Comic Review – “1602 #2”

The second issue of Neil Gaiman’s Marvel miniseries hits
today as well. The first issue was easily the highest selling
comic in August, but I think JLA/Avengers #1
has it beat this month.

General Information

Title: 1602 #2

Author: Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Andy Kubert

Original Publication Date: September 10, 2003

Cover Price: $3.50 US, $5.75 Can

Premise

The players are taking up their positions for the events that
are
coming. I’d say the prologue is complete, and the plot is
ready to
kick into high gear.

High Point

Rojhaz steps into action.

Low Point

“John” Grey doesn’t even look male. How many people is
“he” fooling?

The Scores

The concept is still fresh and original, and
things are
shaping into a cross-over that will pit different characters
against
each other than we are used to. Things look promising. I
give it 5
out of 6.

The artwork is as last issue; people with facial
hair, signs
of age, or scars look great. The rest look bland. I give it 4
out of 6.

The story is just beginning. Still, this issue is
another
“here are the characters” issue. It’s less forgivable than
Supreme Power #2, as most of these
characters were around
last month. I give it 3 out of 6.



The characterization only developed for
Rojhaz. The rest of
the characters gained no depths they didn’t have last
month. I give
it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response is just starting to
move past the
“spot the hero” stage and into the “what’s coming next?”
stage. I
give it 4 out of 6.

The flow is dampened by a series of disjoint
scenes in
various locations, and an art style that looks more like a
series of
stills than a sequence of images. I give it 3 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a good set-up, but it’s nothing
more than
that. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, 1602 #2 receives 27 out of 42.

2 replies on “Comic Review – “1602 #2””

  1. NJ’s Views
    This book is leaving me high and dry. What looked like was going to be a fun romp is now in archaic mode. Is Rojhas Thor? Is Virgina Maid Snowbird? Why isn’t Natasha working for Otto von Doom? And the Vulture as an assassin? Boring. I don’t think Gaiman is doing his best nor attempting to do his best.

    -NJ

    • Re: NJ’s Views

      This book is leaving me high and dry. What looked like was going to be a fun romp is now in archaic mode. Is Rojhas Thor? Is Virgina Maid Snowbird? Why isn’t Natasha working for Otto von Doom? And the Vulture as an assassin? Boring. I don’t think Gaiman is doing his best nor attempting to do his best.

      -NJ

      Rojhaz is supposed to be Captain America (Steve Rogers), but that one threw a bunch of people. Virginia Dare was a real person, but if she’s supposed to represent a Marvel character, I have no idea who.

      The annotations page for the first issue might help a bit…

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