Cyborg #23 Review

Kickstart My Heart

Written by: Marv Wolfman
Art by: Tom Derenick, Wil Quintana, and Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 6, 2018

With a covert spy leading Cyborg and his Giant Robots away from their secure base, the formerly secret location of Chikushu Island is revealed and the Dojo is attacked and destroyed. The only hope Cyborg has to regenerate his downed Giant Robots will also rob him of his own powers...which is exactly what Mekkan-X intends.

This issue opens with a bit of an over-the-top dream sequence that is not as shocking as I think Marv Wolfman wants it to be and mainly because since he's jumped on this book, it's been an utter mess.

When we do get to our story, Cyborg jumps between trying to figure out why his father is avoiding him, getting buddy buddy with Starlite and trying to figure out the third party that attacked him in the first issue of this arc.  We get some background recap, but if you were lost before, nothing is going to get you that up to speed here.

We then go off to see our villain, N-Jin and discover why he needs Cyborg's mother box.  He is burning through hearts like it's nobodies business and without a heart, he can't rule the world for eternity.  Sounds about right.

We do get some more N-Jin background but it's only there to push to similarities and juxtaposition between our hero and villain for the inevitable scene where they realize they are more similar than they ever could imagine.

The issue ends with a crazy transition that makes it feel like we will get a little Freaky Friday action next issue.  While that sounds like some fun, Marv Wolfman is writing it so it will probably just be a convoluted mess.

They say it's best not to meet your heroes and this run on Cyborg is the comic book equivalent.  For all the great things he has done, I will now have a bad taste in my mouth from this and his other recent books.  Please, hang it up Marv and maintain your legacy!

Bits and Pieces:

I can't decide what's worse, that the story is a convoluted mess or that it is boring as hell.  It's a tie, but the big loser is anyone who buys this crap.  It looks good, but there is no reason whatsoever that this book should exist.

3.0/10