5th Reboot Comic in the Magazine #258
Previous: #1, #2, #3, #4
Another cover with the whole group again. I like it! And...
Yay, another new comic I can actually talk more about and even some genuinely positive stuff for once! This one focuses on the Magix(ia) episode.
First and most positive thing first: Damien is nowhere to be seen! His contribution to the plot is just entirely taken out and it's definitely for the better. The fire salamander thing is just a random animal Bloom sees in the city that the Trix then decide to mess with and it works perfectly fine. It's not like it ever shows up again for the rest of the reboot series (so far) anyway. The contrived intro scene with Robin is also removed along with the punishment for the Winx (having their powers locked) at the end which doesn't matter for this episode but might cause problems for the next one, we'll have to see. The only thing I really miss in this condensed version is the specialists' entire role in the plot. Not that they really did anything of significance but the scenes with them were still nice and it's just kind of sad that they still haven't even been properly introduced. (Let's see how long it takes them until they are...) Speaking of significance, this is also the third comic in a row in which Musa doesn't have a single significant line. I love that Tecna has comparatively many at least but that's still just sad...
On the positive side, I like that the monster salamander actually ends up interfering with the Trix' attempt to steal Bloom's Dragon Flame and saves Bloom instead of her just saving herself from the Trix again. That's a neat little "arc" for its and Bloom's relationship after Bloom called it friendly and didn't want to attack it. (I don't actually remember how that went in the reboot series and I don't feel like looking it up.) And I love that the other Winx just attack it without hesitation, more power to them honestly! (Though I would've put Tecna there instead of Flora, that'd makes more sense for their characterization.) There's also a neat little bit for the Trix as Darcy comes up with the Sky illusion plan on her own (instead of Icy telling her to do it) and Icy compliments her for it. My favourite change is the ending though: The Winx actually succeed in handling the monster on their own and turning it back to normal! There's no, frankly unnecessary, interference from Faragonda, Griffin or Red Fountain in general. Consequently, this also marks the first occasion in which the rest of the Winx DO something to successfully deal with the major danger in an episode! Took them long enough but considering it takes the reboot series itself even longer... Yay for the comics! That's the 2nd comic issue that genuinely improves upon the episode it's based on. Still kinda wild.
Lastly, I have to give another genuine shoutout to the artstyle, again, because it just looks so pretty! It makes the character designs work and the expressions are so good. These two especially gotta be my favourite panels in this one, Stella is just so utterly adorable in how excited she is and Sky looks surprisingly good with Darcy's eyeshadow...
