Howdy Bibliophiles!

I hope you’re having a great week so far. I’ve been keeping to myself with costs for everything going up (*cough cough GAS), and it doesn’t look like that’s gonna get better anytime soon, so I’m enjoying the extra alone time.

With said alone time in mind, I finished another read! This time I read the graphic novel Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman.

Funny story. I had previously checked my library system’s availability for this book, and they didn’t have it at any branch. So there I was just wandering around at the Smithville branch when BAM! This graphic novel was sitting on the shelf right in front of me. Needless to say I snatched it up before anyone else could get their greedy paws on it!

From what I gather, this is a reimagining of some of Marvel’s favorite heroes set in the year 1602. I love Neil Gaiman’s works catered to a younger audience (the adult books not quite as much), so I jumped right into this bad boy.

Did I like it? Well, you’re gonna have to keep reading to find out!

Blurb

In Marvel 1602, award-winning writer Neil Gaiman presents a unique vision of the Marvel Universe set four hundred years in the past. Classic Marvel icons such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil appear in this intriguing world of 17th-century science and sorcery, instantly familiar to readers, yet subtly different in this new time. Marvel 1602 combines classic Marvel action and adventure with the historically accurate setting of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign to create a unique series unlike any other published by Marvel Comics.

Collecting Marvel 1602 #1-8 – penciled by andy Kubert and digitally painted by Richard Isanove, with covers by Scott McKowen.

GoodReads

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The Review

Four fantastic stars goes to this thoughtful reimagination of some of Marvel’s most famous heroes!

In this graphic novel, our favorite superheroes are set in 1602, the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Strange storms are plaguing the world, and sinister plots threaten England’s peaceful yet shaky reign. When a series of horrible events transpire, our heroes must band together to save the world or die trying.

I had so much fun reading this graphic novel!

The fresh theme and premise really drew me in. This is something of a parallel universe where our favorite heroes exist hundreds of years before our favorite tales have been spun. I liked examining all the small differences in each character presented. It was fascinating and fun, and I’m glad my favorite X-Man Iceman was there for the action!

The plot was a lot of fun. It was something of a political plot to start, but the politics didn’t overpower the superhuman action behind it all. Speaking of battles, there were plenty of them, and each scene was riveting. Dialing things back to the world of 1602 made fighting and the possibilities present different. I also appreciated the limitations given to some of our superheroes. Everything was extremely well thought out.

My two minor quips I have were the language and the nicknames.

The language could get confusing. Obviously the characters are speaking true to the time they are set in, but it slowed down my pace enough to pull me out of the story from time to time. Some of Reed’s explanations were very confusing, although I think it was meant to be that way.

There are a lot of characters, and some of them started using nicknames after the halfway mark that also confused me. There’s already a healthy roster, so keeping things as simplified as possible would’ve been better.

Other than that, I have no complaints. This was a well thought out adaptation of what could’ve been in the Marvel Universe, and I think any Marvel fan would enjoy this wonderfully executed graphic novel!

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this graphic novel review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this graphic novel? Are there similar ones you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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