Rating: 1.5/5- Very inaccessible to new readers.
Just to start off this review, I am not in any way up to date on the current Ben 10 universe, but I did watch the entire original cartoon and a good portion of the sequel series, Ben 10 Alien Force. That said, I didn’t expect to be too confused when reading this book as it is listed as simply Ben 10 and is the first issue.
I was sorely disappointed by this poorly paced issue and its general lack of coherency for new readers. The book starts off with a brief introduction of Ben and then immediately launches into a fight scene with what is made to seem like a previously recurring villain (who I was unfamiliar with) who is then defeated and forgotten a page later.
This habit of making vague allusions to villains and aspects of the characters makes this comic very inaccessible to anyone who is not caught up entirely on Ben 10. The art is definitely nothing special and not as detailed as the art seen in the cartoons I’ve watched. The issue jumps from scene to scene with little connective material, relying almost entirely on reader knowledge and short uninspired gags.
I was hoping to be able to catch back up on Ben 10, a series I really enjoyed years ago. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. Unless you’re a diehard fan of Ben 10 and fully caught up on the current series (perhaps this is really the main audience they are going for) this comic is definitely not worth your time.
Reviewed by: Greg Bretall – greg@comicspectrum.com
https://comicspectrum.com/ Covering the full spectrum of comics culture
Follow ComicSpectrum:
ComicSpectrum Comic Reviews 