Bloom is a perfect title for this collection of issues 13-18 of the origin of future White Queen Emma Frost. No longer a teen, no longer totally in ignorance of her expanding mental powers and no longer in ignorance that she is the only person in the world born with extra abilities Emma Frost builds upon her experiences (reported in Volumes 1 & 2 of this graphic novel, or issues 1 12 of the comic is is reprinted from) to find her place in the world.
In this collection, Emma Frost, having walked away from her family money and influence, as well as her native Boston, has enrolled in New York's Empire State University. Here, she encounters a faculty member who was previously a teacher at her prep school as well as an influential person in her teenage life. She also encounters a roommate, a potential love interest or two and another mutant psychic.
With every set of stories, Karl Bollers builds upon his earlier work, and shows the growth in physical stature, in maturity, and unfortunately in cynicism, of Miss Emma Frost. This issue (or set of 6 issues, from the original comic) is the finest of the three collections. They build and expand upon the first two collections, but present someone who by the last panel is definitely a woman who knows who she is, and who she considers friends (hint: no one), and who she doesn't (hint: everyone else).
At this point in the collection, the only thing missing in the creation of the White Queen is to for her to actually attain the power and influence she is destined for (and, of course, to don the famed white corset). A fourth book is unnecessary, however, as the origin of Emma Frost is effectively complete at the end of this reprinted collection.
As with the earlier two collections in this series, there is a theme to the comics reprinted, and a clear conclusion to the story when we hit the end of the last comic in the collection. It is not simply the next X books in the series. And, as was true with the 2nd volume, the writer and artist successfully collaborate to successfully illustrate a mentalist using her powers which, if you stop to think about it, is NOT the easiest thing to communicate via drawings.
My suggestion: Treat Volume 1 of this collection simply as a gateway into Volume 2. (There's no need to read it otherwise.) Then, consider Volume 2 as an entertaining build-up to this collection. (There IS reason to read that one, but while much better than Volume 1, it's not yet up to the quality of this final collection.)
RATING: 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 stars where necessary.
In this collection, Emma Frost, having walked away from her family money and influence, as well as her native Boston, has enrolled in New York's Empire State University. Here, she encounters a faculty member who was previously a teacher at her prep school as well as an influential person in her teenage life. She also encounters a roommate, a potential love interest or two and another mutant psychic.
With every set of stories, Karl Bollers builds upon his earlier work, and shows the growth in physical stature, in maturity, and unfortunately in cynicism, of Miss Emma Frost. This issue (or set of 6 issues, from the original comic) is the finest of the three collections. They build and expand upon the first two collections, but present someone who by the last panel is definitely a woman who knows who she is, and who she considers friends (hint: no one), and who she doesn't (hint: everyone else).
At this point in the collection, the only thing missing in the creation of the White Queen is to for her to actually attain the power and influence she is destined for (and, of course, to don the famed white corset). A fourth book is unnecessary, however, as the origin of Emma Frost is effectively complete at the end of this reprinted collection.
As with the earlier two collections in this series, there is a theme to the comics reprinted, and a clear conclusion to the story when we hit the end of the last comic in the collection. It is not simply the next X books in the series. And, as was true with the 2nd volume, the writer and artist successfully collaborate to successfully illustrate a mentalist using her powers which, if you stop to think about it, is NOT the easiest thing to communicate via drawings.
My suggestion: Treat Volume 1 of this collection simply as a gateway into Volume 2. (There's no need to read it otherwise.) Then, consider Volume 2 as an entertaining build-up to this collection. (There IS reason to read that one, but while much better than Volume 1, it's not yet up to the quality of this final collection.)
RATING: 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 stars where necessary.
