Review - X-Men/Avengers: Onslaught Omnibus

The greatest evil that Earth’s heroes may ever face has appeared. With the psychic powers of Professor Xavier and the maniacal motivations of Magneto, the entity known as Onslaught has dedicated itself to the eradication of all humans on the planet. Only the combined might of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men may be able to stop it.

X-Men/Avengers: Onslaught Omnibus collects Cable #32-36, Uncanny X-Men #333-337, X-Force #55, 57-58, X-Man #15-19, X-Men #53-57, Annual '96, X-Men Unlimited #11, Onslaught: X-Men, Marvel Universe, Epilogue, Avengers #401-402, Fantastic Four #415, Incredible Hulk #444-445, Wolverine #104-105, X-Factor #125-126, Amazing Spider-Man #415, Green Goblin #12, Spider-Man #72, Iron Man #332, Punisher #11, Thor #502, X-Men: Road to Onslaught, and material from Excalibur #100 and Fantastic Four #416. It includes work by Scott Lobdell, Jeph Loeb, Mark Waid, Terry Kavanagh, Andy Kubert, Ian Churchill, Joe Madureira, and Adam Kubert.

Onslaught is an “epic” that began building in the aftermath of the X-Men crossover Fatal Attractions. After Professor Xavier psionically erases Magneto’s mind, his guilt over his actions and the presence of his rival’s psyche in his unconscious leads to the creation of Onslaught. This entity draws its powers from both Xavier and Magneto. It attacks the X-Men, kidnaps Franklin Richards and Nate Grey, and unleashes Sentinels onto New York City. Upon recovering from their initial battle against Onslaught, the X-Men join forces with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four to prevent the total annihilation of humans. From a conceptual point of view, this makes for an absolutely thrilling premise and works to throw all of the Marvel Universe’s greatest heroes together in one epic showdown against a powerful foe. Unfortunately, the execution is so poor that it makes this crossover incredibly tedious to sit through.

This omnibus is incredibly dense and combines every possible issue related to Onslaught in one giant hardcover. The problem with that is that it means there are so many subplots and tie-ins that it distracts from the primary narrative. The main plot of this crossover occurs in the pages of the main X-Men books, Avengers, and Fantastic Four. Those issues are actually very engaging and provide readers with the emotional core of this storyline. Namely, we see the X-Men struggling with their beloved mentor potentially being the greatest evil the world has ever known and Invisible Woman fighting to get her son back after Onslaught takes him. The problem is that the inclusion of the various tie-ins distracts from this and requires readers to slog through random issues where it’s Spider-Man randomly fighting Sentinels or Cable duking it out with the Hulk while the latter is under the control of Onslaught. Personally, I’d have preferred more editing when this omnibus was put together in order to trim the filler material or to at least structure things better so the inferior material is placed at the back as supplemental reading.

Much of the variance in quality comes from the sheer number of creators working on this crossover. There are a total of 11 writers who receive credit, 26 artists, 31 inkers, and 23 colorists. This creates a lot of room for inconsistencies. The strongest issues are those penned by Scott Lobdell and Mark Waid, with art by Andy Kubert and Joe Madureira. Those are the most dynamic and straightforward. In fact, Madureira is arguably the star of this entire collection. His work is so different from the others that it naturally stands out and the anime-inspired aesthetic is as bold as it is expressive. There’s also an issue of Cable by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill that’s quite good, which features Cable and Invisible Woman forging an uneasy alliance with Apocalypse in hopes of undermining Onslaught’s schemes. Churchill’s work is always really spectacular. It’s vibrant and emotive in a way that most of the artists’ work in this omnibus is not.

X-Men/Avengers: Onslaught Omnibus requires a lot of patience. It’s not a streamlined crossover that has a general through line. It’s messy and it’s long. Given that it’s one of Marvel’s earliest attempts at a company-wide crossover, it’s understandable as to why it is as mediocre as it is. Unlike future events that would be contained within mini- or maxi-series, this one is spread out over just about every Marvel comic imaginable from this era and its structuring lacks direction. There’s no part one, two, three, and so on. Some of the issues collected in this edition are enjoyable. There’s a lot of gorgeous art to be found and some interesting character development, especially for the X-Men. Sadly, it’s buried within unevenness. As a concept, Onslaught is brilliant and is something I’d love to see tackled again (though not in the main Marvel universe) as a way of making up for the original’s shortcomings. As it is, the Onslaught Omnibus may not be a purchase I’d recommend unless you’re a true completionist.

RATING: C-

Review - X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 3

Onslaught’s herald has arrived and he is determined to test the might of the X-Men. He kidnaps three of the X-Men’s strongest members – Storm, Cyclops, Wolverine, and Iceman – and forces them to battle against him. With no help from their allies against this monstrous foe, the X-Men must overcome seemingly impossible odds to defeat him. Meanwhile, the Beast is forced into a game of cat-and-mouse with his counterpart from an alternate reality and Archangel fights to save Psylocke’s life as she lays near-death after her encounter with Sabretooth.

X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 3 collects Uncanny X-Men#329-332,Archangel #1, X-Men/Brood#1-2, X-Men Unlimited#10, X-Men #50-52, Wolverine#101, and Xavier Institute Alumni Yearbook. It features writing by Scott Lobdell, Jeph Loeb, Mark Waid, Larry Hama, and more. The art includes work by Bryan Hitch, Andy Kubert, Joe Madureira, and more.

Of the three volumes Marvel collected under the banner of The Road to Onslaught, this one is the weakest. The quality of the issues varies and very little of the stories included actually serve as a prelude to the Onslaught saga. This volume begins with a two-parter where Archangel and Wolverine team-up with Doctor Strange in order to seek a mystical solution to saving Psylocke’s life. It’s one of the better stories in this collection and features some fantastic artwork by Joe Madureira. Having Doctor Strange as a guest star also provides a nice change of pace as it gives the X-Men someone different to interact with. X-Men: Brood, a limited series by John Ostrander and Bryan Hitch, is another highlight. The art is expressive and the storyline itself has a nice weight to it. It also happens to give Jean Grey and Iceman an opportunity to show off their abilities, which I always appreciate. The narrative itself takes the X-Men to a small town where a woman has unexpectedly become a Brood queen and has been turning others in her town into her spawn. This has drawn the attention of another faction of Brood, which has been sent to the town to destroy her and her offspring. The X-Men get caught in the conflict and task themselves with finding a way to cure the woman of her affliction. It’s admittedly a little predictable, but it’s enjoyable. The main gripe here is that it has nothing to do with Onslaught and comes across as rather tangential in the grand scheme of things.

Oddly enough, the material that does connect to Onslaught ends up being some of the least interesting work included here. One of the main arcs includes the Beast from the 616 universe being replaced by his Age of Apocalypse counterpart. It begins in X-Men Unlimited #10 and carries into the main X-books as a subplot. The AoA Beast learns all he can about our Beast and then leads him into a trap in order to hide him away while he takes his place amongst the X-Men. He does so in order to escape the notice of Mr. Sinister. Overall, it’s an odd storyline that feels random and unnecessary. The AoA Beast isn’t an especially captivating villain and it takes a lot to actually believe that he could replace our Beast without being noticed by the X-Men, especially since he does some things that would be suspicious. The other major Onslaught-related storyline is the X-Men’s face-off with Post, Onslaught’s herald. Storm, Cyclops, Iceman, and Wolverine are spirited away to an unknown location and are forced to fight Post. He’s a big and powerful enemy for them, which means that most of the issue is spent with the X-Men in battle. The action-oriented narrative is quite nice, but it’s not as spectacular as it could be. It’s suggested that Storm’s powers are somewhat hampered, but even still she’s not utilized like she could be. Perhaps the best thing about this issue isn’t the comic itself, but rather the one that succeeds it. Iceman is left injured after the conflict and he opts to confront Emma Frost, as she was previously able to control his powers in a way that he’s been unable to. It’s a really fantastic character-focused one-off issue and it really gives us insight into Iceman’s character.

At its core, X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 3 is just a collection of mediocre storylines that don’t benefit from being collected in a rather lengthy trade paperback. Some issues are better than others, largely due to the fact that the creative teams are not consistent throughout. Arguably, the issues written by Scott Lobdell are the strongest. They’re more engaging and have the right balance of action and character development. It also helps that he’s also teamed with the best artists in this collection – like Joe Madureira and Bryan Hitch. Conversely, the issues written by Mark Waid are the least entertaining. These are the ones more focused on the Beast/Dark Beast subplot. Overall, X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 3 isn’t worth its cover price. My recommendation is to merely purchase the Uncanny X-Men issues digitally (or physically if you can find them) since they’re the best of the bunch, plus maybe the Brood limited series by Ostrander and Hitch.

RATING: C-

Review - X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 2

After months of imprisonment and attempted rehabilitation at the hands of Professor Xavier, Sabretooth escapes his confinement and leaves a path of destruction in his wake as he makes his way to New York City. With government forces on standby, the X-Men must track Sabretooth down before he can hurt anyone else. Then, Bishop struggles with holding onto his sanity due to reality and time hopping complications.

X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 2 collects X-Men/ClanDestine #1-2, Uncanny X-Men #327-328, Annual '95, X-Men #46-49, X-Men Unlimited #9, and Sabretooth: In the Red Zone. It includes writing by Alan Davis, Larry Hama, Terry Kavanagh, Scott Lobdell, and Fabian Nicieza, as well as art by Roger Cruz, Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Andy Kubert, Joe Madureira, and Jeff Matsuda.

This trade reads as a compilation of largely unrelated stories, pulling both from the main X-Men titles at the same and from other books. As such, this leads to a variance in quality. The greatest example of this is the X-Men/ClanDestine two-parter that kicks off this collection. It’s a puzzling inclusion given how inaccessible it is for casual comic book readers. It features an obscure set of characters, the Destines, as they team up with the X-Men to defeat an otherworldly entity. While Alan Davis’ art in these issues is gorgeous, the storyline is random and disposable. The issue of X-Men Unlimited that was included is equally as random. It features Wolverine, Psylocke and Beast caught on a mission to the Bermuda Triangle, where they must stop the combined might of the Belasco and Bloodscream. While the story itself is penned by the talented Larry Hama, it remains an unremarkable adventure that’s further marred by subpar art.

Interestingly, one of the best stories in this trade is the one-and-done Uncanny X-Men Annual ’95. In this oversized comic, then-new X-Man Cannonball heads back home with Wolverine, Bishop, Storm, and his oldest sister in tow to investigate an anti-mutant cult that has recently recruited one of his siblings. Written by Terry Kavanagh and with art by Bryan Hitch and Bob McLeod, it’s a story that tackles zealotry and bigotry in a way that is reminiscent of the seminal God Loves, Man Kills graphic novel. The familial dynamic between Sam and his sister Paige helps to ground the story. We get a lot of great character moments with them, especially with Paige. Though more prominent in Generation X, we see references to her being ashamed of her upbringing (she tries to hide her Southern accent) and her overall drive to be a hero like Sam. Uncanny X-Men Annual ’95 may not have a whole lot to do with the arrival of Onslaught, but it remains a memorable and relevant story with some impeccable artwork.

The bulk of the material in this volume relies on and furthers the overarching plotlines that were present in the X-Men books at this time. Issues 46-47 of X-Men see Scott Lobdell and Andy Kubert tying up loose ends from way back in issues 10-11. The X-Babies have escaped the Mojoverse and a handful of the X-Men must protect them from extradimensional bounty hunters. These two issues fill readers in on what’s happened to the Mojoverse since the rebellion, which is great for Dazzler fans since she shows up towards the conclusion. Her presence (and attitude) is just about the only reason to tune in to this two-parter. Kubert’s art is sadly very inconsistent and the X-Babies are predictably rather irritating. There are some great scenes that punctuate the action, particularly between Jean Grey and Iceman. These quiet moments help to drive home how much of a family the X-Men are. Issues 48-49 are Bishop-centric, dealing primarily with what seems to be PTSD brought on by his time travels. While he’s struggling to hold on to his sanity, an assassin is sent after him. These issues deal tangentially with the aftermath of the Age of Apocalypse and attempt to give Bishop some layers, but their ugly art and dull writing really fail to leave much of a positive impression.

The other plotline that is further developed involves the continued captivity of Sabretooth. All the way back in X-Men Unlimited #3, Sabretooth willingly submitted himself for help from Professor Xavier as a means of receiving telepathic soothing that he had become addicted to. Though many X-Men disagreed with the decision, Xavier saw it as an opportunity to rehabilitate the villain. In this collection, we see the final resolution of this plotline. Sabretooth proves himself to be beyond redemption, prompting Xavier to make a deal with the government to have him incarcerated. In return, Sabretooth plots his escape from the mansion and leaves a trail of destruction in his path. Uncanny X-Men #328 is a standout issue in this saga. We get an emotionally devastated Boom Boom losing her cool once she discovers the truth about Sabretooth, as well as an intense action sequence that features a rematch between the villain and Psylocke (they pair first battled one another way back in Uncanny X-Men #213). It’s also worth noting that the issue is illustrated by Joe Madureira at the height of his popularity. His manga-influenced style is beautiful and dynamic. His Psylocke is especially iconic. Sabretooth: In the Red Zone concludes this arc. The original X-Men are sent by Xavier to apprehend Sabretooth, which gives us some great scenes of the O5 working together as a team. The synergy that they have is really electric, so it’s not hard to understand why this formation is so popular amongst fans. The combination of Fabian Nicieza’s dialogue and Gary Frank’s near-flawless art makes this issue incredibly cinematic. So much so, that it would make for a great animated film.

X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 2 is really not worth the price of admission. It’s great for completionists and X-Men fans who loved the ‘90s, especially since it has a lot of cool extras. There are reprints of trading cards, for example, that are included after each issue. Uncanny X-Men Annual ’95 is a great read, as is the one-two punch of Uncanny X-Men #328 and Sabretooth: In the Red Zone. The writing on those issues is impeccable, but the art is even more impressive (arguably some of the best that Hitch, Madureira and Frank have done). Unfortunately, the rest of what is collected here is pretty forgettable. It’s probably better to buy some of the individual issues via Comixology than shell out the money for this hefty trade.

RATING: B- (buoyed mostly by the high quality of some of the issues included)

Review: Uncanny X-Men Volume 4 - Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.

Following a heinous Sentinel strike, the war bubbling between Cyclops’ X-Men and S.H.I.E.L.D. reaches a fever pitch. Unwilling to sit idly by while more mutants are harmed, Cyclops takes the fight to the international spy organization apparently responsible for the Sentinels’ actions. Then, Dazzler is finally freed from captivity at Mystique’s hands. Angry and bitter over what she’s been through, she intends to get revenge on the shapeshifting femme fatale.

Uncanny X-Men Volume 4: Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. collects Uncanny X-Men #19-24, written by Brian Michael Bendis and with art by Chris Bachalo and Kris Anka.

This collection is typical of Bendis’ ho-hum direction on the X-Men titles during the Marvel Now! initiative. It’s all build up with no pay-off. The X-Men’s conflict against S.H.I.E.L.D. had been simmering since the onset of this title and “Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.” attempts to resolve that as a four issue arc. After a Sentinel attack, an incensed Cyclops determines to hold S.H.I.E.L.D. responsible for their actions. This leads to a blow out on the front lawn of the Jean Grey School and the discovery of who is truly pulling the strings. The climax is unimpressive and the reveal isn’t terribly shocking, so the arc feels somewhat deflated as a whole. As can be expected from Bendis, there’s a lot of dialogue and some great character moments (there’s a great scene telepathic exchange between Cyclops and Maria Hill, for example). The primary narrative itself just didn’t click for me. Personally, the more interesting story here involves Mystique’s usage of Dazzler as her personal mutant growth hormone factory, but this is relegated to subplot status and is only referenced cursorily in the aftermath.

The “Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.” arc leads into the tie-in for Original Sin, which is framed as a two-parter named “The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier.” In it, She-Hulk obtains Xavier’s will and is responsible for reading it to those named in the contents. Cyclops is hauled back to the Jean Grey School, where several “shocking” revelations are made about Xavier’s past. The quotes are necessary as Bendis seems to be putting in overtime to really try and surprise readers with plot twists. The problem is the twists are unwanted in every possible way. I was rolling my eyes so hard I’m surprised I didn’t catch a glimpse into the back of my brain. Consider this a spoiler warning. The first big plot twist is that Professor Xavier is married to Mystique and so all of his property now belong to her. It’s a really unnecessary development that feels like it’s either a remnant of the Ultimate Universe or was inspired by the First Class trilogy. Either way, it feels out of place and is just plain messy. It’s bad enough that Bendis treats Mystique like she’s the only damn X-Men villain around. The other twist is that there’s this uber powerful mutant that Xavier has kept secret for decades and now the X-Men have to go find him before he destroys everything. It’s a revelation that left me with a feeling of a déjà vu since it seems like a re-packaging of Proteus and Jean Grey.

Uncanny X-Men Volume 4: Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t ever reach its full potential. It’s bogged down by far too much dialogue and exposition, as well as puzzling plot twists. The artwork done by superstars Chris Bachalo and Kris Anka gives the book a premium feel, elevating the quality above what we’re getting on the story front. Though the cast is likeable and the plot elements are interesting enough, Bendis seems to be spending most of his time setting up future plotlines and recycling old ones rather than creating a compelling arc with an explosive climax.

RATING: C

Review: X-Men - The Road to Onslaught Volume 1

The X-Men have been pulled into the ruthless machinations of the mutant terrorist group Gene Nation, whose leader Marrow has a decades-long grudge against Storm. Marrow intends to make Storm suffer for the neglect she felt when the X-Man led the Morlocks. Then, Rogue and Iceman go on a roadtrip to escape from the drama that surrounds their lives as X-Men. Their departure may prove to be ill-timed as a shadowy villain known as Onslaught seems to be closing in on the X-Men.

X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 1 collects X-Men Prime #1, Uncanny X-Men #322-326, X-Men #42-45, Annual '95, and X-Men Unlimited #8, written primarily by Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza with art by Roger Cruz, Terry Dodson, Bryan Hitch, Joe Madureira and more!

This collection pulls stories from a transitionary period of the X-Men books between the critically-acclaimed Age of Apocalypse and the companywide crossover Onslaught. As such, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the majority of the issues here are stuck between dealing with the aftermath of the former and setting up the latter. This creates an inconsistent tone that constantly shifts the narrative focus, leaving the reader with the sense that there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of movement forward with the storylines being presented. For the most part, the issues that deal with the set-up of Onslaught are far more interesting than those that pull in some of the forgettable baddies from AoA (Dark Riders, I’m looking at you guys).

The writers tread a lot of water here as they place more of an emphasis on the interpersonal dramas between their characters than on action. For example, we’re treated to a date between Psylocke and Archangel and suffer through the continued melodrama of Rogue and Gambit’s tenuous relationship. Admittedly, I find the then-budding romance between Psylocke and Archangel to breathe new life into both characters. It helps to lighten Warren’s personality after being depicted in a grimmer manner following his transformation into Death at the hands of Apocalypse, while Psylocke gets to act as something other than just the team’s T&A. The drama between Rogue and Gambit is more contrived. The issues collected here occur after an incident where Rogue kissed Gambit, which ultimately left him in a coma and her with his memories. She’s thus left the X-Men and is travelling westward with Iceman in tow. This subplot is really engrossing, particularly as we get to see two characters that had previously never interacted much bond on a good ol’ roadtrip. Although, Rogue’s behaviour puts a damper on the two becoming overly close as she seems eager to remain closed off to all those around her. She is also contemptuous towards Gambit and remains judgmental over his past, which ultimately makes her look like a big flaming hypocrite given the fact that we know she’s no saint either (which both Carol Danvers and Dazzler can attest to). However, her icy rejection of Gambit does lead towards a touching scene with Storm consoling Gambit.

While a fair share of the stories in this collection read more as supplementary rather than essential, there are a few noteworthy issues that are worth discussing. Uncanny X-Men #322 sees Beast, Bishop and Psylocke going up against the Juggernaut, who is the first to reveal the coming of Onslaught. Uncanny X-Men #323-325 deals with Marrow and Gene Nation. This three-parter serves as a conclusion to a culmination of events that date back all the way to when Storm won leadership of the Morlocks from Callisto. Storm’s subsequent neglect of the Morlocks, the Marauder’s massacre, and Mikhail Rasputin’s teleportation of them into another plane laid down the groundwork for Marrow’s hatred towards humans and the X-Men. She returns in these issues to enact her revenge, but instead she finds herself up against Storm’s legendary will and ultimately underestimates her opponent. Finally, X-Men Prime is a beautifully poignant series of vignettes written by Lobdell and Nicieza with the help of roughly half a dozen of the decade’s most talented artists. Though it is a transitionary issue meant to wrap up the remaining threads of Age of Apocalypse, it is grounded by an incredibly (and depressingly) relevant story of a mutant who is viciously attacked by a group of humans while he is mere miles away from seeking refuge within the hallowed walls of the Xavier Institute.

X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 1 is pretty much what you’d expect from a collection of comics from the middle of the 1990s. With significantly fewer pockets and shoulderpads than its early-‘90s predecessors, these issues are gorgeously illustrated by some of the best artists in the industry at that point. Those penciled by Joe Madureira are especially memorable. Amidst the many forgettable villains presented here, Lobdell and Nicieza make up for lackluster storylines with excellent dialogue and themes that remain relevant to today’s intolerant society. I’m especially left impressed by how multi-dimensional and dynamic the women they write are. Storm, Jean Grey, Rogue, Psylocke, Callisto, Trish Tilby, and even Marrow are all easily the most memorable characters in this collection. Colossus, Gambit and Beast also have their moments. If anything, The Road to Onslaught Volume 1 is perfect for fans of these characters (especially if you love Rogue and/or Gambit).

RATING: B-

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 - 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: Uncanny X-Men Volume 3 - The Good, The Bad, The Inhuman

Following the events of Battle of the Atom, Cyclops is more determined than ever to ensure that his students are prepared for the harsh reality that exists outside of their school. They’re also adjusting to the new additions of the time-displaced X-Men to their ranks, which subsequently prompts some awkward tension between a teenage Jean Grey and Emma Frost and Cyclops.

Uncanny X-Men Volume 3: The Good, The Bad, The Inhuman collects Uncanny X-Men #14, 15.INH and 16-18, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Chris Bachalo and Kris Anka.

The Good, The Bad, The Inhuman is interesting for a very specific singular reason – it is one of the very few modern trades released by a mainstream comic book company that doesn’t feature a multi-issue story arc. In other words, each of the issues collected in this book are one-and-done stories that focus on exploring the relationships between the cast members of Uncanny X-Men. There are equal pros and cons to abandoning the tried-and-true four to six part story arcs that have become common place in the comic book industry.

The major appeal to taking a break from the multi-part format is that it gives a nice little window of opportunity for new readers to jump on board. Since the focus is on building the relationships between the characters, the reader won’t feel too lost since they don’t need to know too much of what occurred from preceding issues. This also means that Bendis is playing to his strengths. While he’s renowned for being the man behind many of Marvel’s biggest events, he’s always seemed a little more at home when writing dialogue than building story arcs. That rings true for The Good, The Bad, The Inhuman. Every word that comes out of Emma Frost and Magik’s mouths feels purposeful, as their sniping at others and overall feisty attitude creates a lot of great moments throughout. Bendis particularly likes to play up Emma’s playful rivalry with Kitty, as well as her deep-seated hatred towards Jean Grey. For this reason, the series two blonds continue their streak of scene-stealing and stand out as the two most interesting characters in Uncanny X-Men.

The downside to Bendis’ focus on one-off stories is that they have the same effect as filler episodes from a TV series. It stalls the tension within the series, bringing the action to a grinding halt. While it’s refreshing to take a break from a story arc to allow the characters to breathe, the problem is that not a whole lot has been happening in Uncanny X-Men as is. Up until this collection, Bendis has been building towards some kind of conflict – be it with Wolverine’s school, the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., Mystique or humans in general. There are no primary antagonists to speak of, nor does he really attempt to resolve the issues his characters are having in their personal lives. As such, this really leaves the reader with the feeling that Bendis doesn’t really know what he’s doing and like there’s no real direction to his run. Tonally, it seems like he might be aiming for a title similar to the beloved ‘90s quirky teen book Generation X. What is preventing this title from replicating the qualities that made Generation X such a hit is that Bendis simply doesn’t have a cast of characters that is memorable enough. Yes, Emma and Magik are fantastic, but what about the rest? The teen mutants he’s created continue to be forgettable and lack the personalities readers need in order to root for these guys. Aside from Tempus, none of them have distinguishable designs or costumes. That’s why Bendis needs six part story arcs against badass villains, because otherwise he’s essentially just treading water with a bunch of characters that no one is truly invested in.

The Good, The Bad, The Inhuman is an eerily accurate title for this collection. It features some great character moments as a result of Bendis’ aptitude for writing snappy dialogue. Fans will love Emma’s signature bad girl persona, while readers will continue to fall for Magik and her lack of a filter. However, the meandering plot deflates any tension that Bendis had been building towards. This trade also fails to flesh out its younger cast members, something which has been an issue from the get-go with this series. There are really only a couple of issues worth reading here (#15.INH and #16). You might want to grab those two issues separately and save your money to get a trade that’s more worth it.

RATING: C+