PULLED FROM THE BACKLOG: Marineman #1

Previously on Pulled From The Backlog:

From 2009 to 2011, my job had me traveling across the globe.  I found myself traveling from California to St. Louis.  From St. Louis to Singapore.  From Singapore to Macau and Hong Kong.  During that time, I had my LCS in California (DJ's Universal Comics) keep my pull list active. Now back home and readjusting to American life - I find myself facing 3 long boxes FILLED with over two years worth of comics!

Brightest Day and Siege are still new to me.  Dark Horse has just released Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom.  The Image founders are teaming up to bring out Image United.  Now several storylines behind the rest of the world… I pull an issue from the backlog.

Marineman #1

Writer: Ian Churchill     

Artist: Ian Churchill

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: December 2010


Reviewer: Andrew Rubio

Review Date: September 30, 2011

Rating: 3 out of 5



Having read through this week's New 52, I decided to pull something from my two year backlog.  I was looking for a quick read.  A One Shot maybe.  Nothing too complex after having read George Pérez's Superman #1.  Wow!  That book was dense!  After I was done, it felt like I had read a graphic novel.

Packed with words and pictures!

So digging for something breezier, I stumble across Ian Churchill's Marineman #1.  When I originally asked for this book to be added to my pull list, it was because the cover piqued my interest. The main character looked like a bulked up, cartoony Aquaman.  I decided to pull Issue #1 and give it a spin.

First off I gotta say this is one wordy book!  I thought Superman #1 was dense.  Marineman #1 gives any Bendis title a run for its money in the word department.

Wordy!

More Wordy!

Definition of Wordy: Relating to or
consisting of words; verbal.

It really feels like Churchill was trying to teach more than entertain.  I definitely know more about Oceanography now than I did earlier this morning.  I'll admit I zoned out more than once while reading the issue.  This was not the breezy reading I was looking for.

The art on the other hand is very pleasing. Churchill has a good, clean style and a lot of his layouts are very dynamic.  His art literally pops off the page.

No problems here.

For a first issue, it does its job. Introduction to main and supporting characters. Locations. Set up for the first story arc. The book certainly isn't bad but it really wasn't my cup of tea. I never had my LCS pull the rest of the series (which I see runs to Issue #6 - My God! $4.99!?!).  Which worked out well because, to be honest, I'm really not interested in reading further issues.  Sorry, Ian.  

If you're a fan of Churchill's art - By all means pick it up.  Or at this point, pick up the Trade.

Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Rubio