Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: Fantastic Voyage: Part 1
Written by: Judd Winick
Penciled by: Clayton Henry
Inked by: Mark Morales
Colored by: Transparency Digital
Lettered by: Dave Sharpe
Assistant Editor: Annie Thornton
Editors: Mike Marts & Mike Raicht
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Is Exiles still worth reading?
Would you believe that Marvel has released six issues of Exiles in the last seven weeks? Yet before those six issues, there wasn’t a single issue for six weeks. This is lunacy of the highest order! I say again, why don’t you make this book a weekly, hell just make it a daily. Of course, it’s become blatantly obvious why Marvel is unloading issues of the book as quickly as they can. Judd Winick recently renewed his exclusivity agreement with DC, so instead of releasing what appears to be his final seven scripts in that many months, they’re crapping them out in a flourish to get a new writer on the book.
But was the comic any good?
This was another solid Exiles yarn by Mr. Winick. With the recent momentous news in all matters Fantastic Four, it was especially gratifying to read a tale focusing on the super foursome. As is the case with the Exiles team, they are thrust into a new dimension where of course, they must fix “thing’s†(read the issue to get the very bad pun) gone awry.
After two issues apart, we get a solid opening sequence that reunites the group. This issue’s table is set with a scene involving the mysterious Timebroker, who is responsible for the team’s plight. There’s a quick rundown on the whereabouts of the characters we didn’t see the previous two issues. Not to mention some nice character work with Sunfire following the tragic events of last issue. BTW, check out Oscar Ferguson’s, 411mania’s latest extraordinary talent, review of issue 34 if you haven’t already.
Clayton Henry has become my artist of choice on Exiles. With the deluge of issues in the last few weeks, we’ve also seen Jim Calafiore, and Tom Mandrake handle the penciling duties. While both did fine work, since the loss of superstar Mike McKone a while back, Clayton Henry has put the best spin on the team. There appears to be a major blunder with Mimic’s look changing abruptly midway through the issue, but other than that I have no complaints, and only kudos to give.
Keep playing the harp Chris, maybe someone will listen!
So let me harp on the Winick situation a little more. While DC resigning Winick hurt the long-term chances of Winick returning, there’s no reason that Exiles couldn’t have flown for another seven months with the current Winick scripts released at a reasonable rate. Then commission the fill-in, and from there make decisions on the future of the book. Instead Marvel is probably at the end of the Winick issues now, then following the current three-parter, Chuck Austen returns to the writing chores. With the uneven five-issue fill-in by Mr. Austen earlier in the year, I’m not sure if I care enough to keep reading. This whole situation has left a horribly wretched taste in my mouth, and soured me on a really good book.
