After a trip abroad, Jubilee returns to the X-Men only to find that trouble has followed her home. In this daring adventure, the X-Men must defeat the sinister entity known as Arkea before it can infect the world with its digital domination.
X-Men: Primer collects the first four issues of Marvel's very first all-female X-Men title. This collection features writing by Brian Wood and art by Oliver Coipel and David Lopez.
Over 50 years after their debut, the X-Men have finally banded together to form their very first all-female squad of heroes. Needless to say, Brian Wood had a lot of expectations to live up to. Thankfully, he delivers an action-filled story that does justice to the characters involved. His initial team is comprised of Storm, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Rachel Grey, Psylocke, and Jubilee. Not only is this a group of A-list mutants, but it's perhaps one of the most powerful ensembles imaginable.
Wood excels at dialogue and knows how to create relationships between the characters. It's clear from the get-go that these women are friends and have worked together for years. Rogue and Kitty Pryde especially stand out in this collection as well-rounded characters. Wood portrays Rogue as the sassy Southerner who is every bit the thrill-seeker readers have fallen in love with, while Kitty is the responsible yet light-hearted brains of the operation. He also does an impressive job of illustrating just how far Jubilee has come since her days as an X-Man in-training. The character acts as the heart of this series and is complex in her quest for maturity. We also get some sweet moments between Jubilee and her one-time mentor Wolverine.
Even still, Primer is far from perfect. While Wood knocks it out of the park with his quick-witted characters, the other women fade into the background. Psylocke adds next-to-nothing to the plot and Rachel Grey proves to be more of an annoyance than a relatable character. Another missed opportunity came in his portrayal of Storm. As one of the fiercest heroines around, she comes across as a generic leader figure. Additionally, the conflict between Storm and Rachel seems forced. The pair lock horns over Storm's leadership style in the first mission, prompting Rachel to pull out the tired "Who died and made you leader of the X-Men?" line. Dear Ms. Grey, Storm has been leading the X-Men since before you came into the picture and has had fewer teammate deaths on her watch than any other X-Man. On top of that, she's a fierce diva who was best friend's with your "mom." Is that reason enough for you, girlfriend?
Wood also struggles to provide adequate exposition for newer readers. Several characters appear without any background and it makes the title less accessible. The extent of Rogue's powers, Jubilee's status as a vampire, and John Sublime's history with the X-Men are essential components that were ignored altogether in this collection aside from vague references only veteran readers will pick up on.
Another downside to Primer is its overall presentation. Oliver Coipel handles the art for the first three issues and it is are nothing short of brilliant. His pencils are dynamic, expressive, and full of beauty. For the fourth issue, David Lopez is brought on board. To be blunt, his art is ugly. He draws women with manly faces, his bodies are chunky, and Rogue is given a hideous '80s 'do. I hated his art on Catwoman and I hate it even more on X-Men. Just… no.
The other presentation issue this volume faces is its short length. The collection editor attempted to make up for this by including variant covers and the issue of Uncanny X-Men where Jubilee first appeared, but it seems like a poor attempt at getting consumers to pay $17.99 ($19.99 for us Canadians) instead of a more reasonable price tag. That said, the issue's inclusion is a nice treat for newer readers who are unfamiliar with Chris Claremont's legendary run on the title in the 1980s. This was the X-Men at their best.
It may seem like I'm being overly critical on Brian Wood's X-Men, but it's all constructive criticism. In the 21st century, we need an all-female team of X-Men and such a book needs to be the best it can be. Wood does an admirable job with the characters he's given and he tells a story that is full of awesome explosions. However, he needs to learn to provide context for characters and plot points as well as to avoid drumming up insignificant drama between teammates (especially when one of them is annoying as hell and the other should just fry her with a lightning bolt to teach her a lesson). Overall, I'd still recommend picking this up if only for Oliver Coipel's gorgeous art. This is a groundbreaking book and should be supported by X-fans for its cultural importance.
Rating: B
No comments:
Post a Comment