Post by Power NeXus on May 26, 2012 23:22:14 GMT -5
Some people give it a bad rep, but X-Men First Class remains one of my favorite comic series of all time.
Writing
The writing in X-Men First Class is consistently good throughout the series. Jeff Parker is not exactly a big name among comic book writers, but I never found anything with his writing style I've disliked.
Parker's writing in First Class focuses much more around the X-Men as people rather than as action heroes. Of course, there are plenty of sweet fight scenes, but the action is never where the primary focus of the comic lies. The stories are usually somewhat lighthearted and don't often get extremely serious. Some critics have called it "campy." I call it a fun and enjoyable read. While reading comics like X-Force current Ultimate titles that are all grim and thick with violence, I find it nice to read comics on the opposite side of that spectrum sometimes to balance it out.
Due to the limited number of main characters in the series, Parker is really able to fully flesh out the individual personalities of the old X-Men. The team dynamic is very well-written, and the banter is witty. The only real drawback to the writing is the inability to alter any previous canon. Marvel wants First Class to be accepted as canon, but because of that there can't be any plots or stories that contradict what has already been written. That makes for quite a bit of limitation in how grandiose or long-lasting any story elements can be.
Artwork
The majority of the artwork in First Class is, IMO, fantastic. Roger Cruz, who did most of the artwork in the series, is one of my favorite artists. (I made a small respect thread for him, if you want to see it. thecomicsledger.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=art&action=display&thread=337). Cruz's art matches Parker's writing: realistic, but fun.
Some of the other artists who did some work in the series left a bit to be desired though. Kevin Nowlan, Mike Allred, and Nick Draggota didn't draw much for the series, but their artwork is all rather sub-par, IMO.
The quality of the coloring closely matches the quality of the artists. During the times with Cruz was drawing, the colorists (Victor Olazaba and Val Staples) were both great. The only negative comment I'd have is that Val Staples had a tendency to make things too shiny sometimes. The X-Men's suits sometimes looked like they had been dipped in wax. The coloring that went with the other artists I mentioned was usually either overly simple and blocky, or dry and bland.
Thankfully, Cruz and the good colorists did the work for more than two thirds of the series. The sub-par art and coloring didn't last long.
The Good
Lighthearted writing with a well-written team dynamic. Great art for the majority of the series. A fun comic through-and-through, and a must-read for any fan of the original X-Men.
The Bad
Low-tier artwork halfway through the series. Writing style that some would consider campy and childish. Limited impact of storylines due to inability to break comic canon.
4.5/5
Writing
The writing in X-Men First Class is consistently good throughout the series. Jeff Parker is not exactly a big name among comic book writers, but I never found anything with his writing style I've disliked.
Parker's writing in First Class focuses much more around the X-Men as people rather than as action heroes. Of course, there are plenty of sweet fight scenes, but the action is never where the primary focus of the comic lies. The stories are usually somewhat lighthearted and don't often get extremely serious. Some critics have called it "campy." I call it a fun and enjoyable read. While reading comics like X-Force current Ultimate titles that are all grim and thick with violence, I find it nice to read comics on the opposite side of that spectrum sometimes to balance it out.
Due to the limited number of main characters in the series, Parker is really able to fully flesh out the individual personalities of the old X-Men. The team dynamic is very well-written, and the banter is witty. The only real drawback to the writing is the inability to alter any previous canon. Marvel wants First Class to be accepted as canon, but because of that there can't be any plots or stories that contradict what has already been written. That makes for quite a bit of limitation in how grandiose or long-lasting any story elements can be.
Artwork
The majority of the artwork in First Class is, IMO, fantastic. Roger Cruz, who did most of the artwork in the series, is one of my favorite artists. (I made a small respect thread for him, if you want to see it. thecomicsledger.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=art&action=display&thread=337). Cruz's art matches Parker's writing: realistic, but fun.
Some of the other artists who did some work in the series left a bit to be desired though. Kevin Nowlan, Mike Allred, and Nick Draggota didn't draw much for the series, but their artwork is all rather sub-par, IMO.
The quality of the coloring closely matches the quality of the artists. During the times with Cruz was drawing, the colorists (Victor Olazaba and Val Staples) were both great. The only negative comment I'd have is that Val Staples had a tendency to make things too shiny sometimes. The X-Men's suits sometimes looked like they had been dipped in wax. The coloring that went with the other artists I mentioned was usually either overly simple and blocky, or dry and bland.
Thankfully, Cruz and the good colorists did the work for more than two thirds of the series. The sub-par art and coloring didn't last long.
The Good
Lighthearted writing with a well-written team dynamic. Great art for the majority of the series. A fun comic through-and-through, and a must-read for any fan of the original X-Men.
The Bad
Low-tier artwork halfway through the series. Writing style that some would consider campy and childish. Limited impact of storylines due to inability to break comic canon.
4.5/5
