Review: X-Men - Battle of the Atom

When a group of mutants claiming to be the future X-Men show up on the doorstep of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, they make it their mission to ensure that the time-displaced X-Men from the past return to where they belong. There’s just one problem – they don’t want to go back. Fleeing from Wolverine and his school, the time-displaced Jean Grey and Cyclops go on the run, and find unlikely allies in the elder Cyclops and his rogue team.

X-Men: Battle of the Atom collects X-Men Battle of the Atom #1-2, All-New X-Men #16-17, X-Men #5-6, Uncanny X-Men #12-13, and Wolverine and the X-Men #36-37, and is written by Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, and Brian Wood.

As the first major X-Men crossover since 2011’s Age of X, Battle of the Atom is fairly modest in comparison to its predecessors. It’s not as expansive and intense as Messiah Complex or its sequel Second Coming, as it takes a more intimate approach with its narrative and character treatment. Rather than dealing with the assembly of multiple teams of X-Men as they fight a common foe, this crossover places Jean Grey and Cyclops at the core of a conflict that divides the X-Men themselves. There’s a minimal amount of action and drama. There’s quite a bit of debating amongst the mutants about the presence of the original five X-Men in the present, which amounts to a whole lot of dialogue. This is a problem that runs through Bendis’ All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men runs, as he spends so much time focusing on character interactions that it consistently deflates tension and slows the pacing of his stories to a brisk walk. Unfortunately, pacing and lack of action are but two of the major issues with Battle of the Atom.

Since the very first X-Men crossover in 1986 (Mutant Massacre), Marvel has used these events as a catalyst to shake up the status quo and incite tangible change within the various X-Books. They typically result in line-up changes, new costumes and the death of at least one major character. Battle of the Atom doesn’t even come close to doing any of that. Bendis, Wood and Aaron provide a promising set-up, one which had the potential to bring about some major changes in the titles involved. As far as Bendis’ books were concerned, All-New X-Men had been treading water as the time-displaced X-Men mulled over whether they should return home or not, while Cyclops’ team in Uncanny X-Men struggled to find recognition as a legitimate force for good. Battle of the Atom could have and should have been the catalyst for bringing about the changes both titles needed. The original X-Men should have returned home and Cyclops’ group should have finally been given a break. What we got instead was a whole lot of the same old, same old.

There’s this overall sense of impending doom that is never quite earned in Battle of the Atom. We’re consistently told that something very bad is going to happen if the original X-Men stay in the present, but we’re never shown why. There’s a rather gruesome sequence where we see the assassination of Dazzler in the future (we get it Bendis, you have a Dazzler grudge), but we’re shown very little other than that. It’s implied that humans are to blame for the plight of the mutants in the future, but without being shown the full extent of this the story can never truly move forward. Of course, we’ve already seen futures where humans have all but eliminated all of the mutants on Earth. This further hinders Battle of the Atom, as it pales in comparison to the beloved Days of Future Past and the more recent (but less critically lauded) Age of X.

Ultimately, Battle of the Atom is an unnecessary crossover and its conclusion is so infuriatingly mundane that it is sure to leave even the most diehard of X-Men fans feeling like their time has been wasted. After multiple battles between the X-Men (past, present and future) and against S.H.I.E.L.D., the end result isn’t a shocking shake-up of team rosters or even the death of a major member of the team. The whole purpose of the crossover, as it turns out, was to get Kitty Pryde to switch sides from Wolverine to Cyclops. This low yield payoff is unsatisfying and does very little to change the status quo. The only lasting effect this conclusion has is that Kitty became no longer available to appear in X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men. This could have easily been done in the pages of All-New X-Men, rather than derail Brian Wood and Jason Aaron’s work on their respective titles. Battle of the Atom is entirely optional for X-Men fans, so you won’t feel lost or like you’re missing out if you decide to opt out of this crossover.

RATING: C

Review: Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron, Volume 2

When Wolverine runs out of money to pay for the expenses to run the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, he and Quentin Quire go on an intergalactic mission to secure more funding. Meanwhile back at home, Kitty Pryde finds herself mysteriously pregnant and the truth about her situation proves to be quite disturbing.

Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron, Volume 2 collects issues #5-8 of Aaron's run on Wolverine and the X-Men.

Let's get this out of the way, Jason Aaron's decision to violate Kitty Pryde's body as a plot device is disgusting and appalling. He essentially rapes the character with this unwanted pregnancy and spends three issues playing it for laughs as if it's somehow funny. It's not simply that it's an instance where a male writer shows a lack of respect for the female body, but it's also incredibly cliché. We've seen this plot device many times over in both comics and television (remember that episode of Angel where Cordelia ends up pregnant with demon spawn? Yeah, that episode was crap too). To make matters even worse, Aaron decides it's not enough to have Kitty's body invaded once without her consent so she is then pumped full of miniaturized X-Men in an attempt to (in essence) abort the pregnancy. It's a sickening storyline that would have only been slightly funny if it had happened to a male character instead.

Despite the ridiculous pregnancy plot, this collection does have some redeeming qualities. For one, the interactions between Wolverine and Quentin are priceless. They make a surprisingly good team and it helps to make Quentin that much more tolerable. Although, the scenes where we're supposed to believe Quentin intends to sleep with female aliens is a little bit of a stretch (I mean really, he looks like Tim Gunn with pink hair). The other great thing about this book is the further development of Broo, the Broodling with a conscience. His design is adorable and he easily stands as the most well-written character in this collection. Aaron's exploration of morality and how much of that is innate works well for Broo's character. Can a species so deadly truly be saved of its baser impulses?

Much like the first volume of Jason Aaron's run on Wolverine and the X-Men, this trade paperback is equally as good as it is bad. The scenes with Wolverine and Quentin Quire are amusing, but the gross-out moments involving Kitty Pryde's pregnancy are incredibly inappropriate and gratuitous. Aaron's lack of respect towards the female body haunts these issues and shows a lack of sensitivity towards unwanted pregnancy (and the affect pregnancy has on a woman in general). For that reason, this makes the narrative nearly unbearable. What is most regrettable, however, is that the ultra-talented Nick Bradshaw was responsible for the art in the issues in question. His pencils are fantastic, so it's disappointing that they're wasted on such bile. For the most part, I suggest avoiding this collection altogether. It's cliché and shows a serious lack of innovation. If there's one thing comic book writers need to learn it's that pregnancy (especially unwanted pregnancy) is NOT a plot device. Treat your female characters and their bodies with respect, otherwise you end up veering into some very dangerous territory.

Rating: D

Review: Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron Volume 1

In the wake of the schism that tore the X-Men apart, Wolverine and his allies return to New York to start a new school for mutants. Before class can even begin, the new Hellfire Club set their sights on Wolverine's school and make it their mission to bring the pint-sized mutant down.

Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron, Volume 1 collects the first four issues of Jason Aaron's run on the aforementioned title. It also features artwork by Chris Bachalo and Nick Bradshaw.

While Cyclops and his X-Men take a more proactive approach to fighting intolerance in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine seeks to protect the younger generation through education. This creates an interesting contrast between the two books. Where writer Kieron Gillen fills Uncanny X-Men with action and superhero goodness, Jason Aaron provides a humorous and quirky tone for Wolverine and the X-Men. This breezy style makes it accessible and easy to read, especially for those who may not be overly familiar with the characters in the story. Unfortunately, the tone and context of the story is at odds with the essential mythology of the character of Wolverine.

Traditionally, Wolverine is a loner and possesses a notorious mean streak. Aaron veers away from this characterization and instead seeks to make him responsible. While it's true that Wolverine has been a mentor to many mutants over the years, it's strange to see him in a role typically reserved for Cyclops or Storm. It's as jarring as it is unbelievable. To make matters worse, Wolverine is not the only one suffering from poor characterization. With the exception of the uber cute Broo (honestly, best damn character in the book), the students are bland and lack depth. Kid Gladiator is one-note, Quentin Quire is the stereotypical anarchist, and Idie Okonkwo fills the role of both the token black character and the token girl character. Truth be told, at times Wolverine and the X-Men feels like The Breakfast Club with mutant powers.

While Aaron drops the ball with Wolverine and his students, he does a bang-up job with the senior staff. His writing of Kitty Pryde is on point and he clearly understands the tone of the character's voice. Similarly, Beast and Rachel Grey prove to be excellent additions to the cast. However, it is his treatment of Iceman that earns my respect. As many X-Men fans know, Iceman has regularly been relegated to background character status and rarely lives up to his potential. It's evident that Aaron is no longer interested in such treatment for the character and instead opts to portray him as the badass that he can be. Iceman's action sequence stands as one of the most memorable moments in this collection.

All in all, the first volume of Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron is a mixed bag. The tone is consistent and the story itself is really well-told. Unfortunately, Aaron shows a lack of consistency with the characters themselves. Many are painted with broad strokes, while others stand out for their multi-dimensionality. Additionally, the art proves to be disappointing. Chris Bachalo's style does not go well with the humorous tone of the book at all. If that weren't bad enough, his designs are unoriginal and the suit he gives Kitty for her appearances in the first three issues is horrendously outdated. He makes her look like a 40-year-old real estate agent for Heaven's sake! Nick Bradshaw's art in the final issue in this collection is a vast improvement over Bachalo's. It's crisp, clean, and full of life. He draws the characters well and his style meshes perfectly with the feel of the book. Another major issue I have with this trade paperback is just how chintzy it is. For the most part, trade paperbacks collect six issues of a comic book. Here, there are only four issues. As such, it's thin and ends rather abruptly. Despite its flaws, Wolverine and the X-Men is a perfect title for anyone looking for something quirky and different. It's also great for anyone who prefers a lighter tone to comic books.

Rating: B