Metallix is the second title from Future Comics, following close on the heels of Freemind. After having read both titles, the impression I am left with most strongly is of early Valiant Comics, bringing a classic Marvel approach to an independent publisher. Metallix is based on a nifty idea, a battlesuit shared amongst a team of professionals, but the execution of that idea feels considerably less new, more like the kind of thing I would have picked up off the shelf in the early nineties. The craft is solid, and had I actually picked this up in the early nineties, I probably would have been blown away.
I love the idea behind Metallix. A group of individuals with different skills, brought together as a team to share an innovative technology as corporate troubleshooters; this is a fantastic premise. Michelinie's scripting differentiates the characters from one another strongly, but the price of this distinction comes in hokey and obviously expository dialogue. The characters speak not as real people might, but as characters should, every line of dialogue calculated to reveal something about their abilities or history rather than just helping to establish their personalities.
In addition, the plotting is a little simple, and while the premise implies corporate espionage and betrayal and other more subtle forms of human manipulation, the story actually reads pretty much like a super-hero book. The villains and heroes are clearly delineated, save one potentially interesting ethical conflict that is itself overdramatized to some extent, and the investigations and infiltrations are played down so that the focus can be on action and on inter-team bickering. I'm reminded of Silver Age style, where everyone wears their heart on their sleeves and everything they do is larger than life. It's not a bad approach, it's just not necessarily the one that appeals to me these days.
The artwork is likewise something of a throwback, but that's not a bad thing at all. Lim brings his mastery of clear storytelling to bear on Metallix, and the result is some exciting action sequences and strong character designs. With Layton's inks, this is actually some of the strongest work I've seen from Lim, less blocky than some of his latter-day Marvel work and more reminiscent of John Byrne or Jerry Ordway at the top of their game. Moose Baumann's colors are bright and clear as well, not as subtle and effective as work by folks like Paul Mounts or Studio F but certainly solid.
With my current tastes, Metallix feels a little retro, but there's still plenty to like, and those who aren't finding their current needs met by the offerings of DC or Marvel, or those who fondly remember Valiant Comics, would be wise to give it a try. Ron Lim's artwork has rarely looked better, the central idea is very interesting and while I might find the dialogue a little flat and plotting a little obvious, these veteran creators have a grasp on the fundamentals that makes this an accessible and entertaining read.
