After last month’s group review I wanted to give The Fox another chance. Unfortunately this series is really hard to enjoy as a new reader. It’s made little effort in introducing the world in a way that would actually hook new readers. You need to have read the first Fox series. It’s not a recommendation, it’s a need and since I didn’t read it… I always feel a bit lost when reading the story. It’s a shame because even the most shameless Marvel and DC reboot manages to get this right. I get that our main character is a “freak magnet” which seems like a very comic booky way to explain why he’s always in the middle of something. In fact when I read it I couldn’t help but think that our main character was a lot like Spider-Man without the powers, but married. Those are the only two differences because otherwise they’re basically the same character which isn’t a bad thing since the marriage and kid spices things up, but I just don’t know if that’s enough to bring me back each month.
This issue the Fox’s son makes his debut as the Ghost Fox. Which is cool and a nice way of passing the mantel. Too bad Papa Fox wasn’t aware of his kid’s plans. Also I’m a bit confused, is the Fox supposed to constantly change into costume in front of people? How does everyone not piece together his identity from eye-witness accounts?
The gist of this issue aside from introducing the Ghost Fox is that three villains are trying to lure out The Fox in order to cash in on Mr. Smile’s bounty. But wait doesn’t the Fox just want to retire? Why yes he does, but by hunting for him it only makes him more active!
The story is still pretty generic. It’s predictable that some villain is going to capture the Ghost Fox for the bounty and that Mr. Smile will use him to lure out the real Fox. That doesn’t happen here, but really that’s the only way this can shake out. If it manages to find a different way I’ll be impressed, but otherwise I’ll probably tune out.
The art is pretty good. I have a hard time figuring out what I’m looking at on the cover though. I get that it’s basically just a scene from the comic recreated, but let’s be honest it’s hard to see the structure of the face. Otherwise the art instead is solid and really the best part of the comic.
There were a few laughs in this issue… okay actually it was the same running joke, but it worked. I wish there was more. The dialogue between father and son is really stiff, unrealistic and uninteresting. Most of the time I don’t even want to read what they’re saying but just look at the pictures instead and that’s no way to enjoy a comic unless intentionally the point of the comic.
I really don’t know at this point if I’ll be back for more of The Fox. It’s not a bad comic, but it’s not good either. It’s in that average zone and I think it would have really helped if they had treated this like a fresh series that happened to have a past rather than feeling like issue seven or eight in an ongoing which is exactly what it comes across as.
Score: 2/5
The Fox #2 Writers: Dean Haspiel, Mark Waid Artist: Dean Haspiel Publisher: Archie/Dark Circle Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/6/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital