By: Cullen Bunn (writer), Javier Fernandez (artist), Jordie Bellaire (color artist)
The Story: Magneto celebrates Memorial Day his own way.
The Review: With a sterling opening arc put to bed, Cullen Bunn’s Magneto now moves into different territory for its fourth issue, providing a one-off examination of where Erik goes, physically and mentally, between battles.
At this point a number of Bunn’s tricks are beginning to make themselves known. Especially only two weeks after the last issue of this series, it’s hard not to notice how many scenes there are of Magneto walking through dark corridors between the two. Likewise, it’s clear that one of the series’ trademarks is its methodical, almost procedural, way of documenting Magneto’s mission, methods, and kills. It does hurt the effect to see these devices called upon again so quickly, but they were effective for a reason.
While the Omega-Sentinels plotline is over, for now, this issue seems to say to its readers that the book will carry on with the same tone and flavor. One thing that Bunn excels at is imbuing his violence with purpose. Every move Magneto makes is calculatedly vicious in a way that very few stories even attempt. I still don’t think Magneto kills “on autopilot”, as an onlooker from issue 1 put it; indeed, it seems to me that it is actually of the utmost importance to him to be present and conscious of each strike and each murder. For Magneto, his power is a fusion of physical ability and focused will.
The dichotomy of these elements is the strongest part of the issue, as a retreat to an old hideaway reminds Magnus of the reasons he fights. The answer is fitting for a holocaust survivor and has a certain charm to it, though it might not be subtle enough for some readers.
I personally don’t care for the Purifiers much, so their inclusion as obstacles for Erik didn’t move me but this issue does highlight the problem with the organization for me. In their first appearance this issue, the Purifiers are using a pretense of Christian charity to bus mutants to their deaths, a chilling echo of Magneto’s past. These Purifiers are quite well written and make for a brief but interesting insight into the mind of the anti-mutant movement. Soon after, however, we meet the more traditional breed: dressed like priests with flamethrowers and spouting pseudo-biblical drivel. These Purifiers aren’t presented as very bright, fanatical is really their only quality. The dogmatization of hate is a terrifying concept, but, especially in a book that deals with the real and the grit of Magneto’s war, the sincerely misguided bus driver seems a much better representation of that concept than these strange rejects from a Sunday School cartoon.
Javier Fernandez steps in as a guest penciller this month. After three issues of Gabriel Hernandez Walta, it’s hard to envy anyone who would have to fill those shoes, but Fernandez does an admirable job of replicating the feeling of Walta’s work. There’s a similar heavy, sketchy style to the artwork that makes for a nice bridge between the two artists, but there are differences that help give Fernandez his own visual identity. These include much sharper angles and a greater sense of three-dimensionality. There’s actually something of Guillem March’s work on titles like Talon and Azrael in some of these pages, though the finish is very different.
The best pages are probably those that take place under the light of day. Free from the oppressive shadows of Magneto’s base, Fernandez crafts attractively stylized moments of calm and visions of pulse pounding carnage. There’s a flow and momentum in these scenes that really make them stand out.
Unfortunately, in the dark things don’t fare as well. Particularly during Magneto’s musings early on the facial anatomy in the issue simply isn’t up to snuff. The lines in Erik’s face are all in the right places but they make him look less natural rather than more. And whether it’s too much or too little, the difference in scale between neck and head is another element that frequently looks off.
The final encounter with the Purifiers falls somewhere between these two extremes and demonstrates a blending of Fernandez’ personal technique and Walta’s influence. The mood and intensity are definitely there and Fernandez’ inking skill is on fine display. The characters have weight and passion but there are some problems with clarity when Magneto’s powers come into play, which is strange as it was such a strong suit during the bus scene. Nonetheless, it’s hard to follow movement during the climactic fight.
The Conclusion: Magneto #4 is another solid look into the mind of the Master of Magnetism. Erik’s inner monologue remains the main attraction, even if it occasionally hijacks the flow of the issue. The series remains unlike anything else the Big Two are putting out while feeling fully at home within the X-Men brand.
Javier Fernandez strikes me as an artist of great promise. His personal flourishes are attractive and he replicates some of Gabriel Walta’s trademarks with more success than anyone has a right to. Nonetheless, I can’t deny that he feels somewhat untested. He seems to not always know his limits and the result is a book that can look somewhat sophomoric. I expect to see his name again, but at the moment his work is slightly unsteady and not quite what fans of the series have come to expect.
In short, Magneto #4 is a decent read, overflowing with personality, but it’s much weaker than its brethren. Bunn crafts another solid story, but when it comes down to it, it reads like well-written but unessential filler. While I still recommend it for fans of the series, it’s not required reading nor is it the best place to jump on.
Grade: B-
-Noah Sharma