strange is searching for the wife he neglected for years, Clea. Accompanying the powerful and determined group are Loki and Thor, now cursed with the knowledge that their home and their lives are nothing but a fantasy from the mind of their "father," Odin, given form. Meanwhile, the members of the Xen question Sunfire's decision.
Yeowell's always been a strong artist, one we don't see enough of in comics these days, it seems. But here, his work takes on a whole different tone, thanks to Sienkiewicz's powerful inks and Villarrubia's dark but rich colors. There's a sense of the magical at play here that's in keeping with various plot elements, but there's a darkness and grainy quality as well, in keeping with the themes and emotions at the heart of the script. The characters project majesty, but their pain is easy to see as well.
One of my repeated complaints about these X books is accessibility. I felt that if one hadn't read all of them, confusion was inevitable. Fortunately, that's not the case here. There are a number of complex characters and stories that Krueger expands upon, but he's woven plenty of exposition into the script seamlessly. Better than that, one gets a sense of who these characters are and what drives them.
Yep... had the makings for a great book, save for one thing: I honestly have no idea whose story is told. At first, it's about Dr. Strange's quest for redemption. Later, it's about Thor's sense of loss and Loki's anger, both stemming from their "father's" betrayal. At times, it's about Lord Sunfire trying to live up to a legacy, while at others, it's about the Xen and their uneasiness with their master. Krueger tries to tell all of these stories, but in the end, the lack of focus on one above the others weakens them all.
Call Me Al: Ron Zimmerman's rather ordinary super-hero story only has one unique quality, and it's not a good one. As I read of Spidey and Kraven II's meeting, I kept wondering what Kraven's deal was. So he's not a villain? He's definitely not a hero. What does he do then? I have no sense of what drives this guy, where his hostility comes from. I need to know more about him for this story to work.
The art is like the script... unremarkable. Don't get me wrong. Rio offers up fun super-hero/villain action, and his softer style suits the goofy tone of the story. His work here reminds me of the styles of Paul Pelletier and Tom Grummett. But in the end, there's no visual element that really grabs my attention either.
Note: Since the backup story appears in several of this week's Marvel Comics releases, it does not factor into the rating for this review.
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