Post by thehebrewhammer on Nov 11, 2008 11:42:53 GMT -5
WHAT: What If...? #11
WHO: Patrick Moore
HOW: This issue gives us the opening glance of what a world where Spider-Man is a mutant and joins the X-Men.
THE GOOD: Patrick does a great job of hitting the nostalgia button here, pulling in various references from X-Men culture throughout the past twenty, thirty years. References to Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, X-Men 3, and X-Men: Evolution all find their way into Patrick's issue. Episodes of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, particularly the one involving the X-Men, was one of my first introductions to Marvel's universe. Growing up, they were my favorite characters, and I always longed to see them work side by side. Well, look no further, because Patrick gives you a taste of what such a world might look like.
THE BAD: Unfortunately, something about the taste was just a bit off to me. It's hard for me to pinpoint...the writing jumps around a bit, and was hard for me to follow at times. There was an excessive amount of cursing when, to be honest, I wasn't really sure there needed to be. Part of what draws me to "What If...?" stories is that there are key divergences, but these are still, for the most part, the characters we love. Spider-Man cursing out Gyrich, while amusing, is not what I expect, and not in a good way. I expect snappy banter and mocking of Gyrich...not Peter's impression of the Punisher. The problem with "What If...?" stories is trying to explain this new universe without bogging things down, and Patrick does this relatively well, but it's still a bit on the rough side. But things are certainly on the right track.
OVERALL: An interesting take on Parker as a mutant, with potential for some interesting twists.
2.75 electoral votes out of 5
WHO: Patrick Moore
HOW: This issue gives us the opening glance of what a world where Spider-Man is a mutant and joins the X-Men.
THE GOOD: Patrick does a great job of hitting the nostalgia button here, pulling in various references from X-Men culture throughout the past twenty, thirty years. References to Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, X-Men 3, and X-Men: Evolution all find their way into Patrick's issue. Episodes of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, particularly the one involving the X-Men, was one of my first introductions to Marvel's universe. Growing up, they were my favorite characters, and I always longed to see them work side by side. Well, look no further, because Patrick gives you a taste of what such a world might look like.
THE BAD: Unfortunately, something about the taste was just a bit off to me. It's hard for me to pinpoint...the writing jumps around a bit, and was hard for me to follow at times. There was an excessive amount of cursing when, to be honest, I wasn't really sure there needed to be. Part of what draws me to "What If...?" stories is that there are key divergences, but these are still, for the most part, the characters we love. Spider-Man cursing out Gyrich, while amusing, is not what I expect, and not in a good way. I expect snappy banter and mocking of Gyrich...not Peter's impression of the Punisher. The problem with "What If...?" stories is trying to explain this new universe without bogging things down, and Patrick does this relatively well, but it's still a bit on the rough side. But things are certainly on the right track.
OVERALL: An interesting take on Parker as a mutant, with potential for some interesting twists.
2.75 electoral votes out of 5