Ax by Ernie Colon

Ax
by Ernie Colon
Marvel Graphic Novel No. 44
1988

'Ax' (48 pp) is Marvel Graphic Novel No. 44, published in 1988. Veteran comics artist Ernie Colon (1931 - 2019) did both the story and art.

As the book opens, an emissary of Prince Hafton has come to the medieval village wherein our hero, Ax, lives. The emissary seeks a poacher named Alia Cruz, and upon finding him, makes arrangements to have Cruz executed. When Ax intervenes, it sets in motion a series of events, some involving a tribe of Africans, others, the residents of a far-future sci-fi world. 

All of these events somehow are linked to Ax, who may be the Savior........the One predicted to save the world.

Of the more than ten Marvel Graphic Novels I have read to date, 'Ax' is the worst. 

It's hard not to conclude that Colon 'leaped before he looked' with this effort. I imagine that, having gotten the green light from Marvel editor Tom DeFalco, Colon found himself obliged to deliver a book......and rather than devoting time and care to its execution, perhaps due to deadline pressures, he made it up as he went along.

Colon was capable of producing quality artwork for his comic book assignments, but in 'Ax' his drawing has a cartoony, makeshift quality. And the plotting is utterly incoherent. Its main goal seems to have been communicating a humanistic message about redemption and the Brotherhood of Man, but that's just a guess on my part................

Even the most die-hard fans of Colon and his artwork are going to find this effort to be a disappointment. 'Ax' is a Marvel Graphic Novel that can safely be passed by.