X-Men Evolution #1

So, I have started watching the Marvel Tv show "X-Men: Evolution". It's interesting. Not my favorite cartoon but its interesting. This comic is based on that series, but it has a different feel to it...

The Bad: the art, irregularities

Although it does have some similarities to the show, this comic is weird. If you have ever read manga then you know the kind of style such a comic can have. That same style is what this comic looks like. I have nothing against manga, but I feel this series would have benefited from an artist whose style was similar to the actual show this is supposed to be based on. It just doesn't make sense to me that the art is so different from the show. I have no problem with the actual art. If it wasn't for the show, I would say the art is pretty good, but as this is based on a show, then consumers of this comic would most likely be fans of the show and would be expecting (like me) to see their favorite characters almost exactly like what the show looks like. Just doesn't seem like a sound idea for business.

I might add that there are irregularities in this comic, such as normal people knowing about mutants, but irregularities often happen with tv companion comics so I won't put it against the writers of this comic.

The Fairly Good: the writing

the story itself is fairly good. It fills in some back stories about how the "Evolution" version of the x-men team. Its not so drastically different if I know my X-men history (of course I never claimed to be an expert). Its just a reworking of the getting together of the team.

Conclusion

I am being fair when I am rating this a 2.5. I can see why it had bad sales. Its not just about the art that is different from the show; its the feel of the comic it self. one of the focuses of the show is the younger members of the team. Look at the cover of this comic and tell me what you see. I see a focus on the younger members of the group such as nightcrawler, kitty pryde, Jean, rogue and Cyclops. Those are the major characters of the show. There is a reason Storm and Prof. X are not as prominent as say Nightcrawler, which is what the focus of the show was. It was more focused on the new Generation of Mutants.

Now, I want you to reverse this cover in your mind, so that Professor X is up front and the younger characters take a back seat. This is what this was like. I have nothing against the older members of this team, but they aren't the focus of that show. On the second page of this comic I was actually wondering if this was based on the same tv show I was thinking. It was just so different.

The comic itself is not bad. I want make that clear. If I were to rip off the cover and pretend for a second that this was "X-men: Manga" or something, then this would be fairly good (not great or good, but close). However, I think in this case you can see why this is not a good sell. It does the opposite of what the show did (magneto was in shadow for so long on the show and yet we see a more...human magneto just sitting on the couch).

So basically: if you liked the show, don't get this. I won't explain how I got this (very long story...)