PopCultHQ received an advance review copy of WEAPON X #21 from Marvel Comics. Available August 1st, 2018, the creative team for this series features writing from Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, art from Ricardo López Ortiz, colors by Frank D’Armata, and lettering from VC’s Joe Caramagna.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s review of…
WEAPON X #21
Writers: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente
Artist: Ricardo López Ortiz
Colorist: Frank D’Armata
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Main Cover Artist: Rahzzah
PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
WEAPON X #21
So Weapon X is still going strong, a decent team book which has an interesting catch, but cannot for the life of it keep a decent artist. Weapon X #21 ends a story arc and sets the stage for a new one. With a new team!
The current Weapon X team is composed of Old Man Logan, Domino, Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, and Warpath. With Old Man Logan’s ailing healing factor on the demise, he sends the team on a final mission to Russia where they do battle with the Soviet Super Soldiers!
Writing:
Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente are penning this story of international mutant super-spy intrigue. I first jumped on Weapon X due to the ‘Mutants of Mass of Destruction” story which crossed over with Totally Awesome Hulk. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have cared much for the book. Aside from utilizing Old Man Logan in an interesting take, away from his time in the current X-Men books, Weapon X is pretty much a straight-forward A-Team meets the X-Men series.
This book is a pivotal shift in the series and I wonder if Greg Pak is bowing out to leave Fred Van Lente holding the reigns. Usually a seismic shift such as this in a young book will signal that it could be close to the chopping block. If it were this case for Weapon X, I wouldn’t be surprised.
This paves the way for a new team next issue where it seems Old Man Logan and Warpath are bowing out as leaders. The new team appears to be comprised of Sabretoth, Lady Deathstrike, Domino, and now Omega Red.
I have always loved Omega Red and enjoy when he gets some serious screentime. His first appearance way back in the day with X-Men v2 #4. He was created by Jim Lee, John Byrne, and Scott Lobdell during that whole creative shift in the X-Men books back in 1991, when Chris Claremont finally left at the end of X-Men v2. So here’s to hoping Pak and Van Lente can accomplish new and great things with the character!
Art:
Ricardo López Ortiz is, well…an artist at Marvel Comics. He’s done work for Marvel on books like Kingpin and Totally Awesome Hulk. He has worked on Hitgirl, the Millar book from Image Comics, as well as Wolf for Image. His art is hit or miss and for this issue of Weapon X, he is a complete miss! Look at page 4 with URSA Major (preview page 3, pictured above), who looked like something a child drew in his art class and you would pin to your refrigerator with a magnet. Don’t believe me, turn to page 6 (preview page 5, pictured further down) and JUST look at Omega Red! The fact he’s drawing professional comics really does insult me. Which is a shame because his work on Kingpin was not that bad, I don’t know if it’s inks that messed him up in this issue or not.
PopCultHQ’s overall assessment:
I don’t usually feel this book when I read it. I either pick it up because it ties into something I do read (such as with Totally Awesome Hulk and the “Mutants of Mass Destruction” arc, which indeed gave us Weapon H). Same reason why I followed the book beyond that with the “Hunt for Weapon H” arc. Perhaps with Omega Red as a regular series member of the Weapon X-Force team, I might be a bit more inclined to take a peek every issue.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
2 out of 5 Stars
Could be higher, but this art really is an eyesore. Honestly, I can’t say much because I don’t draw comics professionally, but bad art is bad art. Some art is subjective, yes. What one person likes may be ugly to others, but hands down the art in this book (I think most will agree) is simply wrong and not the right art style for this book.
WEAPON X #21 can be purchased on ComiXology and available
at your local comic shop and online retailers on Wednesday, August 1st!
Writer – Greg Pak
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Writer – Fred Van Lente
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Artist – Ricardo López Ortiz
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Colorist – Frank D’Armata
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Letterer – Joe Caramagna
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Publisher – Marvel Comics
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I completely agree with the total MISS on the art. The art in the comic (Anime meets Calvin & Hobbes) is hideous. Marvel needs to maintain consistent art established by main artist for a title.
I couldn’t agree more on the complete MISS on the art. The art in the comic (Anime meets Calvin & Hobbes) is hideous. Marvel needs to maintain consistent art established by main artist for a title.