X-Men: Magneto Testament # 1 - Part 1 of 5

As a history major and a fan of this character, the idea of a comic that took a historically realistic approach to Magneto's childhood has been incredibly tantalizing. It's actually been rather difficult keeping my excitement in check in order not to build up unrealistic expectations. But I am pleased to say that Magneto Testament fulfills them all.

This is very much a story of a young boy in the middle of politically turbulent times, only bits and pieces of the entirety of what is happening filtering through his childhood perceptions until they smash through him utterly. The characterizations are good. These are not stalwart heroes facing a behemoth. They are imperfect, good people struggling to find a way in a world changing too rapidly, too radically, for them. (And Mr. Pak does remember that Magneto had an older sister. Props!) The dialog is solid.

The story telling is interesting. As a solitary child (and by his own accounts Magneto was) much of the story is told in the visual. This is part of what creates the childhood POV of the story (in fact it rather reminds me of the opening chapter of "Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man" in how much it relied on the visual to create that feeling), but it sometimes it makes the pacing feel a tad uneven. But that was something I had to go looking for. I had to make myself look for something wrong, and that was all I found. This is a very well-told emotional roller-coaster that creates a satisfying, if extremely unpleasant, climax in the final pages.

This was great stuff! Well done, sirs! Well done!

SPOILER


I loved this.

As much as i disliked the front cover ripping off the Star Wars episode 1 posters of Anakin with his shadow i have to admit, it works here with Max and Magneto in the puddle. Its pretty cool and the red works well, so kudos to Marko on that.

I watched X-Men the movie last night and to think that Magneto was this boy is extraordinary. Having crushes on girls just doesn't seem like the man who says "These homosapiens despise us Charles" The boy who would grow up to become the X-Men's deadliest foe, the man who is bent on ruling the world. The man who could cause pain to one man and not feel guilty at all about it.

But every mutant has a past and why should Magneto's be any different? Growning up in Nazi Germany doesn't sound much fun for a mutant does it, not to mention the fact that the mutant in question is Jewish. Every mutants past is haunted but from whats inthis issue, Max having a meddle stripped from him for being a "cheating Jew" and later being attacked for it despite (not intentionally manipulating the metal in the javelin) throwing javelins further than the other boys. Having to watch his father abused by a Nazi soldier for "shaming a German woman"