Review: Spandex #7

Artist(s): Martin Eden.

You know when you’ve read (or watched) something you like and you feel like telling your friends, but you don’t want to reveal anything they have to enjoy by themselves? I find myself in this common bind with the seventh issue of Spandex, which concludes the current storyline.

After the big, big reveal of the previous issue, this conclusion is largely about the consequences of events throughout the entire series. Martin Eden gives each team member moving scenes which present their decision concerning their private life and their continuing presence in Spandex in light of the manipulation they now know they’ve been a victim of (Shades of Professor Xavier!). Let’s just say that the team is much changed by the end of the series, in what feels like a changing of the guard from Lee/Kirby’s X-Men to the Wein/Cockrum team. With more queer characters.
Regarding comics references, there’s also a confrontation about a mental deception that will remind readers of Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo’s Enigma of the ending of that excellent comic, though with a distinctively different resolution.

Though I find Eden’s handling of his characters absolutely coherent, I must admit my discomfort with his portrayal of a character’s suicide and its consequences. Again, I can’t be more specific without explaining the scene.

As for the art, Eden uses for much of the issue a 3×3 grid that makes for dense reading, especially with its multiple threads followed on each page. This is not a comic I read in five minutes.
I’ve grown very fond of Eden’s seemingly simple style, which I would like to see evolve toward Alex Toth’s minimalism and impact.

This might be the end of the mini-series, but Eden has promised us one last hurrah, in the shape of a supersized special that will have the team facing a hinted danger for which it is was specifically designed by its leader. So, we have a date for later this year, one which I certainly intend to keep.

Head over to Martin Eden’s website to buy these self-published comics in print or as pdf, as well as to discover a gallery of cool fan art by other artists.

1 comment to Spandex #7

  • Joe Palmer

    I’m glad to learn Eden delved much more into the manipulation sub-plot that was touched on in the scene with…oh dammit. I’ve forgotten the character’s name. The woman in red.