Writer: Saladin Ahmed // Artist: Javier Rodriguez // Marvel
Silky Smooth Transitions
In this issue of Exiles I fell deep in love with the action and smoothness between the panels. Instead of moving my eyes it felt like a moving picture. The scenes consistently glided to the point that it started to feel cinematic. The story telling heightened from the last issue both artistically and dialogue wise. One thing I looked closely at was how the speed matched up with the alignment of the metaphorical placement of their reality. When the characters seem to be in disarray the speed of the comic goes with it. When the characters seem to be slowing down, we were there with the insights and the spontaneity. It was a necessary change in pace and made me appreciate the characters even more.
Bold Writing and Even Bolder Flavors
The art was just as bold as the writing. When the surprises hit, the coloring did not fail to hit with it. The placement of these characters had intent. I did not once wonder if someone was left out or if there was overshadowing that was not on purpose. The personalities versus the setting showed in their body movements and even in their stillness I was in awe. The text highlighted a form of grief, and what I loved was that the bright colors shone beyond the darkness. The art work in the Exiles continues to reflect the internal metaphors or subjects within the text across the panels. That is an important aspect I wish many artists pay attention to because not only does it make everything more significant, it keeps certain ideas in your subconscious.
What I can’t wait to see more of, is character backgrounds. The great thing about this comic is that it brings back various versions of characters from past issues/different dimensions. As someone who might not remember details, or never read it, it is kind of hard to follow the minor details. It might help to add some asterisks where there are important moments to look back on. It might tear the fourth wall a bit, but it is something that hindered my understanding in the past issues. You need some research for these comics, which is beautiful because reflection. Annoying because not all of the time does that heighten the experience when you don’t remember what certain sections are referencing.
9.2 Super Secret Dimension Portals out of 10
Reading Exiles? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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