Review: MAGNETO #3

MAGNETO #3
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Jordie Bellaire
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: May 7, 2014

MAG2014003_DC11jpg_Page1Magneto #3 is written by Cullen Bunn with stellar art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta and colors by Jordie Bellaire. Cullen Bunn has found his niche writing villain/anti-hero books recently, with series like Venom, Magneto, and Sinestro. This series progresses the story of Magneto as he has taken up the mantle of “Protector of Mutantkind.” Bunn and company remain 3 for 3 so far in crafting a beautiful, grounded, and disturbing take on the character, filled with splashes of horror.

Magneto has lost a lot of his power. No longer can he rip entire structures from the ground and crush them into a ball. Bunn has stripped him down. He is now much more of a ground level character. In the first issue we see him driving around in his baby blue Bronco searching for crimes against mutants. He discovers that humans are being turned into Sentinels (mutant-hunting robots). In issue two he figures out who is responsible. And in issue three he walks right to door of those responsible to deal some cold hard justice. He may have less power but that doesn’t mean he has lost any of his drive and passion for protecting mutants.

Magneto has always been a sympathetic character, even at his most villainous. His experience as a Jew during the Holocaust frames his entire existence and life goals. In Magneto #3 we see him grappling with regret over the millions of mutant lives lost during Genosha, something that happened way back in 2005 during House of M, but remains a defining moment for Magneto. This is something he feels very responsible for, and it works to further sympathize the character. I really like the direction Bunn is taking the Magneto character. He writes him like a sad old man driven by mistakes, and in that way it feels similar to some of the best Punisher stories. This is an exciting new direction.

The art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta is a breath of fresh air. Magneto does not look like your typical superhero comic. This is something Marvel has been doing a lot of lately. They have been finding talented and unique artists to shake up the artistic conventions readers are accustomed to. In doing so they have attracted need readers and informed others of the capabilities of the medium. Walta displays a mastery for displaying human emotion with simple lines, particularly the looks of dread that wash over the faces of characters. They are haunting to say the least. I can’t say enough nice things about his art. He beautifully captures action, making it exhilarating and also terrifying. In this issue Magneto faces off against 3 human/Sentinel hybrids. He defeats them rather easily, and while he’s talking to the woman in charge, he keeps the heads of the hybrids floating behind him. It’s chilling. The art is also helped by the colors of Jordie Bellaire. She brings a nice watercolor feel to the book. It feels drab and washed out, which is very fitting with the tone of the book. The panels where Magneto is remembering Genosha are jaw-dropping. The epic pencils by Walta of Genosha being destroyed is backed up by Bellaire’s use of only red and white on the page. The result is stunning and it instantly transports you into the mind of Magneto. This is beautiful comics.

Magneto #3 is another great issue to one of the most promising new series. It’s moody and beautiful. It’s incredibly accessible for new readers to the character, while it also touches upon the legacy of the character for longtime fans. Give this series a chance because Cullen Bunn, Gabriel Walta Hernandez, and Jordie Bellaire are just heating up.

The Verdict: 9.5/10

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