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A review by bmaackreadscomics
Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men, Vol. 3 by Roy Thomas
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The Problematic
As usual, WASP city, Marvel Girl Harem country, and now with the added bonus of the series’ first Mexican character (though he’s villainous) who literally goes to New York with his lackeys dressed in sombreros.. So.. yeah.
The Bad
New costumes with the red accents for everyone look a little bit cooler, but aren’t too big of a change so the opportunity feels a little wasted. Some issues in here were particularly chattier than most, with some panels being taken up by far more text than art. Stan starts some of these issues right in the middle of some action, probably to make the issues more interesting right out of the gate. While I appreciate the sentiment, some issues that tried this very technique wound up reading like molasses with its clunky and frequent narration. Also, the Cyclops / Marvel Girl / Angel love triangle is played up so much in these issues with very little development ever occurring.
The Good
There are some good issues here, but just less frequent than the previous trades. I like that The Mimic briefly joined the team; he added a neat dynamic and even got a cool heroic moment before leaving. Surprisingly, issue #31—which features an Iron Man ripoff villain (Cobalt Man)—was probably the best issue overall. The pacing was solid, the narration was tolerable, and we get to see the X-Men have a little fun and unwind a bit at dance clubs and whatnot.
Overall
This collection is definitely weaker than the first two. Much more episodic and formulaic with very little being built upon between issues. Doesn’t play to the strengths of the world and characters that have been established thus far. Also some of the villains are just plain stupid. A Locust Man?? Come on.
As usual, WASP city, Marvel Girl Harem country, and now with the added bonus of the series’ first Mexican character (though he’s villainous) who literally goes to New York with his lackeys dressed in sombreros.. So.. yeah.
The Bad
New costumes with the red accents for everyone look a little bit cooler, but aren’t too big of a change so the opportunity feels a little wasted. Some issues in here were particularly chattier than most, with some panels being taken up by far more text than art. Stan starts some of these issues right in the middle of some action, probably to make the issues more interesting right out of the gate. While I appreciate the sentiment, some issues that tried this very technique wound up reading like molasses with its clunky and frequent narration. Also, the Cyclops / Marvel Girl / Angel love triangle is played up so much in these issues with very little development ever occurring.
The Good
There are some good issues here, but just less frequent than the previous trades. I like that The Mimic briefly joined the team; he added a neat dynamic and even got a cool heroic moment before leaving. Surprisingly, issue #31—which features an Iron Man ripoff villain (Cobalt Man)—was probably the best issue overall. The pacing was solid, the narration was tolerable, and we get to see the X-Men have a little fun and unwind a bit at dance clubs and whatnot.
Overall
This collection is definitely weaker than the first two. Much more episodic and formulaic with very little being built upon between issues. Doesn’t play to the strengths of the world and characters that have been established thus far. Also some of the villains are just plain stupid. A Locust Man?? Come on.