Comic Bastards

View Original

Review: Doctor Spektor: Master of the Occult #3

Magnus, Solar, and Turok crossed over into Spektor’s dimension to assist him in dealing with enemies that have replaced the doctor’s friends and threaten his existence.  As the image of Gail, the forgotten woman, crosses his mind, Adam Spektor struggles to realize what is real and what isn’t. The spirit of Madam Rose and the ghost of Lenny aid Spektor’s assistant Abbey while Magnus and the good doctor work on closing the portal between the worlds.  As the battle rages, Spektor gets a visit from someone he never expected.

Spektor03-Cov-WardFirst off, the art on this book does not convey the action very well.  One panel where Spektor angrily replies to Magnus, Robot fighter has the doctor looking like a bad Rob Liefield angry face.  You remember those—the character has squinty eyes and mouth forming an “o” showing that the illustrated person looks to be ready for something other than talking.  And some of the images of Solar, Woman of the Atom look painfully rudimentary.  Worst of all, Spektor looks like a Robert Downey, Jr. wannabe with a Jimmy Darmody fade.

As far as the story goes, the premise of the book had never been fully realized before this Dynamite crossover interfered with the character development.  The only elements of the occult in the book happen to be the spirits of the two recently deceased guiding Abbey through her paces.  While the ending does hold some suspense, all the tension gets undercut by the lack of information helping the reader understand who Gail is.

And at that point, no one really cares.


Score: 2/5


Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Neil Edwards, Roberto Castro Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/20/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital