Monday, July 2, 2018

Multiple Man #1 Review


Multiplicity


Written by: Matt Rosenberg
Art by: Andy McDonald
Colors by: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: VC's Travis Lanham
Release Date: June 27, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99


There's nothing quite like getting wrapped up in the hype for a book that just strikes the perfect pitch with your tastes. From the moment I laid eyes on the promotional material for this book, I thought, this is the very book for me. Look at the design of that cover, look at those colors, look at that preview art. Wow, Madrox is back, who knew? How's that possible? One of my all time favorite characters! Good times lay in store for me. I was sure of it!




Until I finished it. I apologise ladies and gents. I did not like this book, and was extremely disappointed. Firstly though, as is the way here on Weird Science DC, lets accentuate the positive. The Logo and Design which I have made a point of crediting above. Excellent work by Mick Russell and I really liked the little page break a few pages in. Lovely use of colors and layout - really fresh and vibrant looking. Indeed the other strong point to the book were the colors on the interior art. I'm always a fan of Tamra Bonvillain's color work, and again with this book I found it to be very impressive.



Now...sigh...to the not so good. Where to start? Okay, lets go with the writing. Firstly, I just found the dialogue to be excruciatingly annoying. I did not like the smug, self satisfied tone struck for Madrox, and found him to be off-key. Now I can mentally ascribe this to him being a dupe as opposed to Madrox Prime but it still doesn't mean that I like it. Secondly if I see the word "science-ing" in one more goddamned comic book I am going to personally ring up their publisher's HQ long distance and complain because it sure as hell doesn't sound too scientific and I sure as hell wouldn't expect Hank McCoy to sit listening to some smart ass whipper-snapper coming off with crap terminology like that in his lab. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I can't buy into getting enjoyment from a book whose lead character is simply this irritating. That may be personal - maybe others find him endearing. If so, Godspeed to you Rebels.



Then there is the art, and believe me, my problems with the writing pale in comparison to my problems with the art in this book. There is a real problem that this book has with perspective in its art. The characters' respective height differentials are all over the place, so they look very odd collectively assembled in relation to one another. Small women look the same height as large men, etc. Likewise people's heads and body parts don't always seem to be in correct alignment, direction or proportion at times. My biggest bug bearer though was the depiction of Bishop who, supposedly a power house of a man, somehow looks like a version of Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air after being forced to live on the Atkins diet for 10 years before getting an M scored in his face. What is going on? One really has to ask if Andy MacDonald has read any X-Men books before.

Bits and Pieces:

For me, there is little to recommend this book, although I do know other fans that enjoyed it. I can only speak to my own experience though and I found it to be horrendous and with little merit and little appreciation of legacy - a concept which Marvel had been aiming to place at the core of their brand. In the first instance I would say have a look at the art and if the style is to your taste then the writing is not an insurmountable hurdle. The cliffhanger is vaguely enticing but personally, it is not enough to draw me back.

5/10

4 comments:

  1. Sorry but this is just a poorly done review. I wouldn't really call it a review firstly. Reviews require analysis with objectivity and tact. This was a listing of personal quibbles. There is nothing looking at craft or execution of at any major level. I would highly advise learning more about how to properly review something, read something like Panel by Panel or even watch old clips of At the Movies. This tells me about you than the actual product you are reviewing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought he expressed his critism w the art in well thought out words , and the story too. Plenty of reviews give books high scores they don't deserve either, I hope you admonish those people as well . We'll mark you down for a ten out of ten in 'the log' in the meantime since you only review other reviews.

      Delete
    2. A review of a review of a review of a review. Looking at craft or execution?

      "I just found the dialogue to be excruciatingly annoying. I did not like the smug, self satisfied tone struck for Madrox, and found him to be off-key." Seems like that's something there.

      "The characters' respective height differentials are all over the place, so they look very odd collectively assembled in relation to one another."

      "Lovely use of colors and layout - really fresh and vibrant looking."

      I am really wondering if you read the review. You may not agree with it, but I'd have to give your review of this review a 3/10 for ignoring major discussions on as you put it, "craft or execution" and really, aren't your complaints of the review just a listing of personal quibbles?

      Personally, I liked the book more than Andrew, but I can see where he is coming from here.

      Delete
  2. Yeah, this site doesn't tend to do the high brow bullshit followed by the 10/10 panderings, sorry you didn't get the memo. Maybe you were too busy on your film studies course (this is a comic book site by the way - an entirely different medium, something a lot of creatives could actually do with being reminded of). By way of some feedback for you, your own comments lack a considerable degree of objectivity and tact, so maybe learn some? Maybe even do a site of your own if you are so classy? Or if you have one why be brave and give us a link so we can all have a good laugh at your sickeningly academic prose. Cheers for stopping by with your charm. Make mine Marvel. Excalibur.

    ReplyDelete