X-Men: Domino

Domino (Collected Editions)

by Benjamin Raab, Joe Pruett, Craig Kyle

Lady luck's got nothing on Domino! They say fortune favors the brave, and there's no merc braver than Neena Thurman. You were wowed by her probability-altering prowess in X-Force, and odds are good that you'll love her solo adventures too! A rescue mission for the man she once loved pits Domino against Lady Deathstrike and Donald Pierce! Domino explores her uncanny origins as part of Project Armageddon - and finds a strangely familiar face! And things get hot and heavy for Domino and Wolverine as they're caught between the Hand and the Assassins Guild! Plus, Domino battles Arcade, tries her luck alongside the Scarlet Witch and takes on the Terrigen Mists!
DOMINO (1997) 1-3, DOMINO (2003) 1-4, SEX & VIOLENCE 1-3; MATERIAL FROM X-FORCE & CABLE ANNUAL '95, A+X 10, UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL (2016) 1

Genres: Comics, X Men, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Marvel, Superheroes

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 2018

About the author

Benjamin Raab (New York City, New York) is an American comic book writer and editor and tv writer and producer. He has written stories for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, WildStorm, Moonstone Books, Malibu Comics, Harris Publications and Ludovico Technique LLC.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outside of the X-Force: Sex and Violence mini since is pretty much a sack of crap.

X-Force & Cable Annual '95 by Todd Dezago & Daerick Gross - 2 Stars
I've already forgotten what happened in this backup story. Something to do with Arcade I think. All I really remember are the ludicrous costume designs, obviously influenced by Rob Liefeld. I've never seen so many pads in my life.

Domino (1997) by Ben Raab & David Perrin - 2 Stars
A very generic story about Domino trying to save a lost love from the Reavers. Perrin's art was pretty good except for how every women he drew were falling out of their skimpy clothes. Domino fighting in a string bikini and thigh high boots in the first issue was absolutely ridiculous.


Domino (2003) by Joe Pruett & Brian Stelfreeze - 3 Stars
Brian Stelfreeze makes this book look beautiful. He and Joe Pruett try and give Domino a backstory. Unfortunately, it's a generic, convoluted mess of one, ripping off both Weapon-X and X-23.

X-Force: Sex and Violence by Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, and Gabrielle Dell'otto - 4 Stars
Now this was fun! Domino double crosses both the Assassin's Guild and the Hand and talks Wolverine into helping her escape both groups. It felt like one of those romantic, crime spree movies like True Romance or Natural Born Killers. Gabriele Dell'otto's art is perfect for the series. It gives off this kinetic energy amidst a fever dream.

A + X #10 by Adam Warren - 1 Star
Has Adam Warren ever written anything worth reading? The Scarlet Witch and Domino team up for some weird probability roomba bomb thing. It didn't make any sense.

Uncanny X-Men Annual #1 by Anthony Piper - 3 Stars
Sunspot hires Domino to take out a stronghold of mutant hunters.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hit and miss collection of many of the early appearances of Neena Thurman. The best of the lot is Sex & Violence from X-Force, though the titular run from '97 is good, too. There's another self-titled run of four issues from '03 that was okay, but it's a little too much like a re-branded Black Widow adventure. There are also some single issue stories included, a dated Cable from '95, a decent story from Uncanny Annual 1, and the weakest of the book is an "A+X" story from 2010. I've been enjoyed Gail Simone's run on the title over the last couple of years and this volume cleared some things up for me. She's an interesting character, and has been under-exposed through the years.

[Ian Morales · Rating 3 out of 5]

An underrated and underutilized member of the Marvel Universe, Domino is a mutant mercenary soldier (merc) who was once a member of X-Force. This Domino compilation Marvel put together gives new and casual comic book readers a good overview of the character over the years. For longtime readers and/or older comic book nerds, this compilation trade is a fun revisit of the Domino you are already familiar with.

The book begins with a late '90s look at Domino. If you can look past the oversexualized depictions of Domino and the evil cyborg villain Deathstrike, which was the standard look of a female character in that era unfortunately, then what is left in a violent old school trilogy worth reading.

What most will enjoy are the more modern stories that come from the X-Force and Uncanny X-Men series. Those feature the Domino with shorter hair, no cheesy '90s bikini-style costumes, but still the tough and feminine merc old school fans remember. The art is darker and more adult in the X-Force story which guest stars Wolverine. These stories also show different sides of Domino, primarily her independence and sensuality.

If this trade compilation is the reader's first real look at Domino, who is drawing interest with the Deadpool movie appearance, remember this is a good snapshot. Some of the stories readers will like, some they will not. Either way, Domino, aka Neena Thurman, should earn a rotation in your regular comic book reading selections.

[Crazed8J8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Domino, and this is a great collection of stories, but I just didn't love the stories themselves. I prefer seeing her work as part of a team.
The first series (3-book series) was very uneventful and had b or c-list X-Men villains as the counters to Domino, and she totally deserves better.
The second series (4-book series) had great artwork by Steelefreeze, and the story was at least interesting, going into her heritage and origins, but again, it fell kind of flat overall.
The last part of the collection was Sex and Violence. This was by far the best part of the collection, stunning art, great characters (Wolverine, X-23, others), and was just dark and gritty. Well done!
The other stories in the collection are negligible, and only okay. All said, great collection of stories, but the stories themselves are not great.

[Rob Marney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Joe Pruett / Brian Stelfreeze miniseries is a lot of fun, with some character development and spy action and jokes and cameos, and a cartoony art style that softens the blow of all the hard-boiled plot. The rest of this collection is just terrible, from the early '90s X-Force spinoff that's all gritted teeth and long calves to the early '00s X-Force spinoff that's so excessive it becomes repellent. Even the random backup pages spend way too much time explaining Domino's luck powers, which is to say more time than an entire miniseries.

[Fuuma · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun read, but Domino's characterization isn't consistent (Who's surprised) which means some of the stories are more fun than others and she feels more like a device than a character in some of the issues. Still, it tells me a lot about Domino over time and it wasn't too hard to get through.

[Dubzor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, despite Neena's powers she doesn't seem to have much luck with this collection. The only issues worth reading are the three part "X-Force: Sex and Violence" mini series. Save your money, buy those and then pick up the Gale Simone ongoing.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is hit or miss, but overall a great intro or addition to Domino. It collects a number of stories old and new to shape Domino’s characters for the reader; her morals, background, relationships, and motivations.

[Sherry Bolton-Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part, I enjoyed the stories. They were collectively disjointed but entertaining none the less. I most enjoyed the Armageddon series. Would love to see a movie version with a different ending.

[Danielle Pietro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Domino and was excited for this collection. Unfortunately it's pretty hit or miss. I expected the boob sock bikinis from the 90s comics, but how A + X was included is beyond me. I think all of Adam's drawing references were porn stills and his own blow up dolls.

[Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw yeah!

[Nicole Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic comic that really explores her past and her powers.

https://nicolewbrown.blogspot.com/202...

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just can’t get into the 90s comic art but I do love my girl Domino.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun and a really good time.

[E. Rickert · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a wasted trip down memory lane

[Nate Deprey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun character who at the same time has often become an avatar of how female character could be mishandled in the 90s and 2000s and most of those are on display here.