Reviews: X-Factor #208 & Batman Beyond #3
Last week was a busy one at home - we always seem to be six months late with our spring cleaning - and this is the busiest time of year at my work, but this weekend did give me a chance to do some catch-up reading and this week I'm going to be bringing bursts of reviews for recent publications. Disappointed though I was to find out that my comics shop didn't get X-Factor #209 last week, I do have to bring up how much I loved X-Factor #208 last month and my thoughts on the Batman Beyond limited series.
Read on for more thoughts on these two comics!
X-Factor #208
Wow! Another month of fantastic writing! I don't know if Peter David opened a fresh box of Authorial Wheaties or what but man I liked this issue. We've got all the candy: Longshot gets in a few laugh lines, the main players get in some awesome detective work and we go way past a smooch and well into shirts-off-and-pants-undone territory with Rictor and Shatterstar. Rowr. Daddy like.
Rahne does not like, however, and immediately picks a fight with Shatterstar. I initially figured it was just straight-up territorial scrapping when I read this comic but my conversation with Peter David at Dragon*Con revealed that Rahne is a devout and conservative Catholic who thinks Rictor is going to Hell for all those alien boy-smooches; worse yet, she has to wonder whether she made him that way. He assured me that he is not about to "straight up" Rictor with Rahne's reappearance but she does have a serious question of faith vs. reality - my word choice, not his - to work out. In all honesty, I can respect that story and at the same time my kneejerk reaction is to roll my eyes a little. Rahne isn't the first ex-girlfriend I've heard wonder if she made an ex-lover "turn gay", and it's both a very human response and one I'd really like never to hear again.
Let that reaction not mislead you, however: this is a really solid issue with excellent writing, a few laughs, a fun twist, a resolution exactly compromised enough for the hard-boiled detective genre and mid-air fights. It makes me incredibly eager for the next one. Seriously, I loved it. Peter David is bringing the heat with this book. There is no better X-book out there at the moment, for my money.
Batman Beyond #3
Wow, this series really is about Terry and Bruce just hating on each other, isn't it? This one at least does allow Terry to do some degree of occupying his own life. This doesn't have the same feel as the show, which was much more about Terry becoming Batman than about Bruce Wayne just cold riding his ass, and I'm not sure I am enjoying it. The question of who might be the new Catwoman is slightly intriguing but honestly I liked the freaky futuristic villains of the show more than anything else and I still feel the story suffers for their absence. I enjoyed the nod to continuity of having Terry go check out a certain someone, given the events of the really enjoyable Return of the Joker movie, but I still really just want this comic to be about Terry's experience of wearing the suit rather than Bruce's no-more-wire-hangers routine.
The tension between the angry old control freak and the young gun is at the heart of the Batman Beyond story, yes, but so is their collaboration and that's what I keep realizing is missing from the page. This issue suggested a turn towards that as part of the overall arc and, if so, it can't get here fast enough. The writing isn't bad, it just really leans on an aspect of the narrative other than what appeals to me about the property overall. I'm hoping that some of the events of #3 suggest I'll be able to enjoy it more in future.
Of note: the art is fantastic regardless of anything else about the book and it is absolutely worth picking up and flipping through to see if Batman Beyond is worth it to you for the art alone.
Klarion
Posted to Review on 20 September 2010
· Comments (7)
Other stuff like this: Batman Beyond, X-Factor
Re: X-Factor
You may have heard the "old girlfriends wondering if they turned exes gay" a lot. But I haven't, so I'm wondering if Peter David isn't using this in an educational way so that *all* readers of X-Factor, male and female, gay and straight, can get the truth - that being gay is something you're born with, not something that someone can turn you into. (It also makes for a nice refutation of the "ex-gay" movement: if no one can turn you gay, no one can turn you straight either.)
On the first point, you're absolutely right - I should be more clear that I think it's a really valid story, it's also one with which specifically queer readers are already familiar and that doesn't diminish it as an important point.
It hadn't occurred to me when reading that it could serve as a tricky counterargument against "ex-gay" scams. That is a really excellent point and adjusts my opinion of the value that character brings to the story significantly upwards.
Sorry, I don't follow DC that much, except for Teen Titans, Gotham City Sirens, and random titles that arn't exactly Big 3..
Anywasy, X-Factor #208... problems.. I can undertsand the whole Rhane's a Devote Catholic thing, althought what kinda Catholic becomes pregnant before marriage by a Norse Demi-god then proceeds to go into "battle" with an army of undead genoshens..that's just bad parenting. And then yes i understand the whole, she didn't exactly lie to Rictor about him being the father thing, but to aloow him to misunderstand her and not correct it. even Layla new what she was up to did you see that look. Not to mention the suprise on Shatterstar's face..he just get's finished explaining his "need" for Rictor in his life and now Rhane's basicly cut Rictor off from him since Rictor has all those "My family's a bunch of murdering arms dealers, so if i ever have kids i'm gonna be the best parent ever(I.E. Straight-nuclear family household..come-on he's hispanic..which is kinda rascist, but he's not actually "out and proud" about his bisexuality so its not a far strec=tch that he might "ditch" shatterstar under the weight of his "family" issues).
....wow i'm probably reading a bit more into the situation then it warrants...
Anywasy, can't wait to here what you think of #209, just read it and it was awesome! ^_^
Great art in this one too, there facial exspressions are so on point. ^_^
TY,
Dre'
I think that's reading more into it than is likely to happen and assuming a lot more than is warranted based on his ethnicity. Frankly, I'd say it's way more than "kinda" racist.
I understand why Peter David is writing this character and this story, and I absolutely respect his talent and, most importantly, that he doesn't have to write this story to please me or anyone else. None of that changes that I do not like the character of Rahne, however, and very likely never will because I have precious little patience for those whose religious beliefs include homophobia. In my own life it has been very difficult for me to forgive or forget when someone's past beliefs have been homophobic or otherwise damning, and that's an issue I apparently have carried forward into the fiction I read, as well, so I guess we both have some issues to work out regarding how many of our real-world filters we apply to story.
OMG, your so right. That was totally that b*word that means prejudiced..which i have totally forgotten how to spell.
I'd like to retracked that statement, and apologize to anyone offended by at well as Pinkkryptonite and GayGamer for posting something so heinous in their forum. Sorry....
I think I should have said that based on the way the character has been written up until this point, the limited version of what a family is, what a "parent" is, and his obvious thoughts concerning monogamy and raising children seem to be leading him into a place where he will be forced to make some tough descicion concerning his relationship with shatterstar and the raising of Rhane's child(you know if nobody fills him in on the real dad..but i'm thinking he might just show up right when he's most effective and creating a "situation").
I hope that was at least a little less offensive...
Thanks for your time,
Dre'
PS- I personally think that Rhane's a nutcase, and should probably get lots and lots of therapy. She's obviously suffers from some type of crazy..what with the multiple brainwashings, near death experiences, thinking of herself as evil, watching her friends die at a young age, and ease with which she kills people. Since I've always viewed her religious beliefs as being the result of her CRAZY relegious fathers brainwashing from a very young age, i kinda just view it as a "coping mechanism" she uses to deal with her very messed up life considering she's. what like, 20-22 or something.. But i can totally respect your right not to share the same views as me and wouldn't think of trying to sway your stance on Rhane's character. Thanks again! ^_^
..offended by what i said, as well as to PinkKryptonite and Gaygamer, because i posted something so heinous in their forum....
...Rictor's limited vision...
..make a tough descision...
...effective at creating a "situation"..
Sorry, I promise i try not to be so bad at English..maybe my computer is just jacked up...or maybe i shouldn't leave comments at 4:35 am..... Thanks again.
Dre - don't sweat it. We all have our prejudices. The important thing is that we can talk about and acknowledge them. And definitely don't worry about your English; those of us who speak it natively aren't all that great at it, either. :)