The Good

Magneto heads to Hong Kong to kill some people that have been killing some mutants. I figured that by 7 issues in, I'd be sick to death of the idea of Magneto righting the wrongs of mutantkind, but strangely enough, I'm not. Watching Magneto defend mutant rights and brutally attack people hurting mutants never seems to get old.

Unlike most of the series, this issue is a bit toned down when it comes to violence and brutality as Magneto works his way through an operation in Hong Kong that is having mutants fight a Predator X. Don't worry, there's still some great fight scenes in here, but the majority of this issue is about the hunt and not the score.

From the looks of the last issue, it seemed the book was building towards something, but from the events of this issue, MAGNETO reads more like MOON KNIGHT where each issue is pretty much self-contained. While there is a bit of disappointment from this revelation, the series does work well like this. It's a bit different, but a nice break from long-form storytelling.

The drive for this book is the narration. Cullen Bunn does a phenomenal job at getting into the head of Magneto and spilling it onto the page, in the form of the inner-dialogue. It's brooding and angry and everything you'd want from a book about one of Marvel's most infamous villains. There is very little actual dialogue and conversation in this issue, compared to most of the other books you come across and because Magneto is alone so much, there has to be something to keep everything together, otherwise every issue would be mostly silent, and that's why Bunn's writing of the narration is so pivotal here.

The Bad

Artistically, this book is a bit troublesome. There are not only two different artists on this book but also two different colorists. Colors make all the difference and here, it is apparent. Both Dan Brown and Jordie Bellaire do color work on this book and Bellaire's work is a bit more flat and fits the violence and brutality this book has in store, but Brown's colors are a bit darker and have smoother shading. They do not work together in the same book. It's an awkward transition, like hitting a brick wall going 90 miles per hour.

The Verdict

MAGNETO is a book you can't put down. It's exciting and an adventure you know you shouldn't be seeing, but you can't look away. This issue tones down the violence and brutality a bit, but it's still an incredibly engaging read. The biggest problem, overall, is the jumpiness of the art. There's two different artists and two different colorists and they do not mesh well together at all. However, overall this is a fantastic series and anyone who has ever been a fan of Magento should be reading this.

I really enjoyed this issue but I agree the art switch up was distracting. Both artists are a great fit for the series. I wish only one had taken the reigns on this.

What is Declan Shalvey up to now that he is not doing covers for this series or Moon Knight?

I was a little less impressed. The self-contained story thing is working for me very well in Moon Knight, but less so for me here. He beat the predator a bit too easily considering he didn't use his powers, and the overall impact is a little unclear; each issue just leads him on from one group of mutant-haters to another. Some issues have done an amazing job with those stories, but it's getting a little repetitious.

Gabriel Walta is fast becoming one of my favourite artists. His work on this series has been fantastic. His Magneto has such a haunted menacing look!

Go get'em, Magneto. Tear them to shreds.