When Mystique sets her sights on pulling off a series of high-stakes heists, it's up to the original X-Men and their mentors to stop the shapeshifting femme fatale. On top of this, Jean Grey must find a way to control her growing psychic abilities and the X-Men do battle against the Uncanny Avengers.
All-New X-Men: Out of their Depth collects issues 11-15 of All-New X-Men, featuring writing by Brian Michael Bendis and art by Stuart Immonen and David Lafuente.
This volume is a total thrill ride from start to finish. It is the climax to the build-up that Bendis has been working towards from the very first issue of All-New X-Men. In these issues, we see the X-Men face off against Mystique in an incredibly explosive battle while also settling the drama left after the events of Avengers vs. X-Men. This collection also marks a shift in tone and pace for Bendis, as he finds the perfect balance between action and character development in these pages.
As with the first handful of issues, Jean Grey continues her reign as the queen of All-New X-Men. For decades, Jean Grey played second-fiddle to Cyclops and this is really one of the first times where she is allowed to grow independently. Bendis' interest in exploring her journey to controlling her telepathic abilities is fantastic and he smartly deals with the moral implications of such powers as well. His Jean Grey is an incredibly complex character with her fair share of flaws. This makes her realistic and relatable. He also takes great care to nourish her status as a powerhouse without relying on the crutch of the Phoenix. It's refreshing to finally have a writer portray the character as something more than just the Phoenix's BFF.
There are so many standout moments in this collection. From Jean's interactions with Kitty Pryde to the X-Men's battle against Mystique, Out of Their Depth is a satisfying read from beginning to end. One of the more notable scenes involves the original X-Men meeting the Uncanny Avengers. When Jean Grey accidentally reads Scarlet Witch's mind, she uncovers the truth behind the plight of the mutants and Scarlet Witch's involvement in it. This is a genuine moment of unbridled emotion and sees Jean Grey react in a very raw way. It also inadvertently draws a very strong parallel between Scarlet Witch's decimation of the mutants in House of M and Cyclops' murder of Professor Xavier in Avengers vs. X-Men. Scarlet Witch defends her actions by saying she was not of her right mind and the X-Men are expected to accept this reasoning, while they're also expected not to buy Cyclops' schpeel about not being in control of his actions during AVX. Quite frankly, it's an unfair double standard that highlights the inequality the characters involved face. Both Scarlet Witch and Cyclops are seeking redemption, but the writers clearly want us to sympathize with Scarlet Witch and vilify Cyclops. Tisk tisk.
Overall, All-New X-Men: Out of Their Depth is an absolutely stunning collection of stories that are packed full of character development and heart-pounding action. As always, Stuart Immonen's art is stunning and David Lafuente's art has plenty of personality to it as well. This is a great addition into any X-fan's oeuvre and will no doubt please lovers of the original X-Men.
Rating: A
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