Comic Vine Review
0 CommentsX-Men: Legacy #1 - Prodigal Review
3by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring on
One of the new Marvel NOW! titles, X-Men: Legacy focuses on Legion, the son of Charles Xavier.
The Good
This is a really weird book, and I'm a bit down the middle on it. Writer Simon Spurrier (2000 AD, X-CLUB) takes on Legion in X-MEN: LEGACY. It focuses heavily on who this character is now and how he's battling his own inner-demons while trying to live up to his own father's legacy, Charles Xavier.
I like the focus of this book. I like Legion, and I enjoyed seeing what he's going through and where the character is heading here. He's become quite the complex character, and there's a lot going on here, so the book keeps you on your toes from start to finish.
The art team of Tan Eng Huat (Pencils), Craig Yeung (inks), and Jose Villarrubia (colors) is a very interesting combination. I really loved the heavy outlines of the characters, and there's quite a few times where it would remind me of a more detailed version of Mike Allred's art. Some of the scenes with Legion "powering up" are gorgeous, especially the color work.
Without getting detailed, there is one fantastic scene in this issue that deals with how people perceive Legion and those with mutant/super powers in general. I really enjoyed the art and the pacing of this scene. It's very well thought-out and says a lot about human nature.
The Bad
This book is not truly new reader friendly. You need a lot of background information to have a full appreciation for this book. You should probably read Age of X and Lost Legion story lines to really get what's going on. The character of Legion has grown a lot in the past few years, so jumping in as a new reader can be a tad confusing. Luckily, by the end of the issue, writer Simon Spurrier does a good job at filling in some of the gaps, but it may still be confusing to new readers.
While I enjoyed a lot of aspects about the art, there were a few moments on the opposite side of the spectrum. In long-shots, the colors really muddy up the line work on the characters. Then again, in many long shots, the pencils and inks just don't look too great.
The Verdict
X-MEN: LEGACY 1 is an interesting opener to a series. I think there's a lot of potential here for future stories and issues. As a stand-alone opener, it was good, but nothing amazing for me. It may be a bit tough book for new readers to enjoy, and at times, the art worked against itself. I do this there is a lot of promise here, as an on-going book, and more than anything, I'm extremely excited to see where this book goes next.
Overall, I give this a mild recommendation. However, this is a book that I've appreciated more and more on a second and third read-through.
