Neil Gaiman’s original MARVEL 1602 miniseries was such an imaginative concept – superheroes as if they originated in the early 17th century – that it could have turned into a reliable franchise.

However, on the basis of MARVEL 1602: NEW WORLD and even moreso the new MARVEL 1602: FANTASTICK FOUR, it’s clear this won’t be the case, because Marvel seems content to half-ass it.

The usually reliable Peter David scripted this mess, and his story his so impenetrable, it can barely be summarized. Suffice to say, it features the Fantastic Four – here deemed “Fantastick” – squaring off against its archenemy, Count Otto von Doom. Also figuring into the mix are the Sandman, the Sub-Mariner and, um, William Shakespeare.

But comics are a visual medium, so weaknesses in story can be forgiven if the art provides a kick. Unfortunately, this is illustrated quite poorly by Pascal Alixe. The back cover deems him a “superstar artist-to-be,” but based on all evidence here, “artist-to-be” seems more the case. His pages are more sketched than drawn, as if he turned them in unfinished and Marvel – for whatever reason – chose to go with them anyway.

The man can’t draw a face at all, rendering the art amateurish at best. Maybe he’s turned in good work elsewhere, but from now on, I’m taking any appearance of his name on a book as a giant yellow light. –Rod Lott

Buy it at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
MARVEL 1602: NEW WORLD by Greg Pak and Greg Tocchini

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THESE AUTHORS:
• SPIDER-MAN 3 by Peter David
• PSI-MAN: DEATHSCAPE by Peter David