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Magneto: Not a Hero #4 Review

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Mar 262012
 

by Dylan Duarte, CMRO Contributing Writer

Magneto: Not a Hero

Issue #4

Written by Skottie Young, Art by Clay Mann

Published: April 2012

Not a Hero, Magneto’s four-issue miniseries, has come to its conclusion, and I wish I could say it was a surprising one. That isn’t a criticism. The ending was inevitable from the beginning and to do it differently would be to betray one of the most compelling characters in comics. The tricky thing about a miniseries is figuring out when to end it. Ending it too soon when you have more story to tell could rob your reader, but dragging it out could do irreparable damage to the entire series. Not a Hero may be guilty of the former, but it’s a lot better than the latter.

Where last issue featured Magneto taking on a freak show clone version of The Brotherhood of Mutants, this issue’s highlight lies in our (not a) hero taking on his resurrected clone Joseph. Towards the end, after saving countless humans from Joseph’s wrath, Magneto is still met with hatred and resistance from the survivors. Skottie Young did an excellent job of showing the world from Magneto’s point of view and helping us understand his continued disdain for mankind. While you won’t walk away from the comic defending Magneto for all of the merciless killing he’s doled out over the years, you’ll understand that his hatred for humanity extends beyond the suffering he experienced during the holocaust.

X-Men has always been a titled used for telling cultural tales and Young has done just that with Not a Hero. Humans hate and fear mutant kind. Much to the X-Men’s displeasure, that hatred and fear will always be there. Even if its eradicated at surface level, it’ll be buried deep down, waiting to come out again the second one wayward mutant steps out of line. Magneto is not a hero, but that may be a defense mechanism, not necessarily a choice.

Magneto: Not a Hero #1 Review

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  No Responses »
Nov 162011
 

by Lindsay Young, CMRO Contributing Writer

Magneto: Not a Hero

Issue #1

Written by Skottie Young, Art by Clay Mann

Published: January 2012

Magneto has played a lot of different roles over the course of the X-men’s history. From a Malcolm X-like political figure to a straight-up terrorist, the character has a great adaptability to him, and any storyline that revolves around him trying to play the good guy has me immediately intrigued. In Not a Hero, Magneto has officially joined the X-Men, only to find himself accused of murdering an anti-mutant group. And there’s video to prove it!

The greatest strength of this particular story is in the characterization. Young’s Magneto is intelligent, threatening, and more than capable of getting things done. While he is in alliance with the X-Men, the character still feels like something of a lone wolf, going about the task of hunting down the imposter with a cool determination and a strategic mind.

The twist at the end has the potential to lead into a compelling story, but it isn’t one that got me fired up for the next issue.  In terms of actual storyline, the issue is fairly basic, employing a troublemaking doppelganger as the main source of conflict. Magneto’s competence in dealing with the imposter actually robs the issue of some tension – he discovers the imposter’s identity so soon after the initial problem has been established that there’s not really a sense of this person being a real threat.

Sprinkled throughout are some fun character moments – there’s a little banter between Captain America and Iron Man, and Emma Frost is her cool, sarcastic self. It helps, too, that the art is sleek and expressive, excusing a few panels where the characters look a little squinty. The issue is worth reading for the character interaction alone, and indeed, this has to be the main selling point of the issue. Plot-wise, there’s nothing remarkable going on yet.

X-Men: Regenesis Review

 Posted by  Issue Review, Marvel Reviews  No Responses »
Oct 222011
 

by Lindsay Young, CMRO Contributing Writer

X-Men: Regenesis

Written by Kieron Gillen, Art by Billy Tan

Published: October 2011

The X-men are being split in two. One side is led by Cyclops, who believes that new mutants must train and be prepared for the battles that are inescapable. On the other, Wolverine makes plans to re-open the Westchester school, hoping to allow young mutants the chance to grow up in relative peace. The book ends with the question, ‘Whose side are YOU on?’ and it’s to the book’s credit that both arguments are equally compelling.

This one-shot documents the split as it happens, as Wolverine and Cyclops go about recruiting members to their side. What’s interesting is that we get a chance to see each character’s thought process and their motivation for why they choose the side they do. It’s a wonderfully character-driven piece, and it’s gratifying to see so many characters all being given these little moments to emote.

Throughout the negotiations, images of a tribal battle between Logan and Scott are used as a metaphor for their disagreement and the different sides that are forming. Characters surround them in a circle, walking to one side or another as the fight grows more and more violent. It gets across the sense of something shattering happening – the scale of these scenes, especially in the final pages, is impressive. It lends some action and excitement to a one-shot that is mostly comprised of people talking to one another.

Still, the ‘talking’ bits are the main appeal of the story. There’s a lot going on here, and it makes for good dramatic fare precisely because these are characters with so much history interacting with each other. Who sides with who, and why? It’s interesting that we get an entire one-shot dedicating to answering this question, and it accomplishes precisely what it sets out to do.

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