Ravencroft #5 Review
Writer: Frank Tieri
Artist: Angel Unzueta
Colours: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letters: VC’s Joe Sabino
Ravencroft has been a disappointing series from beginning to end. This final issue hasn’t taken any steps to remedy this unfortunately. All of the mysteries that this series has introduced are answered here, but rather than give any conclusive answers it just presents new ones. It’s clear that Marvel have a plan going forward for the Ravencroft asylum, and as the prelude one shots suggested it’ll have ties to whatever happens with Knull and his arrival on Earth. The real question though is whether this will tie into Donny Cates’ storyline, or whether it’ll be an incidental tie-in and a bit of a money grab. My personal opinion is the latter.
There are a number of area’s where this series have faltered. It’s been difficult to choose any characters to overly care about. It’s been very focused on furthering the plot and there hasn’t been any character development over the series. The handling of The Punisher has been atrocious. He reads more like a caricature of the character rather than the stone cold killer that he is. And it hasn’t read as believable at any stage. When a review is saying a comic isn’t believable that should be raising some serious red flags.
One of the weaker storyline of the Absolute Carnage event was the Lethal Protectors tie-in, and all the subsequent Ravencroft storylines have felt like a continuation of that unnecessary and poor storyline. It gives this entire series the feel of being a cash grab off the back of Absolute Carnage, by making it seem like essential reading for Knulls eventual arrival on Earth. The overall importance of the events here are, however, questionable at best.
Angel Unzueta’s art has been one of the strongest parts of the series and it doesn’t disappoint here. Unzueta’s had the opportunity to draw a number of unexpected and iconic marvel characters over the course of the series and has done a great job with them. It’s just disappointing that the script he was given to work with wasn’t any better. Again, Rachelle’s Rosenbergs colours have done an impressive job with Unzueta’s art, but even with the comic looking as good as it does it isn’t able to redeem the series.
A disappointing conclusion to a disappointing series. Despite attempting to convince readers of its importance to the overall Knull storyline, it doesn’t read as essential reading rather just Marvel being greedy and trying to make the most money out of Cates’ excellent run on Venom and Absolute Carnage. The great art isn’t enough to recommend this comic.
Artist: Angel Unzueta
Colours: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letters: VC’s Joe Sabino
Ravencroft has been a disappointing series from beginning to end. This final issue hasn’t taken any steps to remedy this unfortunately. All of the mysteries that this series has introduced are answered here, but rather than give any conclusive answers it just presents new ones. It’s clear that Marvel have a plan going forward for the Ravencroft asylum, and as the prelude one shots suggested it’ll have ties to whatever happens with Knull and his arrival on Earth. The real question though is whether this will tie into Donny Cates’ storyline, or whether it’ll be an incidental tie-in and a bit of a money grab. My personal opinion is the latter.
There are a number of area’s where this series have faltered. It’s been difficult to choose any characters to overly care about. It’s been very focused on furthering the plot and there hasn’t been any character development over the series. The handling of The Punisher has been atrocious. He reads more like a caricature of the character rather than the stone cold killer that he is. And it hasn’t read as believable at any stage. When a review is saying a comic isn’t believable that should be raising some serious red flags.
One of the weaker storyline of the Absolute Carnage event was the Lethal Protectors tie-in, and all the subsequent Ravencroft storylines have felt like a continuation of that unnecessary and poor storyline. It gives this entire series the feel of being a cash grab off the back of Absolute Carnage, by making it seem like essential reading for Knulls eventual arrival on Earth. The overall importance of the events here are, however, questionable at best.
Angel Unzueta’s art has been one of the strongest parts of the series and it doesn’t disappoint here. Unzueta’s had the opportunity to draw a number of unexpected and iconic marvel characters over the course of the series and has done a great job with them. It’s just disappointing that the script he was given to work with wasn’t any better. Again, Rachelle’s Rosenbergs colours have done an impressive job with Unzueta’s art, but even with the comic looking as good as it does it isn’t able to redeem the series.
A disappointing conclusion to a disappointing series. Despite attempting to convince readers of its importance to the overall Knull storyline, it doesn’t read as essential reading rather just Marvel being greedy and trying to make the most money out of Cates’ excellent run on Venom and Absolute Carnage. The great art isn’t enough to recommend this comic.
A Look Inside
