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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

X-Factor #248 Review

I can respect the effort to make a fresh start after the heavy events of the Breaking Points arc, and Peter David accomplished that with last month’s issue. This week, he may have pushed too hard, with the continued silliness pushing the arc further from what he does best: tight drama and witty dialog.

The book kicks off with a pretty crazy sequence involving Pip that is clearly designed to elicit chuckles, of both of the tongue-in-cheek and juvenile varieties. Unfortunately, these pages (and the rest of the book, for that matter) are plagued by some hideous artwork. Moreover, the sequence is overly long for the purpose that it serves in the plot.

Once we’re through the issue’s foyer, things don’t get much better. David’s shocking reveal feels too familiar, and the eventual reunion of the X-Factor team lacks a sense of import. Paul Davidson’s pencil and ink work is a big negative as well. The book is littered with profiles that make blades out of characters’ heads, and bodily proportions are frequently poorly gauged.

By the end of the book, the absurdity has sunken in far enough that the close is bearable, but I wouldn’t characterize it as a good time. If a goofy vibe and arbitrary direction are what you’re looking for, you may find this book interesting. Be warned though, you will need to put up with some unfortunate mistakes in the art, including the dreaded spent-bullet-that-still-has-its-casing.

Poet Mase is a regular contributor to IGN who needs more hours in the day for all of the work, comics, and video games he wants to finish. Follow Poet on Twitter @PoetMase, or post a message on his IGN profile PoetMase.


Source : ign[dot]com

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