Finally on the Right Track
Cover Image:
Straight-up, I hate this cover. The style isn't appropriate for what is inside, and the image isn't congruous with the last few Coipel covers that have been genius. It just seems like it was done by someone who clearly didn't know the characters (see Teon or Idie)
The Good (or Great)
I have to admit that Gillen's writing seemed flat out terrible for the beginnings of this series, which throws up some major red flags when it comes to the fact that he is taking over Uncanny X-men after Fraction's depart. Even in that series the dialogue seems out of place and forced. This is the good column however, and I have to say Gillen's writing takes a serious upheaval here which is such a welcome addition. I think it is because he isn't trying to fit too much action/information into the pages, and he is letting the characters sort of do their thing. In the first issues the conflict against Kenji dominated the pages, with little narration from the Lights here and there, but nothing substantial. Without a direction, these kids actually shine (like Lights....God, I'm annoying).
Jamie McKelvie's art is a welcome addition because he focuses a lot on not only making these kids seem like kids (Idie's reserved behavior was better than her scandals before). Even more than the actual clothes he put them in (Real Clothes that Real Kids Wear! What a surprise for a comic book) he can tell their personalities from how we've seen them before. He has done his research, especially with Laurie who you can tell is a somewhat awkward nerd.
The Bad (or not so Great)
Mainly my criticism is for the direction the story seems to be taking. They are rushing back into action too quickly! Scott was right, they need training - but they also need to adjust to being mutants, having costumes, meet some X-kids, etc. There is so much they could do on Utopia that it deserves at least one more issue. Even if big attacks are what comics are about, there isn't going to be a reader fan base if these characters don't explore themselves more. Also, this may be the fact that I am a teenager and I feel like Gillen is writing from a non-teenager viewpoint, but he is messing up the characters. Not dramatically, but he is getting things wrong.
How I think the characters should be portrayed
First of all Laurie ( who I should relate to, being a hardcore student) needs to be more studious. If a genius were to get superpowers, the first thing they would do would be to test them out profusely, and learn the limits and boundaries. Considering she only had her powers explained last issue, she should be soul-searching. Not to mention she's the only Light with a super-dramatic mutation (Kenji doesn't count), so she should be thinking about the repercussions of that. She could bond with Bling! or Mercury over it. Imagine if you found out that you were blue and spiny one day - even if mutants already existed - you'd go nuts.
Idie said I think one line this issue. Not horrible though, because I think he understands her as the quiet kid who has had a crazy tough life and is stronger because of it. Her only speech should really be little asides to herself, or accepting Hope's orders.
Teon needs to get interesting or get out. The whole primal thing was fun for an issue or two, but he provides no assets to the team besides occasional usage of super-strength.
Gabriel.....That kiss with Hope was so forced it made me want to die. Plus, everyone can tell he's gay! I don't even say that as an insult, I think it would help his character so much to admit it. I could tell it from the first issue (not just the shopping thing). He could even go out with Anole! If the thing stopping this realization is that there need to be more boys on the team to appeal the comic to homophobic boys, you now have Kenji and (see above) Teon needs to humanize!
Kenji is becoming one of my favorite characters because he has that dark sense of humor and warped body, which ironically reminds me of the documentary on the survivors of the atomic bomb drops during WWII. I think he needs to have survivor's guilt hardcore, and always sacrifice himself for the others. In his mind, he should see that he wouldn't have a life without Hope, so he translates that as being that he is dead except to protect her.
Overall
I know I'm being obnoxious, but I felt like that stuff had to be said. Anyway, I definitely recommend this book especially as a starting point for anyone not reading it yet. The series had a rough start by going into the Kenji thing so quickly so I think that this new direction is going to work.
Straight-up, I hate this cover. The style isn't appropriate for what is inside, and the image isn't congruous with the last few Coipel covers that have been genius. It just seems like it was done by someone who clearly didn't know the characters (see Teon or Idie)
The Good (or Great)
I have to admit that Gillen's writing seemed flat out terrible for the beginnings of this series, which throws up some major red flags when it comes to the fact that he is taking over Uncanny X-men after Fraction's depart. Even in that series the dialogue seems out of place and forced. This is the good column however, and I have to say Gillen's writing takes a serious upheaval here which is such a welcome addition. I think it is because he isn't trying to fit too much action/information into the pages, and he is letting the characters sort of do their thing. In the first issues the conflict against Kenji dominated the pages, with little narration from the Lights here and there, but nothing substantial. Without a direction, these kids actually shine (like Lights....God, I'm annoying).
Jamie McKelvie's art is a welcome addition because he focuses a lot on not only making these kids seem like kids (Idie's reserved behavior was better than her scandals before). Even more than the actual clothes he put them in (Real Clothes that Real Kids Wear! What a surprise for a comic book) he can tell their personalities from how we've seen them before. He has done his research, especially with Laurie who you can tell is a somewhat awkward nerd.
The Bad (or not so Great)
Mainly my criticism is for the direction the story seems to be taking. They are rushing back into action too quickly! Scott was right, they need training - but they also need to adjust to being mutants, having costumes, meet some X-kids, etc. There is so much they could do on Utopia that it deserves at least one more issue. Even if big attacks are what comics are about, there isn't going to be a reader fan base if these characters don't explore themselves more. Also, this may be the fact that I am a teenager and I feel like Gillen is writing from a non-teenager viewpoint, but he is messing up the characters. Not dramatically, but he is getting things wrong.
How I think the characters should be portrayed
First of all Laurie ( who I should relate to, being a hardcore student) needs to be more studious. If a genius were to get superpowers, the first thing they would do would be to test them out profusely, and learn the limits and boundaries. Considering she only had her powers explained last issue, she should be soul-searching. Not to mention she's the only Light with a super-dramatic mutation (Kenji doesn't count), so she should be thinking about the repercussions of that. She could bond with Bling! or Mercury over it. Imagine if you found out that you were blue and spiny one day - even if mutants already existed - you'd go nuts.
Idie said I think one line this issue. Not horrible though, because I think he understands her as the quiet kid who has had a crazy tough life and is stronger because of it. Her only speech should really be little asides to herself, or accepting Hope's orders.
Teon needs to get interesting or get out. The whole primal thing was fun for an issue or two, but he provides no assets to the team besides occasional usage of super-strength.
Gabriel.....That kiss with Hope was so forced it made me want to die. Plus, everyone can tell he's gay! I don't even say that as an insult, I think it would help his character so much to admit it. I could tell it from the first issue (not just the shopping thing). He could even go out with Anole! If the thing stopping this realization is that there need to be more boys on the team to appeal the comic to homophobic boys, you now have Kenji and (see above) Teon needs to humanize!
Kenji is becoming one of my favorite characters because he has that dark sense of humor and warped body, which ironically reminds me of the documentary on the survivors of the atomic bomb drops during WWII. I think he needs to have survivor's guilt hardcore, and always sacrifice himself for the others. In his mind, he should see that he wouldn't have a life without Hope, so he translates that as being that he is dead except to protect her.
Overall
I know I'm being obnoxious, but I felt like that stuff had to be said. Anyway, I definitely recommend this book especially as a starting point for anyone not reading it yet. The series had a rough start by going into the Kenji thing so quickly so I think that this new direction is going to work.
