Post by wsinclair on Feb 2, 2011 7:05:18 GMT -5
Title: Academy X.
Issue: 1: First Strike.
Brand: Marvel Anthology.
Author: Jeffry Rist.
ma.bhyphen.com/academyx01.html
Warning: Thar be Spoilers Ahead!
Opening Shout:
Allow me to be honest, Academy X is not at all what I expected it to be, and given that I enjoyed it a great deal, it was a surprise that can only be considered pleasant. The title of the series can only conjure up images of Marvels own, and yet that isn’t what’s on offer here. This isn’t yet another class of Xaviers students, but rather his dark reflections, Cassandra’s own.
Dark Beast, Nova, Adrienne Frost, the bad guys are running the show here, and it makes for a refreshing change. Not least of all because, once again, it isn’t what you would expect. There is no flamboyantly evil fortress on show here, or a cackling headmistress. The faculty, as far as the student body are concerned, are far more subversive in their manipulations.
This is a school where the students are being groomed for Weapon X, and yet they don’t even know it, which is an unexpected take that, I hope, will continue to be pursued.
It does, perhaps, feel a little bit too much like a Prologue to someone else’s story for its own good, but otherwise, it is solid read throughout.
High Point:
I’m going with the Dark Beast here, who was arguably the most fleshed out character on show, and certainly the most entertaining. His efforts to charm Adrienne were just great to read, from his mannerisms to his choice in music, the atmosphere it conjured being real enough to cut. He shouldn’t be a sympathetic character, the man is, for intents and purposes, a sadistic serial killer, and yet I can’t help but wait for his reappearance more eagerly than any others.
Room for Improvement:
If anything, I would say that the issue was a bit too short for its own good. While it is often said it is best to leave the audience wanting more, I found myself wanting ‘more’ a little bit too much to feel entirely satisfied with what I got.
I little more expansion on some of the other characters would have helped in this regard, such as Gentle for example.
However, given that my one complaint is that it ended all too soon, how you choice regard that criticism, as good or bad, is entirely up to you.
Overall:
I do believe this is the first work I have read by Jeffry Rist, and I must say I very much like what I have seen thus far on show. I will be keeping my eye open for the next issue, and any other further project Mr. Rist works on in the future.
-----
Sinclair Shots:
Generation X: Marvel 2000: Issues 20 – 32.
Captain Britain: MI-13: Marvel 2000: Issues 1 – 5.
X-Men: Unlimited: Marvel 2000: Issue 44.
X-Factor: Investigations: Marvel Omega: Issues 1 – 3.
Astonishing X-Men: Altered Visions: Issue 1.
Issue: 1: First Strike.
Brand: Marvel Anthology.
Author: Jeffry Rist.
ma.bhyphen.com/academyx01.html
Warning: Thar be Spoilers Ahead!
Opening Shout:
Allow me to be honest, Academy X is not at all what I expected it to be, and given that I enjoyed it a great deal, it was a surprise that can only be considered pleasant. The title of the series can only conjure up images of Marvels own, and yet that isn’t what’s on offer here. This isn’t yet another class of Xaviers students, but rather his dark reflections, Cassandra’s own.
Dark Beast, Nova, Adrienne Frost, the bad guys are running the show here, and it makes for a refreshing change. Not least of all because, once again, it isn’t what you would expect. There is no flamboyantly evil fortress on show here, or a cackling headmistress. The faculty, as far as the student body are concerned, are far more subversive in their manipulations.
This is a school where the students are being groomed for Weapon X, and yet they don’t even know it, which is an unexpected take that, I hope, will continue to be pursued.
It does, perhaps, feel a little bit too much like a Prologue to someone else’s story for its own good, but otherwise, it is solid read throughout.
High Point:
I’m going with the Dark Beast here, who was arguably the most fleshed out character on show, and certainly the most entertaining. His efforts to charm Adrienne were just great to read, from his mannerisms to his choice in music, the atmosphere it conjured being real enough to cut. He shouldn’t be a sympathetic character, the man is, for intents and purposes, a sadistic serial killer, and yet I can’t help but wait for his reappearance more eagerly than any others.
Room for Improvement:
If anything, I would say that the issue was a bit too short for its own good. While it is often said it is best to leave the audience wanting more, I found myself wanting ‘more’ a little bit too much to feel entirely satisfied with what I got.
I little more expansion on some of the other characters would have helped in this regard, such as Gentle for example.
However, given that my one complaint is that it ended all too soon, how you choice regard that criticism, as good or bad, is entirely up to you.
Overall:
I do believe this is the first work I have read by Jeffry Rist, and I must say I very much like what I have seen thus far on show. I will be keeping my eye open for the next issue, and any other further project Mr. Rist works on in the future.
-----
Sinclair Shots:
Generation X: Marvel 2000: Issues 20 – 32.
Captain Britain: MI-13: Marvel 2000: Issues 1 – 5.
X-Men: Unlimited: Marvel 2000: Issue 44.
X-Factor: Investigations: Marvel Omega: Issues 1 – 3.
Astonishing X-Men: Altered Visions: Issue 1.