-
8.5
Anyone that follows my blog or my various musings across social media platforms know that I don't read Marvel Comics much. Without being too pretentious I consider this a passive boycott.
It's been this way for a few years now. This was even before comics consumer revolts like #Comicsgate became a thing. I say passive boycott because I will actually read a Marvel comic if its highly recommended by a someone in my circle or I respect the creator behind the story.
Major X falls into the latter category.
Major X is from Rob Liefield, creator of Deadpool, Cable, Domino, and X-Force. The man is a legend in my opinion and is probably the most important creator that has come to prominence in my lifetime.
If you were a kid reading comics in the early 90's you were one of Liefields children.
Major X is revealed as a new character and falls in line with other prominent Liefield creations. The exception being that Major X is subdued. The Liefield trademark of huge guns and pockets everywhere is gone from Major X. The character actually looks like a cross between Deadpool/Cable and they both make appearances in this book.
The book takes place across time and space. In the future, Mutants apparently, have left earth for an alternate realm created by an entity known as the X-Ential. Major X searches the setting for cracks in the realm and has the mission of preserving the status quo. (If this interpretation of the future is off or I'm missing something let me know.)
While on patrol the Major is interrupted by M'Koy (Beast?) and reality begins to crumble around them. The characters escape and teleport to the past, which happens to be a variation of New Mutants #98. The first appearance of Deadpool.
It's during this sequence that Rob artistically lets his nuts hang. He is often criticized as an artist. Some of the criticisms are valid but none of those complaints exist in this issue. The art is fantastic and Rob gets a lot of mileage out of the locations and action sequences. Every page is interesting to look at and the highlight of the comic are the homages to New Mutants #98.
The book even features direct callbacks to the issue. What's interesting is that we see Major X. Stand up convincingly up to Cable, Deadpool, Wolverine and the entirety of the New Mutants. The comic ends on a nice cliffhanger and we get the reveal the man behind the mask.
The only weakness to the issue is that the dialogue is wonky in spots. I wasn't expecting Alan Moore but some of the lines are eye-rollingly cringe.
The issue is an above average reading experience. I'm glad I put aside my passive boycott and picked it up. The book is worth it for the art alone. The story is interesting enough to pique your interest for what's to come. Rob Liefield has sold me on his concept and now I'm hooked and along for the ride. more
-
7.5
It is a nostalgia trip to say the least but I’m kinda on board that Rob seems to be telling the story as if he is still in 1990. It was after all a character that was supposed to be fit in to the X universe back then but when all the artist of that day shook up the industry you can kinda see why it was never released. The fact it brought back so many memories I’m glad it came to life.
-
5.0
If enormous shoulder pads, gritted teeth, and bulging belt pouches is what you are looking for, Rob Liefeld's Maor X #1 is a cacophony of 90’s nostalgia featuring more extreme characters than you can shake a tiny foot at.
Whenever I review a comic I try and take into consideration what the intent of the creators might be. It is unfair in my opinion to judge an Archie comic in the same way I would Watchmen. THe intent is different in each case and so it is only fair to grade on a curve depending on what I feel the work is trying to accomplish.
Major X #1 is obviously trying to recapture the excitement and cool energy that resulted in the extreme success Rob Liefeld enjoyed in the 90’s, and more recently with the resurgence of characters like Deadpool, Cable, or Domino.
With a “bad-guy-fights-with-good-guys-but-is-really-a-misunderstood-good-guy” opening, a time-traveling super-soldier picks a fight with every mutant that Liefeld has created (and some he didn’t) and hands them their collective asses. Flash back to Major X’s recent history in four pages of him riding through the desert, we learn he is from an alternate reality that is in danger, and has come to this universe to find help. We are left with a cliffhanger that is not entirely unexpected but somewhat intriguing.
Sound familiar? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Reinventing the wheel has never been the secret of Liefeld’s success. Characters like Deadpool, Domino, and Cable are little more than replicas or fusions of other beloved superheroes. That is the formula that has made Liefeld a millionaire many time over. You can’t blame him or Marvel for trying to go back to the well, even if it is running a little dry.
Don’t get me wrong, all the classic elements are there; Gun-toting time travelers, misunderstood mutants, adamantium swords, wise-cracking mercs, and pouches, pouches, pouches. However the energy with which they are delivered has been tempered. The art is unmistakable, but without the dynamic excitement from his best days that forgive some of its more wonky aesthetic. The story is familiar territory and let’s be honest - as with much of his writing the characters and concepts outshine the actual narrative.
For thirty years Rob has taken fans on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. He has excited them, infuriated them, and eventually drawn begrudging respect from many. Love him or hate him, he has left a unique mark on the industry and there is no denying that his characters have endured the test of time. Major X is a throwback that may eventually find similar prosperity, but for now only the most die-hard of fans will walk away from this issue feeling satisfied.
more
-
4.0
Rob Liefeld has said that the Major X storyline was one he came up with back in 1992 when he was working on the X-Force title. After I read this issue I felt that statement is obviously true. The art in this book felt as if Rob had dusted off some old pages and turned them in with some new dialog. To be fair many of the panels are lifted from Rob's own work in New Mutants volume one number 98. The panels show different perspectives and include different characters, but are very similar in artistic skill. The one thing Liefeld has always had in his art is high energy. This issue did keep that high energy with plenty of action. The art is not the main issue with the comic, however. The issue fell apart for me with the lack of story. We get some expositionary narration from Major X explaining (but not really showing) the mutant utopia he lives in. Major's world which he calls X-istence, is falling apart with little explanation. Major and his partner (who may be a relative to Beast) escapes to the main Marvel universe around the time X-Force is forming. A fight breaks out between the new arrivals and the X-Force because that is how superheroes great each other. The most confusing part for me was that Wolverine is there with absolutely no explanation. Wolverine has no connection to X-Force at this time. If this book takes place during New Mutants 98, Wolverine would still have no reason to be present. The story lacks engaging details only giving you enough plot to move the action forward. Hopefully a clear distinction on when this takes place and why is better explored in future issues. The issue gives you a couple twist to try and keep you coming back next issue. As a reader of the New Mutants/X-Force series when it was releasing I could see how this story would fit in that timeline and keep you interested. This story is so far removed at this point that it might not have that effect. It pains me to say it because I love the era this is trying to capture, but I would pass on this issue. Perhaps the collection will be worth it when all is said and done. more
-
4.0
This feels forced. And bad. And so full of cliches. And bad writing. And characters are acting like so oddly here. It is like they are written by a person who hasn't seen their growth in 30 years or so...
-
3.5
This story could be satirical comedy gold if it was being told by creators who were willing to acknowledge/celebrate its stupidity. But I'd as soon take a blood transfusion from a turnip as I would expect self-aware irony from a Rob Liefeld comic. He seems like a nice guy in interviews and even willing to joke about his various infamies. But on the comics page, he's all deadly seriousness and earnest naivete and "what do you mean attacking Wolverine with a future sword forged out of his own bones isn't the coolest thing ever? Did I mention it's FROM THE FUTURE?!"
-
3.5
Been a very very long time since I've read something this bad. I don't mind Liefeld as much as some other people do, so I thought I'll check out that new book he's doing at Marvel - it cannot be that bad, right? I was very wrong. Both the writing and the art are incredibly bad, the whole story feels too forced, making this whole thing incredibly infuriating to read. I never wanted to stop reading midway through an issue like I did reading this piece of 'art'.
I will continue reading this series just to see how much worse it can get. Or maybe I just enjoy suffering.
-
2.0
Oh man, this was really bad. We have things explained probably four times. The same thing, but with maybe little kernals of new information. There's so much cliche here and it goes on and on and on.
-
1.5
This reads like it's from 1992 and looks worse.
-
10
-
10
-
7.5
-
6.0
-
6.0
-
5.0
-
5.0
-
2.5
-
2.0
-
2.0
-
1.0
Prev
© 2025
