Review: X-Men - The Wedding of Cyclops and Phoenix

Having captured Sabretooth following a violent murder spree, Professor Xavier seeks to rehabilitate the villain. The X-Men are uncomfortable with the situation, with Jean Grey in particular questioning her mentor’s sanity. Before she can commit to a future with her long-time love Cyclops, Jean must assuage her doubts and confront the violent creature living amongst them.

X-Men: The Wedding of Cyclops and Phoenix collects X-Men #27-30 and Annual #2, X-Men Unlimited #3, Uncanny X-Men #308-310 and Annual #18, X-Men: The Wedding Album, and What If? #60. It is written primarily by Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza, with the art talents of Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr., Ian Churchill and Mike McKone.

The Wedding of Cyclops and Phoenix is assembled as a loose collection of stories leading up to the titular nuptials of two of the X-Men’s most iconic members. It picks up immediately after the events of Fatal Attractions. While the X-Men are still grappling with the defection of Colossus and Wolverine’s departure from the team, they are sent on a mission to apprehend Sabretooth and stop his murderous rampage. Upon doing so, he is locked in their basement and is given treatment by Professor Xavier. The purpose is to rehabilitate him, as was done previously with Wolverine and Rogue, though the X-Men are not convinced Sabretooth is worth the trouble. Jean Grey is the most reticent, her doubts magnified by her distaste for Xavier crossing the line when he psychically lobotomized Magneto and by her own sorrow regarding the absence of Wolverine around the mansion. She must reconcile all of these feelings before her engagement and eventual wedding to Cyclops. It's a nifty story arc for both Xavier and Jean Grey, giving both characters some much-needed panel time.

Since the stories in this trade weren’t originally planned or composed as a neat six-issue arc, the quality and focus varies from issue to issue. For instance, the events of X-Men #27 seem out of place and disjointed with the overall narrative due to its introduction of the character Threnody and the inclusion of Mister Sinister. Neither character plays any kind of substantial role in the proceeding issues. While it is poignant in its thematic usage of the Legacy Virus, it is also unrelated to just about everything else in this trade. If anything, it emphasizes the overall nature of storytelling during the 1990s. Each individual issue features a self-contained story that builds on or, at the very least, references events that have occurred previously. This makes it less accessible.

As a team, Lobdell and Nicieza introduce a lot of interesting developments. The rather brief “Sabretooth is imprisoned by the X-Men” arc from the animated series is expanded upon here and is used as a plot device in order to create a schism between Xavier and the X-Men. With Sabretooth living in the mansion, we get a lot of great moments that develop the characters further. Jubilee begins having nightmares, Psylocke finds an unsettling similarity between herself and the villain, and a connection between he and Gambit is hinted at. This insight into their characters helps readers to relate to them and allows for further speculation regarding the directions they may take in subsequent issues. The best moment, however, occurs in X-Men #28. With Sabretooth demanding psychic pacification after deeming Psylocke’s offering too paltry, Jean Grey ventures down into his cell to fulfill his request. It is a tense scene in which the “good girl” is placed in such a seemingly vulnerable position against one of the X-Men’s deadliest enemies. The implications of what Sabretooth might do to her are uncomfortable and scary. However, such fear turns out to be unfounded. Nicieza and artist Andy Kubert defy expectations. Jean shows no distress and is confident in her superiority to Sabretooth. She unleashes the totality of her psychic abilities on Sabretooth, owning him and essentially turning him into a whimpering dog. It’s brilliant and it’s a moment that helps to define who Jean is as both a hero and as a woman. She's tough and showcases just how much of a boss she can be when need be. She's all too often underestimated or overlooked as a character (especially during this era), so it's great to see her being the powerhouse that she's built up to be. She would have another standout moment two issues later when she used her powers in an entirely different way – by lifting Xavier into the air so she could dance with him at her wedding.

The most contentious aspect of The Wedding of Cyclops and Phoenix rests with those responsible for pencilling the issues collected here. While Andy Kubert had previously done impressive work in preceding issues, there’s a distinctive decline in his art here. He especially seems to have difficulty in the all-important wedding issue. His perspective is wonky in numerous places and any panels featuring numerous characters look extremely rough, with many posed awkwardly or are drawn lazily without defined hands or feet. John Romita Jr.’s art, featured in Uncanny X-Men, fares better. His characters are more distinctive and he experiments with his splash pages, but the colours laid on top of his work aren’t the best and sometimes there’s an unfinished quality to the art. There are also a couple of issues drawn by Mike McKone and Ian Churchill when they were still early into their careers. Churchill’s effort is the more impressive, particularly as it seems McKone had yet to figure out how to properly place facial features (i.e. Rogue appears with a rather puzzlingly large forehead).

The overall direction of this collection is well-done and the character work achieved by the writers is fairly impressive. They engage with some tough subjects, particularly regarding morality and the ability to change for the better, which is reminiscent of what Chris Claremont would do during his legendary run on Uncanny X-Men. One of the only shortcomings would be their usage of such a large cast, as it makes it difficult to develop each character for the readers. In other words, not everyone gets their moment in the spotlight. The focus of this trade is also primarily on the patented soap opera drama the X-Men are synonymous with, so don't go expecting lavish or epic action scenes. As mentioned previously, this collection also isn’t the most accessible and is probably best read in succession with X-Cutioner’s Song, A Skinning of Souls and Fatal Attractions. Even still, there are quite a few moments here that are not to be missed (i.e. Jean Grey vs. Sabretooth and the titular wedding).

RATING: B-

Review: X-Men - Fatal Attractions

Under the leadership of the fanatical Fabian Cortez, the Acolytes launch a series of deadly attacks on humans. Then, Magneto returns to reclaim control over the Acolytes and offers his fellow mutants a sanctuary on a satellite orbiting the Earth. There’s just one catch – those who do not join him are free to die alongside the humans Magneto despises. The X-Men, along with splinter teams X-Factor and X-Force, must stop their powerful adversaries in a fight to the finish.

X-Men: Fatal Attractions collects Uncanny X-Men #298-305, 315, Annual #17, X-Factor #87-92, X-Men Unlimited #1-2, X-Force #25, X-Men #25, Wolverine #75 and Excalibur #71. It is written by Fabian Nicieza and Scott Lobdell, with art by Andy and Adam Kubert, Greg Capullo, Jeo Quesada, Ken Lashley and John Romita, Jr.

Unlike previous X-Men crossovers, Fatal Attractions is relatively short and it features a succinct narrative aimed at celebrating the X-Men’s then-30^th anniversary. Story-wise, it serves as a loose sequel to the events of MutantGenesis and X-Cutioner’s Song. It follows the aftermath of the virus Stryfe unleashed upon mutants, leading to the death of Colossus’ little sister Illyana. During this time, the Acolytes make their reappearance and Magneto returns after having seemingly being killed by Fabian Cortez. Magneto’s presence is felt early on, but once he makes his official appearance in this collection it becomes quite clear that he is more powerful and more unhinged than ever before. This ultimately leads to one of the most shocking moments in X-Men history – spoilers – Magneto rips the adamantium out of Wolverine’s body and then Professor Xavier lobotomizes Magneto to ensure he can never harm another living soul again. This turn of events shattered the status quo and would have severe repercussions for all characters involved.

While Fatal Attractions itself spans a mere six issues, this deluxe hardcover collects an impressive array of issues that build-up to the shocking events of the crossover. These issues, particularly the ones of Uncanny X-Men, involve the games played by the young and villainous Upstarts. We see their attempts at impressing the Gamesmaster in order to win their wicked contest for world domination. Consequently, it is Fabian Cortez who has leveraged his “murder” of Magneto and control of the Acolytes in order to gain an advantage over his competitors. The concept and execution of the Upstarts is quite fascinating and works effectively. Unfortunately, this plotline is sidelined the moment Fatal Attractions kicks in. Quite a few issues of X-Factor are collected here as well, though they don’t offer the same punch or context as the ones from Uncanny do. In fact, they feel quite out of place.

Fatal Attractions is impressive in its ability to deal with complex philosophies and difficult subjects, all while developing its characters with a surprisingly degree of care. The most important figures in this collection are Professor Xavier, Magneto, Colossus, Jean Grey and Jubilee. They are the emotional touchstones that help us navigate through the events leading up to and through the crossover.

Once again, we see Professor Xavier and Magneto debating the viability of Xavier’s dream. After all that has happened to him and to his fellow mutants, Magneto is convinced that Xavier is delusional and that peaceful coexistence will never happen. This, of course, isn’t an entirely new viewpoint for Magneto. The difference comes with Xavier’s approach to dealing with Magneto. For years, he’s attempted to see the good in his friend and has tried to rehabilitate him. This time around, passivity isn’t going to cut it. This time, Magneto needs to be stopped at all costs. What’s great about what Nicieza and Lobdell do is that they embrace the moral grey area between Xavier and Magneto’s ideals rather than outright paint either character as being “right.”

Colossus is given incredible prominence in the stories collected here, which is great considering how often he gets ignored by most writers. He blames Xavier for taking him away from his simple life, selling him on a dream and then having that dream amount to nothing but the deaths of everyone he holds dear. His presence is a visceral reminder of the failures the X-Men have faced throughout their existence. On top of that, his defection from the X-Men to join Magneto’s Acolytes was yet another twist that illustrated how far Nicieza and Lobdell were willing to go in order to shake up the status quo.

Amongst the darkness and moral ambiguity of Fatal Attractions, there were two beacons of hope in the form of Jean Grey and Jubilee. While Xavier contemplates and ultimately settles on using drastic measures to bring down his rival, Jean Grey does not waver from the moral highground. We see her, rather importantly, questioning Xavier’s actions and motives. She is a counterpoint to Colossus and even to Xavier in that she is the physical representation of Xavier’s dream. She’s kind, intelligent and has a strength of character that is unmatched in this particular collection of stories. With Jubilee, Nicieza and Lobdell explore her innocence slowly being chipped away (not that she was ever all that naïve to begin with). It is through Jubilee that we feel Illyana’s death and experience grief. It is also through her that we may see a better future. Two of the best moments from this collection feature her prominently. Notably, Uncanny X-Men #303 features a grief-stricken Jubilee consoled by Jean Grey and Wolverine #75 sees the titular hero saying goodbye to Jubilee in order to seek out answers to the questions he has after the loss of his adamantium.

After the lackluster and convoluted crossover X-Cutioner’s Song, Fatal Attractions served as a reminder that storytelling could be done in an evocative and thoughtful way during the notoriously “extreme” ‘90s. Nicieza and Lobdell effectively deal with themes of life, death, pacifism, extremism and everything in between all while crafting a twist-filled epic that celebrated the X-Men’s monumental 30 year anniversary. While there are a whole host of characters to keep up with and a fair amount of dangling plot threads, Fatal Attractions is a more intimate and accessible crossover than those that preceded it. It’s a must-read for any fan of the X-Men and is quite possibly one of the most important events in the history of the X-Men.

RATING: B+

Review: X-Men - The Animated Series (Season One)

With tensions between humans and mutants, the heroic X-Men are caught in the middle of a war for survival. They become the targets of the mutant-hunting Sentinels and must work against both Magneto and Apocalypse as they attempt to assert their dominance over the world. The X-Men also grapple with the loss of a teammate, the incarceration of another and the training of the new mutant Jubilee.

The first season of the animated series X-Men consists of 13 episodes and aired between 1992 and 1993. It features the voice talents of Cedric Smith, Norm Spencer, Catherine Disher, Cathal J. Dodd, Lenore Zann, Iona Morris, George Buza, Chris Potter and Alyson Court.

Originally airing in the fall of 1992, X-Men became a breakaway animated hit for Fox Kids. Its impressively large cast of mutant heroes tackled the heavy issue of discrimination all while taking on larger-than-life threats in the form of such baddies as Sabretooth, Magneto and the Sentinels. The first season presents audiences to the plucky Jubilee, a teenager who becomes our introduction into the world of mutants.  After being attacked by Sentinels at a mall, she is saved by the X-Men and joins their ranks after proving herself a capable hero. The rest of the season unfolds by documenting the fraying relations between humans and mutants, as well as the role Magneto plays in this conflict.

As far as cartoons go, X-Men is legendary. The question is though, does it hold up well to the ravages of time? The short answer is yes. The series tackles issues that are very much relevant to today’s society and never pulls its punches while doing so. The two-part “Night of the Sentinels” and “Slave Island” actively engage in themes of racism, while “The Cure” eerily mimics the rhetoric surrounding conversion therapy. The first season never attempts to resolve or reconcile the flaws in humanity and this is part of why this show in particular is so impactful. The writers were also smart to have varying points of view on these topics as well. On one side of the spectrum you have Wolverine, who is proud of being a mutant, while on the other you have Rogue, who views her abilities as a curse.

What strikes me as a comic book fan is the fact that X-Men actually adapts storylines from their source text, albeit fairly liberally. For example, the first part of “Night of the Sentinels” borrows from UncannyX-Men #244, the big fight in “Enter Magneto” mirrors the one from X-Men #1, and “Captive Hearts” closely adapts the events of Uncanny X-Men #169-170. In most cases, such as with “Captive Hearts,” the adaptation is seamless and the only changes made are to reflect the differing cast of characters from the original stories. In contrast, the two-part “Days of Future Past” is a messy hodge-podge that borrows elements from several different storylines despite being named after the storyline from UncannyX-Men #141. For instance, Bishop fills an amalgamated role once filled by Rachel Grey and Kate Pryde in an alternate future and the animosity between Gambit and Bishop is pulled in from UncannyX-Men #287. In this respect, odd choices are made in order to wedge Bishop into a storyline he otherwise wasn’t part of. In the same vein, not all episodes are of the same quality. “Cold Vengeance,” a Wolverine-centric story set in the Arctic, is an unbearably dull bit of filler that employs caricatures of Inuit people.

The voice work for the first season is strong, particularly from Cathal J. Dodd (Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue) and Alyson Court (Jubilee). Expectedly, their characters are the standouts. Zann especially invigorates every scene she’s in, breathing life into Rogue and transforming her into a loveable bruiser with a one-liner for every situation. She also captures the softer side to Rogue as well and really understands the conflicted nature of the character. It should be a surprise to no one then that Rogue was featured heavily in most episodes, particularly in “The Cure” and “Come the Apocalypse.” On the other side of the spectrum we have Iona Morris as Storm. Despite being one of the most influential and important comic book characters of all time, Storm is portrayed as a fuddy-duddy blowhard in X-Men. During the first season, she’s either stuck playing the role of den mother (a role more suited towards Jean Grey) or she’s giving long-winded speeches demanding the weather to obey her commands. It’s over-the-top and does little justice to the character. While I find her scenes with Jubilee to be quite touching, she’s almost unbearable in action sequences due to her penchant for narrating her intent in battle.

Earlier in this review, I posed the question of whether this series stands the test of time. Though this series is still re-watchable, there are aspects of it that haven’t aged well. The voice acting, despite the A+ efforts done by the aforementioned talent, can be cheesy and dramatic at times. Most characters are cast well, but there’s still a tendency to overdramatize the dialogue. Worst of all is the animation. Even during its original airing, the animation for X-Men was subpar especially in comparison to its contemporary Batman: The Animated Series. It’s awkward, inconsistent and cringe-worthy most times. The difference in its quality would only become more apparent when Spider-Man debuted a couple years later, which featured far more fluid animation.

The first season of X-Men is unlikely to net any new fans. It’s a thoroughly ‘90s piece of nostalgia that is sure to re-capture the fuzzy feelings of childhood for Millennials. There are merits to the first season, particularly due to its themes and its portrayal of characters like Rogue and Jubilee. Some episodes are pretty darned good, particularly the two-part opener and my guilty pleasure favourite “Captive Hearts.” I also have to applaud the decision by the producers and writers to develop actual arcs, creating a serial form of storytelling for the first season. This keeps the viewer more engaged and gives a sense of direction to them. However, there are some real duds that are tough to sit through (“Cold Vengeance,” “Slave Island” and “Days of Future Past Part 1”) and the animation is uncomfortably dated.

RATING: B

Review: X-Men - A Skinning of Souls

When Colossus returns home to Russia with the X-Men, he and his teammates are recruited by a Russian paramilitary outfit in order to investigate a series of disappearances in a small village. After many of the X-Men are incapacitated by the malicious psychic known as the Soul Skinner, it soon becomes clear that the only way to stop their mysterious foe is to re-activate the powers of the innocent Illyana Rasputin – Colossus’ baby sister.

Then, a ghost from the past re-appears, casting doubt on the loyalties of X-Men mainstay Psylocke.

X-Men: A Skinning of Souls collects X-Men #17-24, written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Andy Kubert and Brandon Peterson.

A Skinning of Souls picks up immediately after the events of X-Cutioner’s Song, but also pulls in threads from Bishop’s Crossing and Acts of Vengeance. It is divided into two distinctive arcs – the first of which deals with Colossus’ return to Russia and the X-Men’s battle against the Soul Skinner, while the second sees Psylocke’s allegiances called into question when a woman claiming to be the real Betsy Braddock appears. There’s also a subplot regarding Cyclops visiting his grandparents in order to come to terms with the revelations he’s learned from the villainous Stryfe and the continued tensions between himself and his girlfriend Jean Grey.

It must be said that this collection is not new reader friendly. Its plot relies heavily on prior events, making it continuity-focused. It’s easy to get lost, especially during the second half. The return of the “original” Betsy Braddock, now using the codename Revanche (which is never actually explained), is a direct follow-up to Acts of Vengeance. This means that the reader needs to know the context and circumstances surrounding the already confusing body switch that happened with Psylocke in 1989. Illyana’s de-aging is also referenced, as well as the concluding events of X-Cutioner’s Song. As such, it is absolutely necessary for the reader to have a working knowledge of the X-Men and their canon. Otherwise, A Skinning of Souls loses its weight.

With all of that said, the stories collected here are incredibly engrossing and speak to just how iconic the ‘90s were when it came to the X-Men. Nicieza does a stupendous job writing the characters’ dialogues, especially Jubilee’s. She’s sassy and spunky, but also full of heart. He’s also quite adept at creating organic and relatable dynamics between the characters. At its core, the X-Men are a family and Nicieza keeps that alive here. There’s a tangible closeness between these characters. Of course, it also helps that there’s a large dose of soapy drama to go along with it. One particular standout subplot involves Psylocke’s lustful pursuit of Cyclops, despite the fact that he was with Jean Grey at the time. What makes the storyline all the more juicy is Cyclops’ fantasies of Psylocke, as well as the foreknowledge that Cyclops would later have a rather infamous affair with Emma Frost. Let it be known that for all the hate Emma Frost receives for her turn as Cyclops’ mistress, Psylocke tried it first. It’s also worth mentioning that there are a few tender and rather touching scenes between Rogue and Gambit (whose tumultuous relationship is one of the most iconic within the X-Men canon).

X-Men: A Skinning of Souls gives me everything I need for a nice bit of ‘90s nostalgia – the drama, the action and those legendary Jim Lee-designed costumes! The narrative itself is a bit convoluted, but keeps its focus squarely on developing the characters involved. Andy Kubert’s art is defining of this era and is quite beautiful, particularly when he’s drawing the women. Although, he does have a tendency to draw mouths a little too wide. I’d recommend this collection mostly for the more hardcore X-Men fans or those who are already massive fans of Psylocke (or even Colossus). Otherwise, you might want to read up on preceding storylines before giving this one a go.

RATING: B

Review: X-Men - X-Cutioner's Song

When an assassination attempt leaves Professor Xavier in critical condition, the X-Men scramble to find his attacker – their one-time ally Cable – which leads them into conflict with his X-Force team. Then, Cyclops and Jean Grey are kidnapped by the forces of Apocalypse. The X-Men must divide and conquer in order to save the life of their mentor and rescue their captive teammates.

X-Men: X-Cutioner’s Song collects Uncanny X-Men #294-297, X-Factor #84-86, X-Men #14-16, and X-Force #16-18. It is written by Scott Lobdell, Peter David and Fabian Nicieza, with art by Andy Kubert, Greg Capullo, Jae Lee and Brandon Peterson.

X-Cutioner’s Song was the first major X-Men crossover event for Marvel since 1990’s X-Tinction Agenda, the aftermath of which saw the birth of Chris Claremont and Jim Lee’s commercial smash X-Men #1. X-Cutioner’s Song, spearheaded by Nicieza, David and Lobdell, is framed as a trial by fire in the foreword for its hardcover collection. It came at a precarious point in the publishing history of Marvel’s Merry Mutants. The creative forces that had helped usher in a new era of commercial success for Marvel had jumped ship to start their own publishing house, which left the company without their big guns and with a sizeable hit to their stock. X-Cutioner’s Song was thus proposed as a way to maintain interest in the X-Men titles and to prove that Marvel was not hindered in any way by the so called “X-odus” of Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri and Whilce Portacio. Sadly, the desperation is easily felt within the crossover and it remains an example of the excessive storytelling of the 1990s.

To use a term popular with describing today’s crop of X-Men and Marvel Studios films, X-Cutioner’s Song suffers from being overstuffed. Despite a remarkably simple premise, the narrative gets weighed down by the presence of its massive cast. There’s roughly two dozen mutant heroes, plus numerous villains, who are all vying for the attention of the reader. There is certainly a hierarchy to the characters involved. Wolverine, Cable, Bishop, Cannonball and Havok are the unequivocal leads in X-Cutioner’s Song. They carry the story forward, while the rest of the characters act as decoration for fight scenes. Even still, we do get some great moments between Cyclops and Jean Grey, as well as some further character development for Archangel. I’m also impressed by the dialogue written for both Boom Boom and Jubilee, whose sass helps to balance out the otherwise soapy writing.

The pacing of X-Cutioner’s Song is brisk. There’s plenty of action, including a rather memorable fight scene between the X-Men and the Mutant Liberation Front. It’s during these sequences where we actually see the characters shine, particularly due to the punchy one-liners and the collaborations between the members of the X-Men and X-Factor (X-Force is sidelined for much of the crossover, unfortunately). All of the explosions and elaborate displays of mutant powers do a lot to distract from an otherwise thinly plotted storyline.

Most of the issues I have with X-Cutioner’s Song revolve around its lead villain Stryfe. He was created in 1990 as an antagonist for the New Mutants and X-Force. He was portrayed initially as a mysterious masked figure, whose face was later shockingly revealed to be exactly the same as Cable’s. Thus began a debate between who was the “real” Cable. X-Cutioner’s Song provides no concrete example into Stryfe’s true identity or why he’s so bitter towards Cyclops and Jean Grey. By refusing to give readers the answers they need, Stryfe’s motivations remain unclear. Since the narrative never offers exposition or insight into Stryfe’s character, readers will undoubtedly be left feeling lost and with more questions than answers. Furthermore, there are issues regarding his general conception and portrayal. He’s a madman, which is always a riveting trait in a supervillain, but is very cartoonish. From his dialogue to his outlandish armour (complete with faux-nipples), he typifies the ridiculousness of the early-‘90s.

Despite its many (many) shortcomings, this crossover is remarkably entertaining – like a mindless popcorn flick. It’s punchy, exaggerated and dynamic. What makes it all the more enjoyable is the gorgeous art provided by Andy Kubert and Greg Capullo. Their art is distinctive and full of character. Kubert’s style came to define the visual representation of the X-Men in the ‘90s and provided the art for X-Men from 1992 up until 1996, becoming one of the longer running artists to work on Marvel’s Merry Mutants. Given the fact that he was Jim Lee’s successor, he did a remarkable job filling a legend’s shoes. Conversely, Capullo took over for Rob Liefeld in the pages of X-Force. This meant that the book went from being defined by its outrageous fashions and mind-boggling proportions to being one of the most beautifully drawn titles in Marvel’s wheelhouse. Capullo is near-incomparable and his characters are truly gorgeous. His take on Jean Grey is especially stunning and it’s quite possible that she’s never looked better than at his hands. Sadly, the art by Brandon Peterson and Jae Lee isn’t quite as remarkable. Peterson’s style is similar to his predecessor Whilce Portacio. It’s rough and largely unattractive. Jae Lee, meanwhile, suffers from inconsistencies. At times, his art is fluid and expressive while at others it seems rushed and lacks detail. While on the subject of inconsistency, it’s worth noting that there are quite a few visual continuity errors. Notably, costumes look different from one issue to another and Polaris’ jaw strap disappears and re-appears (note: she’s supposed to be wearing one due to suffering a broken jaw in the pages of X-Factor).

All in all, X-Cutioner’s Song serves as a reminder of the often outrageous storytelling that pervaded comic books in the early-‘90s. It certainly has an “everything and the kitchen sink” vibe to it and it never really delivers on its promised focus on Cyclops and Jean Grey (since it spends way too much time on Cable and Wolverine – shocker). Taken from an entertainment standpoint, it’s a fun read. We get to see a whole lot of characters interact and there’s plenty of great art to see. With a better villain, or at least one that’s elaborated on more, and some careful editing, X-Cutioner’s Song could have been a very compelling crossover. As it is, it’s merely just a representation of what typified a rather infamous era in comic book history.

RATING: C+

Review: X-Men - Mutant Genesis

A recently reformed Magneto returns to villainy in order to exact his revenge on humanity after learning that his rehabilitation may have been a manipulation. His first order of business? Kidnap and brainwash the X-Men into being his faithful servants. Then, Wolverine’s past comes back to haunt him when a mysterious assassin named Omega Red comes to hunt him down.

X-Men: Mutant Genesis collects X-Men #1-7, with story and art by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee. Additional dialogue is written by John Byrne and Scott Lobdell.

Mutant Genesis collects the first few issues of the blockbuster relaunch of the X-Men from 1991. This series was a turning point for the X-Men, as they’d been previously split apart and fractured. The original X-Men had formed the splinter group X-Factor, while the remaining members of the X-Men had been living in Australia for the latter part of the 1980s. The original and current X-Men were thus reunited during preceding storylines, which brought back plenty of familiar faces back into the fold. Despite being a relaunch, Mutant Genesis isn’t entirely new reader friendly. Anyone expecting to pick this collection up and understand everything that’s going on is going to be disappointed. Both arcs collected in this volume build upon concepts, characters and narratives that were previously established during Chris Claremont’s legendary run on the X-Men.

The first storyline present in Mutant Genesis is a three-parter that serves as Claremont’s farewell to the X-Men. In it, the titular team of superheroes faces off against Magneto high above the Earth on the villain’s satellite base Asteroid M. It’s a splashy and action-packed story featuring a plethora of mutants, which makes the story feel important and gives it a larger scale. Artist Jim Lee, who joins Claremont as co-plotter, helps to enhance the overall feel of the narrative. His art is fresh and dynamic, contributing some of the most iconic depictions of the X-Men of all-time. His then-new designs for the characters brought colour and life back into the world of Marvel’s Merry Mutants. These first three issues illustrate a synergy between Claremont and Lee, but also a slight schism. Lee’s art is so lively, yet it’s bogged down by Claremont’s habit of character grandstanding through dialogue. Gorgeously drawn panels are thus marred by massive blocks of text.

The question remains, does Mutant Genesis serve as an explosive finale to Claremont’s tenure on the X-Men? Yes and no. When you take away the quality of Jim Lee’s work, the story itself fails to match the depth and scale that became synonymous with the X-Men in the 1980s. This had been a continued problem with Claremont in general, as the quality of his stories declined sharply around 1989 when the Outback era reached its conclusion. The great thing about Mutant Genesis is that Claremont makes good use of his large cast and helps to pen yet another fantastic Magneto vs. the X-Men story. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t stand up very well to the test of time. Much of the conflict hinges upon a minor event that occurred several years before, which can be troublesome for people less familiar with Claremont’s oeuvre. It’s a bittersweet finale, of course, particularly because we know that Claremont left prematurely and likely would have ended things a bit more differently.

The rest of Mutant Genesis consists of a Wolverine-centric story conceived by Jim Lee, with dialogue written by John Byrne and Scott Lobdell. It features Wolverine being kidnapped by Omega Red at the behest of a new group of villains known as the Upstarts. The X-Men must then find and rescue their teammate before he outlives his usefulness to the Upstarts. As far as the story is confirmed, Lee’s first foray into being the sole plotter for the X-Men wasn’t half bad. Despite the rather large cast of characters he’s dealing with, he juggles them well and keeps things intimate by keeping the focus on Wolverine. He gives us glimpses into Wolverine’s past and even brings in Sabretooth. He also gives us a number of panels of Psylocke displaying just how badass she is. Nevertheless, there’s nothing too remarkable about the narrative that stands out. It’s solid, but lacks a sense of gravity. In other words, it’s filler and seems to be there only to give us a preview of what we can further expect from this series.

There are also a number of issues with Lee’s art in the final four issues in this collection. It doesn’t look quite as polished, particularly when it comes to their faces. His distinctive style isn’t as noticeable here, which is rather unfortunate. This also means that the flaws you’d normally overlook because of the beautifully drawn characters are all the more glaring. He’s clearly not the best artist when it comes to rendering backgrounds, nor does he seem to know quite how to edit his panels so they’re not too busy. More often than not, transitions seem abrupt and it’s often hard to follow the dialogue as a result of this.

There’s no denying the legacy of X-Men: Mutant Genesis. It has gone through multiple reprints and exists as one of the most iconic moments in the X-Men’s illustrious history. It doesn’t have the same critical acclaim that the Dark Phoenix Saga has, but the nostalgia factor is high on this one for those of us who were ‘90s (or even ’80s) babies. The stories presented here are great. They’re fun and they’re very much what you’d expect from a ‘90s comic. The art, however, is the real star here. Lee’s pencils are why this collection has been reprinted and collected (and sold out) so many times. That said, this volume feels incomplete. Since there’s a subplot involving Dazzler and Longshot in Mojoworld, ending the collection on issue 7 feels abrupt. This storyline wouldn’t be resolved until issue 11, so a larger collection would be nice to see in the future.

RATING: B

Review: X-Men Volume 5 - The Burning World

During a Burning Man-like festival, an unexpected supercell storm wipes out dozens of revelers and leaves even more injured. Naturally, Storm and her team of X-Men are called in to investigate this unusual weather occurrence. At the same time at the Jean Grey School, Krakoa falls ill, leaving Beast and Jubilee to root out the cause of his mysterious sickness.

X-Men Volume 5: The Burning World collects issues #23-26 of X-Men, written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Roland Boschi.

From its very first issue, X-Men has been plagued by spotty writing and has struggled with finding its identity among a sea of X-Men related titles. After its first three lackluster story arcs and an improved fourth, fan-favourite writer G. Willow Wilson was brought in to write the series’ finale. Like Marc Guggenheim before her, Wilson excels at dialogue and giving each character her own unique tone. This creates a compelling dynamic that provides each character with a distinctive role within the team. Storm is the stoic leader, Psylocke is the relentless warrior, Monet is the snarky tank, Rachel is the empathic psychic powerhouse, and Jubilee is the comedic everyman. These distinguishing characteristics help to give the team an identity and enable the reader to relate to the characters involved. Finally, after just over 20 issues the book has the tone it’s desperately needed since issue #1.

The story presented in this volume owes much to the 2005 British horror film The Descent, as it involves its heroines becoming trapped underground where they must then fight off otherworldly monsters. It’s nowhere near as brutal as the film or as harrowing, but it does allow its characters room to develop and gives readers a glimpse of their inner psyche. For example, we are able to see Storm grieve the then-recent loss of Wolverine and Monet reflects on the influence her mother had on her as a child. Though the character development is superior to what most other writers do month-to-month, the story as a whole fails to provide the thrills and chills necessary for leaving a lasting impact on the reader. In truth, it feels like a filler arc that’s meant to re-establish the team’s trust in one another and lead into something greater. The fact that there wasn’t anything beyond these issues is a rather depressing letdown.

The quality of this book is further diminished by the muddy pencils of Roland Boschi. Very seldom are the characters attractive and his anatomy is off at several points, which gives them look like blobs with jagged edges for fingers. This is made worse by the seemingly lazy details of each character’s face, which is rather frustrating since it seems like he put no effort into making each girl distinctive beyond their hairstyles.

By issue #26 of X-Men, it’s clear that it never lived up to its full potential. Wilson and her predecessor Guggenheim both showed how incredibly layered and compelling these characters are, but the narratives never managed to match that depth. Instead of being a great all-female alternative to Uncanny X-Men, X-Men was more like a character-driven book that focused on a team’s lack of cohesion until the last couple of arcs. There were a ton of great ideas (like Deathstrike’s Sisterhood from Muertas), but ultimately none of the creators left a lasting impression with this book. Wilson did an admirable job in The Burning World in terms of showing off her impeccable skill at writing dialogue and of understanding the characters she writes. This book should be recommended to those who are fans of these five characters since it’s so character-centric. For anyone looking for something on a more epic, Earth-shattering scale, you might want to stick to the event titles Marvel seems to push out every other month.

RATING: B

Review: X-Men Volume 4 - Exogenous

When the villainous Deathbird appears unconscious outside the satellite headquarters of S.W.O.R.D., Special Agent Abigail Brand calls on the X-Men to investigate the incident. After telepathic and medical examinations, they discover a mysterious symbol in the recesses of her mind and a growing child in her womb. Meanwhile, Rachel must cope with new revelations regarding those who were responsible for the massacre of her family several years back.

X-Men Volume 4: Exogenous collects X-Men #18-21, written by Marc Guggenheim with art by Harvey Tolibao and Dexter Soy.

After a shaky start, X-Men hits its stride under Guggenheim’s direction. The Arrow writer smartly pulls the team away from its Earth setting, strips away much of its larger cast and relies far less on recent events to propel his story forward. One of the issues that plagued Brian Wood’s tenure on X-Men was its inaccessibility due to its reliance on past storylines. While it could be argued that Guggenheim does the same, here he’s illustrating his depth of knowledge of these characters and their lives. For instance, much of the emotional core of Exogenous is built around the gut-wrenching massacre of the Grey family which occurred in Uncanny X-Men #466-468. He provides further references to past events involving Deathbird and Cyclops’ brother Vulcan. Guggenheim effectively builds on the past and does so in a way that really pays tribute to the X-Men’s vast history.

The narrative itself is great. It’s a straightforward mystery in space that snowballs into the reveal of a rather creepy villainous organization. While the plot itself may be simple, the stakes are high nonetheless. Whether considered spoilers or not, at one point two X-Men are near death and Rachel must decide the fate of the individual responsible for her family’s murder.

The area where Guggenheim excels most is with dialogue and character development. For the most part, each of the characters feel distinct. Monet in particular stands out due to her sass and attitude, which contrasts against her more dour teammates. Guggenheim also plays with the rivalry that existed between Jubilee and Monet way back when both were part of Generation X, which is a nice nod to fans of that book. Similarly, Abigail Brand’s dialogue is punchy and Storm is as fierce as ever. The biggest surprise, however, may be in just how badass Cecilia Reyes was. As arguably one of the most obscure X-Men, Guggenheim utilizes her flawlessly here and depicts her as a relentlessly heroic doctor who will do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of her patience. The usage of her powers in this storyline is creative and shows off how criminally underrated she is, with some action panels highlighting how powerful she truly is. Above all else, Guggenheim is to be praised for his work on Rachel Grey. As the most irritating character of the past three storylines, we see a much more different side to her. She’s smart, assertive and is shown to be the powerhouse that she truly is. More importantly, we see a more emotional side to her. Her mourning for the family she never got to know is both tragic and poignant, helping to define her past being a stand-in for Jean Grey. Also, major props for using Deathbird.

It’s truly a shame that Guggenheim only got to spend four issues writing the lovely ladies of the X-Men. He has a firmer grasp on the characters than his predecessor did and provided the kind of story that these women deserved right out of the gate. Exogenous has everything a good X-Men story needs – drama, clever dialogue (most of it delivered by Monet), intense action, a sense of family between the X-Men, and an emotional center that keeps the reader invested. While the art is inconsistent, especially since art chores are shared by Tolibao and Soy, but the writing more than makes up for it. It’s debatable, but Exogenous is possibly one of the most enjoyable X-Men trades that has been released during the Marvel NOW! era.

Rating: B+