RSS
Home
'Majestic-XII #1' review
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
“Majestic-XII” is a comic book I wanted to like. I really wanted to like it. When I looked at the cover I was struck by the artwork: Characters were unique. They held themselves in firm poses. The artwork was sharp. An X-Men cover would be proud to have this on their comic. Opening the book I was pleased to see the artwork was just good inside as it was on the out: Dynamic and bold. Sadly, this series just fails miserably on one very basic level: It bites off more then it can chew. In fact, this feels like three course meals shoved into 32 pages. The best part of the comic is in the first three pages.
Aliens are coming to Earth and the President of the United States has to respond. The secret service goes to recruit someone who refuses to help, but in private he gives us a hint that he knows more about our strange visitors then he’s letting on.
And then this thing goes straight to Hell.
After this wonderful introduction we are introduced what must be over twenty new characters. These people have no personalities. They show up and fight. I’m not sure who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. There’s a love triangle I guess between two women and one guy, but why should I care? One person gets kidnaped at the end. I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I’m not exactly sure why she was. See, this is what’s so maddening about series like this: On the surface it looks epic but underneath it all it doesn’t make any sense. This isn’t storytelling it’s chaotic.
The epilogue by the creator reveals that this was a dream come true, and that the story has been in development in one form or another for about 15 years. Things like that can make you feel bad for giving a bad review, but I’d like to try and give some advice to people who spend years developing something: Just because you have this all in your head doesn’t mean everyone else does. Look at Jeff Smith’s “Bone.” Yeah, it’s one of the premier epic comics, but the initial several issues were small and intimate. Smith took time to slowly reveal everything and to expand his universe at a pace that allowed the readers to follow.
Reading this feels like jumping in the middle of one of the seasons of “Heroes,” and I’m so utterly baffled by what I just read I’m not sure I want to read anymore. Again, it’s tough to give small comics like these terrible reviews, but at the risk of sounding stuck up this just doesn’t work. Short of starting all over I’m not sure the story can be salvaged at this point. Which is really saying something because this is the VERY FIRST ISSUE!!! I like the art, think the premise has potential, but if there ever was an example of overcrowding and too much too soon, “Majestic-XII” is it.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
