Is there any winner in this war?
Inhumans vs. X-Men may be yet another in a long line of Marvel events predicated on heroes fighting heroes, but it's had two things working in its favor these past few months. One is that, while some of the tie-ins have added more depth and context to the conflict, the core mini-series has done a fine job of telling a complete and cohesive story. The other is that writers Charles Soule and Jeff Lemire have taken great pains to justify this war and paint both sides as legitimately aggrieved parties. Sadly, that latter strength drains away in the final chapter, leaving a bitter taste at the end of what had been a perfectly decent meal.
The good news is that Leinil Yu returns to the series just in time to render the final, epic showdown between two teams. There's no end to the hero vs. hero chaos in this issue. Pretty much everyone who's anyone on either team turns out to unleash their powers on the battlefield. Yu isn't necessarily at his strongest here, as there's a looser, scratchier quality to his line-work compared to issues #1 and #2. Still, he gives the story a grand sense of scope and a harsh, gritty texture that reflects the mounting dread and despair building in Soule and Lemire's script. Colorist David Curiel maintains a nice sense of balance in his work, maintaining the gritty vibe of Yu's work but also offering a colorful, lively depiction of the many powers being unleashed in the battle.
The script starts out well enough, with a steady stream of entertaining character match-ups (Emma Frost fighting Karnak being a particular highlight) and a continued emphasis on the futile, tragic nature of the battle. The key difference between IvX and Civil War II is that the former is at least cognizant of the fact that it's foolish for these characters to be fighting each other rather than dealing with the real problem at hand.
But again, Soule and Lemire fail to stick the landing here. The story begins to go off the rails in the climax as Emma emerges as the true villain of the conflict. Not that there isn't a certain appeal in seeing Miss Frost cast aside the past two decades of self-improvement and play the supervillain again, but the writers push her well past the point of believability here. Her characterization becomes too extreme, and worse, her motivations all boil down to her inability to get over her obsession with Cyclops. Emma is a better, more independent character than that. Or she should be, at least.
The writers' handling of Medusa also rings false here. In a way, Soule and Lemire also overplay their hand when it comes to emphasizing the futility of the conflict. Medusa's claim that she would have gladly assisted the X-Men had they only told her of the danger posed by the Terrigen Cloud isn't believable in the slightest. The IvX conflict has been brewing since late 2015 in Marvel's books, and the Inhumans have know during all that time that their own good fortune comes at the expense of the mutant race. This, plus the oddly quick and amicable resolution to the conflict, ends the story on a very false note. This issue does justify the need for a fresh start in the form of the ResurrXion relaunch, but more out of a sense of weary resignation than excitement for what's coming next.
The Verdict
The return of Leinil Yu gives IvX a boost in its final chapter, but even that isn't enough to make up for the disappointing turn the conflict takes here. Poor characterization and a lukewarm resolution mar what had been a pretty entertaining and thoughtful take on the "hero vs. hero" trope. At this point, both franchises are in desperate need of the fresh start ResurrXion will provide.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire