Home :: Books :: Comics & Graphic Novels  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels

Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment
Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality
Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sports
Teens
Travel
Women's Fiction
X-Men: Beginnings

X-Men: Beginnings

List Price: $14.95
Your Price: $14.95
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 >>

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: It's not a 'book'.
Review: (First, to answer the other person's [SHOUTED] question about why this book costs twice as much for fewer pages: This is the graphic novel, with the three "Prequel" comics and the Graphical adaptation of the movie. The 233-page book is a normal novelization with words -- no four-color pages.)

The graphic novelizations were disappointing. Rogue's, at least, didn't follow either the movie or the comic book, so it wasn't particularly helpful, and the movie part of the book was by no means complete. I didn't even really like the artwork, because they had to try and make the drawings look like the actors. Just read the comics separately.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I have to agree with the others!
Review: 7 August 2000: I saw the movie 2 times already and I have to say that I just LOVE IT! I've always been an X-men fan. And it was amazing! You have to love all the talent that worked on that movie. Can't wait for the DVD! Oh, and also I bought this book, I've already read it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wolverine spectacular
Review: I loved the movie and I just HAD to buy the book! Wolverine was SOOOOOO awesome I was hoping Bryan Singer wouldn't dissapoint and he and Hugh Jackman certainly didn't!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: X-men, is Xcellent
Review: I saw the movie and just had to read the book. I loved the animated series and comics when I was young. Hugh Jackman is a wonderful wolverine, better than I expected. In fact everyone was cast perfectly. Missed the Beast and Gambit, but hopefully they will be in the sequel. I hope the hard-core fans liked it as much as those who have never heard of the X-men. Surely no one can deny, it's Excellent.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The comic book of the movie that was based on a comic book
Review: It is always interesting to see the official comic book adaptation of a movie that is based on a comic book in the first place. Ralph Macchio has the honors of adapting the screenplay, with penciler Anthony Williams and inker Andy Lanning handling the artwork. Obviously this is really no place to talk about how the X-Men comic was adapted to the silver screen, but rather how it makes the transition back to its original art form. My criticism boils down to one basic comment: 48-pages is not long enough to tell this story. Macchio gets all the words in but Williams is pretty much handcuffed from turning the movie into a "real" comic book. Entire scenes are crammed into a couple of pages and outside of a few splash panels there is no opportunity to use the medium to the advantage of the story. Look at what the big fight between Sabertooth and Wolverine boils down to. We have seen entire comic books devoted to epic fights between a single superhero and a single supervillain. This is just too crammed into this few pages and despite Williams's efforts you know he could have done better with half again as many pages with which to work.

Also included in this collection are reprints of a pair of X-Men issues focusing on Magneto and arguably their best confrontation, #112 "Magneto Triumphant" and #113 "Showdown" (both illustrated by John Bryne), as well as #171 "Rogue," penciled by Walt Simonson and finished by Bob Wiacek. There are also pages from Marvel Comics Presents #72-75, which was the Weapons X storyline focusing on Wolverine and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith, who drew the worst looking X-Men comic of all time as one of his first gigs at Marvel (he drew it on benches in the park). Of course, these efforts showcase some of the better examples of comic book storytelling and artwork and you have to wonder what it would be like if the movie adaptation was twice as long and half of the reprints were jettisoned. Final note of curiosity: So how much the credits are only provided for one of the four reprints? Hmmmmm.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The comic book of the movie that was based on a comic book
Review: It is always interesting to see the official comic book adaptation of a movie that is based on a comic book in the first place. Ralph Macchio has the honors of adapting the screenplay, with penciler Anthony Williams and inker Andy Lanning handling the artwork. Obviously this is really no place to talk about how the X-Men comic was adapted to the silver screen, but rather how it makes the transition back to its original art form. My criticism boils down to one basic comment: 48-pages is not long enough to tell this story. Macchio gets all the words in but Williams is pretty much handcuffed from turning the movie into a "real" comic book. Entire scenes are crammed into a couple of pages and outside of a few splash panels there is no opportunity to use the medium to the advantage of the story. Look at what the big fight between Sabertooth and Wolverine boils down to. We have seen entire comic books devoted to epic fights between a single superhero and a single supervillain. This is just too crammed into this few pages and despite Williams's efforts you know he could have done better with half again as many pages with which to work.

Also included in this collection are reprints of a pair of X-Men issues focusing on Magneto and arguably their best confrontation, #112 "Magneto Triumphant" and #113 "Showdown" (both illustrated by John Bryne), as well as #171 "Rogue," penciled by Walt Simonson and finished by Bob Wiacek. There are also pages from Marvel Comics Presents #72-75, which was the Weapons X storyline focusing on Wolverine and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith, who drew the worst looking X-Men comic of all time as one of his first gigs at Marvel (he drew it on benches in the park). Of course, these efforts showcase some of the better examples of comic book storytelling and artwork and you have to wonder what it would be like if the movie adaptation was twice as long and half of the reprints were jettisoned. Final note of curiosity: So how much the credits are only provided for one of the four reprints? Hmmmmm.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: QUESTION
Review: Normally I watch a movie then I read the book that it was based on or in this case was based on the movie, that way I can enjoy the movie with out preconceived notions as to what to expect. When I found out about a graphic adaptation of the movie I quickly jumped on it and had it in my hands in only a few days. After all the flack about making a movie that both "X-Men" fans and the general public could enjoy, which I did, I was totally disappointed in the graphic adaptation. In a book with 144 pages, the 48 pages devoted to the movie left a lot to be desired, the stories about Magneto, Rogue and Wolverine I will not go into as that is not the purpose of my review. With out giving to much away the basic story line does follow the movie but very few of the scenes are depicted as they are in the movie, entire sections have been rewritten and the basic feeling of those scenes have been lost, and other scenes that are necessary to the continuity of the story are lost entirely. It is not that often that I feel the need to speak out, in a negative way, about a book but this time I felt it had to be done. I feel that the story deserved an entire book to itself, not a `Cliff Notes' version. If Marvel Comics sees fit to produce a more fitting book based on the movie I will be more than happy to acquire a copy for my collection as I have been rarely disappointed in the `X-Titles'

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WHOOO HOOO! THIS NOVEL JUST COULD BE REAL
Review: This book is fantastic! I love it. The characters are all great and well-balanced, the plot is totally fun, and best of all, well, even though it's just a novel, it really hits the truth of what it's actually like being a mutant or a person with special powers and gifts. The book focuses on Rogue and Wolverine and how they deal with being new and young super heros.

Sure, some of you might think the idea of super powers is nothing other than comic book and cartoon stuff (after all, that's what the X-Men are most known for) but the totally cool thing is that if you dive into some of the magical esoteric arts like Chi Gung, Shamanism, Wicca, Voodoo, Christian Mysticism, Kabala, and even the lives of Saints and Mystics in virtually all faiths, you'll see that perhaps, just perhaps, this fun book actually has more truth to it than fiction. I guess that's why I love this book so much because it really shows how much of a personal struggle it really is to be blessed with certain unusual gifts. Reading this book gives you a clearer perspective on whether or not you would really find having super powers or mutant abilities to be a blessing or a curse.

Lily of the Valley Carnie, author, Chi Gung: Chinese Healing, Energy, and Natural Magick

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: woooooooow!!!!!!!1 this is great!!!
Review: this comics are so great.... i've buy it separatly (the three prequels feat rogue, wolverine et magneto whit is friends Professor charle xavier + the movie adaptation....) all include in this one... darm the ilustration are cool... the storyline superbe... a little bite deferent from the movie but superbe....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This book rocks!
Review: This story is based around two mutants who's names are Wolverine and Rogue. They have just recently discovered their powers, and are confused at why the world hates them. They discover a school for mutants run by Professor Xavier. There they meet some other mutants who feel the same way they do. Cyclops: A mutant who shoots lasers out of his eyes. Storm: A mutant who can control the weather. Jean Grey: A mutant who has special telekinis powers. She can move things with her mind.

This is not the only team of mutants around. Another team of mutants, called the brotherhood, have devoted their powers to destroying the humans that hate them. This team consists of Magneto: The leader of the team. A man who can move things with his mind. Msytique: A shapeshifter, that means she can change in to any form she comes in contact with. Sabertooth: A mutant who has a keen sense of smell and can heal himself in a matter of seconds. Toad: A mutant who has a long sticky tounge and can leap to great lengths.

Soon, the people's only hope is that of those whom they hated: Professor Xavier's X-Men.

Based upon the cartoon show and the comic book series, this book is extremely well written. It has a great plot, and I'm sure the movie will be good as well. This book is definitaly a "must have".


<< 1 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates