Magnus: Robot Fighter #2

Fred Van Lente - Writing

Cory Smith - Pencils

Mauricio Wallace - Colorist

Marshall Dillon - Letterer

Gabriel Hardman - Cover

Magnus: Robot Fighter had a superb first tale that made me think there was no way that the title could possibly live up to it’s landmark first installment. I was pleasantly surprised, as the forthcoming entry into the series was impossibly well written and drawn by Fred Van Lente and Cory Smith as the tale was just as intriguing as the first issue. The creative team moves through this tale with wondrous ease, as there is an obvious love of the source material present on each and every page. Some of the different re-imagining of the different concepts and ideas for the original mythos of Magnus were so refreshingly revitalized. In fact, I think this may be the best reboot of this character that we have gotten in a number of years. With the recent reboot from Acclaim earlier last decade so muddled with loose depression and general uninteresting gloomy attire. There are some dark moments in this issue, and the stakes are quite for the lead character at certain moments, but readers can rely on Russell Magnus to make the tough decisions in moments where he could be compromised.

The moment at the beginning with the robots is such a nice piece of writing that effortlessly flows off the page. The main problem with this tale happens primarily towards the back end. The comic is extraordinarily well written and paced, but the final reveal isn’t strong enough to get readers ready for the next installment of the series with such a crowded market. Thankfully, the pointed elegance of the title more than makes up for some of the disappointing pacing issues, making this still one of Dynamite's strongest re-imaginings of a solid title. The ideas that bend throughout the page like the focus on karate, elevate the tale to something that is more focused on substance rather than style.  

The art in this book is really appropriate to the overall story, but readers would be forgiven if they don’t understand how the title flows it first. It is difficult to get caught up with the aesthetic of Magnus: Robot Fighter, as the sharp line work is not something that I could look at upon first glance and appreciate as good comics. But after playing closer attention to the lines and great sense of storytelling that populates the tale, the whole thing gels better than it probably should. The artist does seem like he is slightly rushed on same pages, and does have an overall problem with consistency. With some polish and added attention to detail, this could be smoothed over with ease. Some of the sequences in this title are very well drawn and show off the great martial arts themes that the title contains. There is a specific double page spread in this issue that is incredible, matching great line work and flowing action. Which is why the page at the end feels weirder in the overall context of the book.