Review: He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse #5
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â Tim Seeley
Artist: Tom Derenick
Colors:Â Matt Yackey
Letters:Â Saida Temofonte
Reviewer:Â Tony Farina
Summary
This month in He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse #5, the Dolph Lungren He-man and the cartoon He-man along with Prince Keldor and Skeletor fight anti-He-man. For real. That happens. No. Really. Why would I make that up?
Positives
Look at the cover of He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse #5 by Inhyuk Lee. It is absolutely stunning. The whole series has been so good. I am always roped in. This month, Tom Derenick does all the art. He pencils and inks himself and the entire book is better off for it. It has a nice 80s feel which is great because of the Dolph He-man and the TV He-man being the focus of this. Yackey’s colors have been so great this entire run, and with this standard art style, he really gets to shine.
The focus on just one aspect of this story is better. It helps. Still, there is a lot going on.
Negatives
I hate to keep banging on work that I am not capable of doing, but this book is a mess. This particular issue is the best one since the first issue. It isn’t that Seeley is a bad writer or that Derenick is a bad artist. They are both very good on other books. Dan Fraga is also great. It is just that a mini-series needs a focus. We need a hero or two. There have been way too many here. Keldor is supposed to be the hero, but he hasn’t been because the book is supposed to be about He-man. False advertising and all of that.
Verdict
Ultimately, unless you are a super fan, you have not continued to read this series. It is beautiful to see, but it just doesn’t land on its feet. Yes, it is great to see the “classic” He Men in action. Battle Cat is a welcome sight, but overall, this just doesn’t make sense. I am not sure how they are going to tie all this together next month. I suspect all the He-men will merge into one like Jet Li in The One. This book is essentially that plot anyway. Maybe you should buy this to look at the excellent art and then watch The One so you can follow what is happening here.
