Review: X-Ray Robot #2
With X-Ray Robot Michael Allred reminds us just how much fun comics should be. The second issue is packed with crazy time travel and trans-dimensional portal hijinks. As with Silver Surfer, the adventure is a perfect setup for Allred“s brand of fluid, funny style of storytelling. Max Wilding meets his far-future Robot self who needs his science team“s help taking down the Ultimate Nihilist who is using time travel to create time paradoxes leading to multiple universes. Max and his friends must cross dimensions and times to prevent these anomalies or else time and space will collapse.
This is a trope we have seen in various incarnations like Flashpoint, but the likeable cast and amazing art keeps things feeling fresh and interesting. The team follows the Robot into a bridge between timestreams called Surreality. He tells Max, Marnie and Dr Osamu they must go to the alternate dimensions to stop historical events from being changed to stabilize existence itself.
Back in the lab Saunders loses a hand and then half his body to dimensional portals. He makes it back just in time for Reynolds to try and destroy the lab before he is also pulled into a portal. The issue ends with the team being separated by the Robot as they each go on separate missions to stop time anomalies, while Nihilis captures Reynolds and causes a massive explosion in the labs. The main issue with this is that it“s all setup and no payoff.
The crux of the series will be in the dimension-hopping capers and this issue takes too long getting us there. While the moral conundrums of time travel, multiverse reversals and following advice from your future self are interesting and well executed here, they feel like time fillers before we get to the real action. These exposition sequences are interesting but it would be more fun to see them blended into the action of the various dimensions.
Of course the main attraction of any book by Mike and Laura Allred is the insane, incredible art. This book pops with all the fun, bombastic effects we expect from this team. The art and colors perfectly suit this story. The Surreality absolutely lives up to its name. All of the characters are visually unique and interesting. X-Ray Robot is an absolute joy of a book, Even if it is taking us down a narrative path that feels familiar. The absolutely glorious artwork and great character work is well worth taking the adventure.Â
Writing: 3.8 of 5 stars
Artwork: 4.7 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.7 of 5 stars
Overall: 4.4 of 5 stars
Writer: Mike Allred
Artist: Mike Allred
Colorist: Laura Allred
Letterer: Nate Piekos of Blambot
Editor: Daniel Chabon
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Author Profile
- M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.
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