Exiles #4 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Casey Jones (Pencils), Karl Kesel (Inks), and Anthony Washington (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m not quite sure what I think about having Casey Jones take over for Salva Espin. However, I’ll save any judgment until after I’ve seen what the artist can do with a full issue.

The Story: The Exiles must overthrow the machines that have made great strides towards killing most of the life on the planet.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Exile’s #4 delivers in all the ways you’d expect. Jeff Parker introduces an interesting alternate world that seems rather plausible, considering how technology exists in the Marvel Universe. Furthermore, he uses that world to give each Exile a chance to shine (Polaris, as you’d expect, really benefits from the situation). In addition, Parker intelligently uses Blink to add a layer of uneasiness to a series that, so far, has been fairly light-hearted and fun. While I’m not entirely sure if Exiles will actually benefit from the darker tone that’s hinted at (since the series stands out because of it’s tone), I’m confident that Parker will find a way to make the most of it.

The artwork in Exiles #4 works a lot better than I had expected. While I prefer Salva Espin’s style, Casey Jones’ work definitely doesn’t feel out of place. Jones handles all the action well and brings out the personalities of the characters in a way that elevates Parker’s handle on the team. The more I think about it, I feel that Jones’ more realistic style might prove to be more effective than Espin’s in the long run; now that Parker seems to be moving the Exiles down a darker path.

Conclusion: I recommend picking up Exiles #4. It’s satisfying for regular readers and it can function as a nice jump on point for new readers.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Exiles #1 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Salva Espin (Art), and Anthony Washington (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ll be totally honest and admit that I’ve never read an Exiles comic before. But since it was a light week for me, I figured a new number one issue would be a pretty good place to start.

The Story: The Exiles are a team of (B, C, and D list) Marvel heroes plucked from their respective realities mere moments before death. The mission? To travel from reality to reality in order to put things right so that existence (as a whole) continues. Beast, Forge, The Witch, Polaris, Blink, and The Panther are given the rundown on the situation in the first issue and then sent to fix the first of many realities.

What’s Good: Exiles #1 really gets the series off on the right foot. From the characterization, to the artwork, to the execution of the necessary plot introduction, everything feels absolutely full of energy. And that, my friends, is a very good thing.

Jeff Parker’s script is clever and humorous while also intelligently dealing with both the dense concept and the unique challenge that comes from introducing characters from alternate realities. It is perfectly complimented by artwork that effortlessly manages to be humorous, clever (Beast’s look rocks), vibrant, and lively all at once. Throughout the book there are great examples of how the visuals can elevate the writing and vice versa. And almost all of those examples involve the brilliant use of the character Morph. I never thought I’d see the “Hitler as a baby” dilemma delivered in such a humorous manner…

What’s Not So Good: Despite the entertaining script and eye-catching visuals, there is no denying the fact that Exiles #1 is a fairly standard “team introduction” comic. The formula is a formula for a reason…because it works. But that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t point out it’s use.

Also worth noting is that some of the smaller panels look slightly rushed and/or lack detail. While excusable for the most part, it proves to be a distraction when the rest of the issue looks so nice.

Conclusion: What else can I say? Exiles is now the latest addition to my pull list. Take a chance with the first issue, I think you will be more than pleasantly surprised.

Grade:  B+

-Kyle Posluszny