REVIEWS: The X-Axis - 3 August 2003

THE X-AXIS 3 August 2003

(SILVER SURFER #1)

: He's a character I've always had trouble with, though. There's a : certain category of Jack Kirby ideas which I've always found silly : instead of charming.

I think he's an astonishing concept, with quite a bit of potential

I tend to agree, but I refuse to accept 'Oh, it'll work in the TPB' as an excuse for a bad issue, when reviewing individual issues. I think the two media have severely inconsistent pacing demands, and the present approach of trying to write stories which work in both formats has chronic inherent problems.

Nearly made it to #150, actually (if they hadn't cancelled the series and had 'Galactus the Devourer' run as a storyarc and not as a seperate mini like was originally planned, it would've surpassed 150)

Some day, Paul...............Death will come at you and stab you with a ski pole and whisk you away into oblivion. It'll be then....AND ONLY THEN....that you realize the pure psychic brilliance of Kirby. ;p

A lot of people talking about the book have said you can do without #0 and still get by. Granted, certain things won't make sense without the back history (the Eurcharist thing for example) but once you understand the basic 'GOLGOTH IS A BAD MAN WHO RULES THE WORLD' thing, it's accessible. But I'm a completist so #0 was a no-brainer when I picked up #1.

Sounds like another Authority.......just without the savage editorial control. Which makes this worse, I'd gather...

I agree, but I wouldn't call a comic 'bad' because it takes a little longer to get around to things than usual; as long as I see some justification for the approach in the material itself, it's fine with me.

Yeah, but the Eucharist is central to the plot. It's not just background colour.

The question is whether the pacing is appropriate for serialisation. 'Stick with us, something will happen in two months time' is not generally appropriate.

I didn't know a thing about EMPIRE before I picked up this current issue and I think I understood it fine. I figured the eucharist will be explained as the series progresses. But I didn't have any trouble following the story.

: >justification for the approach in the material itself, it's fine with : >me. : : The question is whether the pacing is appropriate for serialisation. : 'Stick with us, something will happen in two months time' is not : generally appropriate.

That's a principle everyone can agree one, yes.

However, I think the real question is what 'fit for serialization' means