Spaceknights #2 Review
Lee's "Rom Evangelist" Reviews
SPACEKNIGHTS #2 - "Dishonor!"
Marvel Comics; Nov 2000
22 pages; $2.99 US, $4.50 CAN
Writer/Plot: Jim Starlin
Penciler/Plot: Chris Batista
Inker: Chip Wallace
Letters: Jon Babcock
Colors: Tom Chu & Illusion Art Colors
Editor: Mike Marts
Chief: Bob Harras
Capsule:
More wonderful art, but the story just didn't grab me. I'm expecting
that to change next issue. Mildly recommended.
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
In case you didn't know, I seem to be one of the biggest (or at least
most vocal) Rom fans on the Internet. Therefore, this review is
biased, but I've tried to keep it balanced. I just hope I haven't
overcompensated by heaping on too much criticism.
First, the cover. It would make a wonderful pin-up, but as a cover I
don't think it does the job of grabbing people's attention, which is
something this series desperately needs to do. Other than Val
(Sentry), there's not much intriguing about a bunch of young people
standing around in cool uniforms. Now if they'd all been in their
armor.... Luckily, the preview I've seen of #3's cover on the Web
does the job better.
For the rest of the book, I have absolutely no complaints about the
art. Batista and Wallace are a great team. Chu's colors look good,
too. And more cool special effects, too. I think Babcock's lettering
has improved in that the balloons don't seem to be stretched too far
from the speakers like last issue. (And the Wraithknight balloons
look cool.)
As for the story, well, as I said, it didn't grab me. Perhaps it was
a lack of overall suspense. There was no suspense during the main
fight between the Spaceknights and Trionians because, as is said,
their "superior technology plainly gives [the Spaceknights] an edge."
The hint that Lord Gaspar is a Dire Wraith early in the issue is
almost a given after what we see later. (Although, truthfully, it
probably would have been silly to try to drag that out further.) And
maybe it was just me, but just from reading the solicitations and such,
I had enough of a hint that Lightningbolt was gonna be toast.
Perhaps the main problem with Lightningbolt's death was that he was
just introduced in this issue. He wasn't around long enough for us to
really care about his death. At least Starshine seemed appropriate
outraged, although her very first question (basically, "whose fault
was it?") seemed a bit forced.
Speaking of caring, perhaps this series should have just been called
"Liberator & Co.," because so far we've seen so little of most of the
other characters. Balin (Terminator) seems like nothing but a spoiled
brat and class A jerk. I have seen nothing that makes me sympathetic
to him in the least. I have seen enough of Sentry to like him. The
rest of the characters we know little about, and that's a real shame.
We don't even get to see all their powers during their first fight.
Shouldn't Javelin be wielding a Javelin at some point? And just
what's so special about Liberator's gun? (In the past, each
Spaceknight had a unique power.) Even Terminator has yet to
demonstrate whether he has the black light eyebeams of his namesake.
Perhaps there are just too many characters to adequately introduce in
a limited series? In fairness, they did try to give us glimpses into
what makes some of these character's special during their
introductions. The problem is that Tristan's comments really need to
be followed up seeing the characters individual personalities in
action.
Despite what I said, I am committed to seeing this series through. I
think some of the views expressed here are the result of some of my
recent e-mail conversations with Mr. Batista, although I don't need to
say too much about that. There's nothing shocking or dramatic going
on, it's mainly that, as Starlin admitted in his interview with Comic
Book Resources, he doesn't really know Rom or Galador and their
"history." It's also possible Batista fed me a few too many hints of
what's to come before the series started. Anyway here's hoping issue
#3 provides a dramatic turning point.
(BTW, you might also want to check out the Spaceknights Annotations I
posted on racmu. They're also available at my Rom, Spaceknight
Revisited web site (http://home.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/comics/Rom/.)
