Review - All-New X-Men Volume 4: All-Different

Kitty Pryde and the All-New X-Men have left Wolverine’s Jean Grey School, joining up with Cyclops and his team at the Weapon X facility. They’re given new uniforms and are sent on a mission to rescue a mutant from the religious zealots known as the Purifiers, unaware that they’re saving an old friend of the X-Men.

All-New X-Men Volume 4: All-Different collects All-New X-Men #18-21, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Brandon Peterson, and Mahmud Asrar. It also features the one-shot X-Men Gold, which features vignettes by Chris Claremont, Stan Lee, Louise Simonson, Roy Thomas, Fabian Nicieza, and more.

This volume picks up after the events of Battle of the Atom. Kitty has thrown her support behind Cyclops, bringing her squad of trainees with her. Jean Grey is more determined than ever to change her future, while her relationships with Cyclops and Beast are somewhat frayed. Amidst this melodrama, the X-Men are tasked with stopping the Purifiers from killing an unknown mutant. This mutant turns out to be Laura Kinney (AKA X-23 AKA future Wolverine). Horrified by what Laura has endured, the X-Men formulate a plan to bring down the Purifiers. This arc is brief, but impactful. Bendis and co. utilize the Purifiers in a way that is just as relevant now as it was when Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson introduced them in God Loves, Man Kills. It even features a callback to that graphic novel. Religious fanatics using scripture to justify their hatred for those who are different than them will always be terrifying (and sadly evergreen), so this is what makes the Purifiers such a gruesome foe for the X-Men. Although, the optics regarding the rhetoric and themes used in this arc are somewhat poor. The Purifiers are clearly based off of real life white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ groups, so having the all-white (mostly straight) All-New X-Men be the focus of their ire seems weird.

Action is definitely at the forefront of this volume, which is a bit of a change of pace from previous ones where a lot of the stories involve the characters standing around talking to one another. Of course, that’s not to say that there isn’t any character work that is done within this arc. We get some touching moments, such as when Kitty and Illyana reunite and when Cyclops consoles Laura after her rescue. In fact, I’m quite fond of the dynamic that Bendis has cooked up between teen Cyclops and Laura. Whether intentional or not, it feels like it’s referencing the popularity of the slash pairing of Cyclops and Logan. It also helps us to see Cyclops as someone who is caring and compassionate, which are traits people don’t usually associate with him. Jean continues to be the focal point in the series, though she’s becoming increasingly more grating due to the continued abuse of her powers. She’s eager to use them however she wishes, which is a problem because she should have consent before doing so. I do, however, appreciate the sequence where Kitty tells Jean not to use her powers on Laura. Overall, it feels like a conversation needs to be had between Kitty and Jean regarding her misuse of her telepathic gifts.

While this collection is overall very engaging and worth reading, there’s no consistency with the artwork due to the absence of series mainstay Stuart Immonen for issues 19-21. Immonen’s artwork is nothing short of spectacular. It’s clean, it’s expressive, and it’s come to really solidify the tone for All-New X-Men. Mahmud Asrar, who provides the opening pencils to issue 20 is an ideal replacement as his work more closely matches Immonen’s. Brandon Peterson, however, provides the bulk of the artwork for this collection. His style is more detailed than Immonen and Asrar’s, but it’s also more basic in that it lacks any kind of uniqueness or flare. It also doesn’t help that the colours provided by Israel Silva are muddy and make it hard to make out what’s going on.

I quite enjoy All-New X-Men as a series and think it’s one of the better entries into the X-Men line of books within the past decade or so. This volume contains much of what makes it so entertaining. It balances humour with drama really well, provides the right mix of action and character work, and features some gorgeous artwork (by Immonen and Asrar). It also features a bonus issue, X-Men Gold, which is full of cute little short stories from various points in the X-Men’s history.

RATING: B

Review - New Mutants Classic Volume 1

With the X-Men seemingly dead after a mission in space, Professor Xavier recruits a new generation of mutants to carry on in their absence. Together these five teenagers must learn to control their unpredictable abilities while also coping with a world that fears and hates them.

New Mutants Classic Volume 1 collects Marvel Graphic Novel #4, New Mutants #1-7, and Uncanny X-Men #167, written by Chris Claremont and with art by Sal Buscema, Bob McLoed, and Paul Smith.

As the very first spin-off from the X-Men, New Mutants is notable for its diverse cast and its back to basics approach to storytelling in the x-verse. Its premise follows the original X-Men series rather closely – Xavier recruits five teenagers with special gifts for the purpose of teaching them how to control these uncanny abilities. This time around, Xavier’s intention is to help these children transition into leading normal lives rather than operating as soldiers in a war against the humans that hate them and evil mutants. Of course, trouble still manages to find its way into their lives. Before they’re even assembled as a team, they must face off against Donald Pierce and a rebel faction of the Hellfire Club as he attempts to recruit his own band of teen mutants. Then, the New Mutants must defeat a new generation of Sentinels while out shopping at a mall before coming home to a Brood-infected Professor Xavier. Finally, the team defies their mentor’s orders and lead their own search for their teammate Danielle Moonstar after she is kidnapped by the nefarious Viper and Silver Samurai.

The narratives of the stories collected here feel familiar. They’re all reminiscent of events that would occur in the pages of Uncanny X-Men. What feels different is the overall tone set forth by the cast of characters. They’re younger than the X-Men and are much more rebellious, to the point where they often question and act against Professor Xavier’s authority (which is great). Danielle Moonstar, arguably the lead in the series at this point, is strong-willed and speaks her mind. She refuses to assimilate into the team by embellishing her uniform with elements that point to her Cheyenne heritage. Her refusal to conform enrages Xavier, but she stands firm and says she’ll leave if he doesn’t bend to her will. This is in part what really establishes Moonstar as a standout. The other part is that she’s a truly layered character who is both tougher than her teammates and also the most vulnerable. She’s haunted by her abilities and feels guilty over using them, even against villains. While she projects a steely façade, she scares easily. During a Danger Room exercise where her teammates are each felled by the tasks assigned to them, Moonstar is unable to set foot into the Danger Room and instead runs away. We later see her face her fears head on, which shows her growth and tenacity. Karma and Sunspot are other standouts. The former is the oldest member of the New Mutants and acts as their field leader. She’s capable and confident, though she’s clearly suffering from PTSD as a result of traumatic events from her past. The latter often comes across as the one-dimensional team flirt, but he’s a character who has had to deal with intense racism in his native Brazil and whose home life is torn asunder by parents who cannot see eye-to-eye. He’s the most affected by a tragic event that occurs later on in this collection, which shows how deeply he feels for others. As for Cannonball and Wolfsbane, the creative team doesn’t devote much time to developing them within these first few issues. They’re less clearly defined and are used mostly for their abilities, especially Wolfsbane as her tracking abilities prove very useful in several instances.

Bob McLoed serves as the penciller for the first handful of issues from this series. His art is incredibly expressive, both in moments where characters interact with one another and in explosive action sequences. It creates a very dynamic reading experience. His work is also notable for how much effort he puts into differentiating the characters from one another. The members of the main cast are all different heights, builds, and have distinctive features. From Cannonball’s over-sized ears to Wolfsbane’s fuzzy hair, he gives them visual cues that help them to stand out. He also seems to put effort into ensuring that the characters of colour read as such. Sunspot, for instance, is drawn with larger lips, high cheekbones and a wide nose to denote his heritage as Afro-Brazilian. At times, McLoed’s work does veer a little into caricature territory, especially when it comes to Karma. There are panels where she looks a little too much like she popped off the pages of a Yellow Peril comic. When Sal Buscema takes over in issue four, these aspects are alleviated. Sunspot, Moonstar, and Karma are still obviously drawn to reflect their backgrounds, but aren’t quite as cartoonish in their depictions. Buscema’s work isn’t quite as moody as McLoed’s, but it’s just as energetic and maintains the overall high quality of the series.

New Mutants Classic Volume 1 is an effective introduction to the brand-new generation of mutants that surfaced in the early 1980s. The characters are vibrant and (mostly) multi-dimensional with powers that are admittedly more creative than the X-Men at that time. The pacing can be a bit slow at times and suffers a bit in the latter half due to the inclusion of the motorcycle-riding Team America for a couple of issues. However, the cast helps to carry the book and really manage to make you love them due to their spirit and cohesion as a team unit.

RATING: B

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 - Avengers/X-Men: Bloodties

Tensions between the human and mutant populations on Genosha have reached their peak. The Avengers have been instructed to stay away from the island nation out of fear that they may interfere with attempts at diplomacy. They ignore this order for personal reasons – the daughter of the Avengers Crystal and Quicksilver has been kidnapped and taken to Genosha by the fanatical Fabian Cortez. They infiltrate Genosha and team-up with the X-Men to rescue the innocent girl caught in the crosshairs of the human-mutant conflict.

Avengers/X-Men: Bloodties collects Avengers#368-369, Avengers West Coast#101, X-Men #26, Uncanny X-Men#307 and Black Knight: Exodus #1, written by Bob Harras, Dann Thomas, Fabian Nicieza, and Scott Lobdell. It includes art by Steve Epting, Dave Ross, Andy Kubert, and John Romita Jr.

Bloodties largely builds upon storylines set in place in the X-books, such as Mutant Genesis and Fatal Attractions. A desperate Fabian Cortez has lost his place among Magneto’s Acolytes and seeks to make a name for himself by kidnapping Magneto’s human granddaughter. He’s completely unhinged and is living in fear of retribution at the hands of the immensely powerful Exodus. This places him directly in conflict with the X-Men and the Avengers, who join forces in order to stop him. Since the narrative depends so heavily on previous X-Men arcs, it feels as if the Avengers have been dropped directly into the X-Men’s world and are forced to deal with issues they otherwise would be oblivious to. They’ve long stayed away from fighting for mutants and protecting them, but here they see what their inaction has resulted in – extremism on both the human and mutant sides. Since the Avengers are an officially sanctioned organization that has to follow the orders of certain authorities, it creates an interesting contrast against the X-Men. Xavier’s mutant band of heroes are freedom fighters who are able to fight for what is right without being entangled in any bureaucratic red tape. The opposite is true of the Avengers. They’re reactive and are essentially weapons pointed at whatever big problem governments may have.

The character who stands above the rest in this crossover is Crystal. With her daughter Luna in the arms of a maniac, it is her desire to rescue Luna that drives the plot forward and gives the arc its emotional throughline. She’s portrayed as a mother unwilling to sacrifice or compromise in finding her child, which means that she has ignore the orders the Avengers have been given from the authorities and infiltrating Genosha. We get a lot of great character moments between Crystal and some of the other cast members. She and her estranged husband Quicksilver put aside their differences to work together. Furthermore, Crystal spends the bulk of her time with her sister-in-law Scarlet Witch by her side. I really love their dynamic as Wanda’s sisterly concerns and supportiveness help to counterbalance Crystal’s more frenetic state of mind. Another character that manages to steal the spotlight is Sersi. In the middle of this crossover, she has an explosive battle against Exodus. It’s intense, vibrant, and showcases just how powerful Sersi is. It’s quite possibly the most memorable scene from this arc.

The art for this crossover is surprisingly very consistent, even though there were multiple artists working on it. Steve Epting and Andy Kubert’s work is really quite similar. This provides a similar aesthetic between the Avengers’ main title and the adjectiveless X-Men book. I’m fond of their styles as it’s very streamlined and the uncomplicated nature of their pencils allows for the colours to truly pop on the page. They’re also very expressive artists and excel at capturing all kinds of emotive states. John Romita Jr. has a style all his own, but it works in tandem with Epting and Kubert’s pencils. It’s a little more sophisticated and kinetic. Romita Jr. is especially fond of doing splash pages, which can be really effective for action sequences. Dave Ross is probably the weak link of the bunch. His artwork in the pages of Avengers West Coast is passable, but feels very ‘90s. The lines aren’t as crisp and clean, while characters often look permanently angry.

The ‘90s was a decade that provided crossover after crossover for the X-Men books, many of which were overdone and overstuffed. Avengers/X-Men: Bloodties is a nice change of pace in comparison. With just five parts to it, it’s a shorter crossover and places its focus on the characters affected most by Fabian Cortez’s actions. This gives this arc a more intimate feel to it and also ensures that its personal approach to storytelling elicits sympathy and engagement from the reader. Bloodties has a lot of memorable action sequences too. The Sersi vs. Exodus brawl alone is spectacular. Crossovers between the X-Men and the Avengers are rare, so Bloodties is a really nice treat and one that fans of both teams should check out.

RATING: B+

Review - Ultimate X-Men Volume 7: Blockbuster

Feeling unwanted and feared amongst his fellow X-Men, Wolverine leaves the team to gather his thoughts. In doing so, he becomes an easy target for a group of individuals claiming to be FBI agents and whose singular mission is to eliminate him. Rather than return to the X-Men for help, Wolverine allows Spider-Man to join him in investigating these mysterious foes.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 7: Blockbuster collects Ultimate X-Men #34-39, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by David Finch.

As someone who isn’t overly fond of Wolverine and who prefers the character in a supporting role, this arc was somewhat of a slog. Blockbuster places Wolverine front and center as he deals with the continued pursuit of a shadowy team of gun-toting military types who are hellbent on putting him six feet under. When he is injured during their first attempt on his life, he hides in Spider-Man’s basement to heal and is later helped by the wallcrawler after his recovery. At one point they’re even joined by Daredevil, who is perturbed by the violence that has spilled over into Hell’s Kitchen as a result of these continued assassination attempts. This three-way team-up is somewhat interesting, but would have been better suited to a mini-series or even a giant-size annual. It’s a diversionary narrative that pulls away from the events that preceded it and places the focus on one of the least interesting characters from Ultimate X-Men.

With that said, there’s a noticeable tonal shift with Brian Michael Bendis taking over the writing duties from previous Ultimate X-Men scribe Mark Millar. His has a firmer grasp on these characters and how they should be portrayed. Wolverine was entirely unlikeable and impenetrable previously, but Bendis manages to add some layers to him and makes him more sympathetic (which is a feat considering how big of a jerk he was prior to this). There’s also a bit of lightheartedness that was absent in Millar’s writing, largely due to Bendis’ inclusion of Spider-Man. Even though the X-Men are barely in it, there’s still a sense that this book feels more like an X-Men book should. There’s a strong pivot towards depicting them as a family, which I appreciate.

David Finch’s art is sadly very inconsistent in this collection. It seems rushed in many places, especially as we see a lack of details and some really awkward proportions (especially on faces). I like some of the imagery he creates, particularly a scene in which Jean Grey confronts a helicopter full of agents while in full Phoenix mode. It’s really evocative. However, most of Finch’s typical problems show up throughout. Notably, the women all have the same baby face and the art at times gets a bit muddy.

I wish that Ultimate X-Men Volume 7: Blockbuster had been a stronger start for Brian Michael Bendis’ brief run on the title. The use of Spider-Man as a guest star makes sense and works to lighten the tone of a generally grim title, but it pulls the focus away from the true stars of the book. I appreciate certain elements of Bendis’ work here and especially like the shift in the overall tenor. He writes the characters better than Millar did. That much is true. Finch’s art is passable, but still too uneven. For Wolverine fans (and some Spider-Man ones), this collection is likely to be fairly enjoyable. For those looking for a great X-Men story, this isn’t one of them.

RATING: B-

Review - Ultimate X-Men Volume 6: Return of the King

Magneto’s war against humanity reaches its climax as he commences his plan to destroy the Earth. Through the use of an amplification device, he intends to set off a series of explosions that will leave the Earth barren, eliminating the human race in the process. With the Doomsday Clock ticking down, the X-Men search desperately for Magneto’s base. Without Professor Xavier or their field leader Cyclops, they may not be able to succeed in stopping their deadliest foe.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 6: Return of the King collects Ultimate X-Men #26-33, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by David Finch and Adam Kubert.

Clocking in at eight issues, this arc is a slow-burn. It directly follows the events of the mini-series Ultimate War, which dealt with the conflict between the X-Men and the Ultimates over the return of Magneto. The Ultimates are absent here, so instead we get the X-Men lamenting about being in hiding and Magneto bloviating for several issues to whoever will listen. There’s very little in the way of action, so instead we get pages upon pages of Magneto’s planning. Arguably, he’s the main character of this arc. His perspective and voice is quite clear – he hates humans and wants to eradicate them all by destroying the Earth. He also clearly sees himself as a kind of messianic figure and treats his man-made asteroid as if he were Noah and his arc. There’s a lot to unpack regarding Magneto and Xavier’s opposing views, but Millar doesn’t have the range to adequately deal with the perspectives of oppressed groups. His portrayal of Magneto as a megalomaniacal villain who would likely twirl his moustache if he had one is illustrative of this problem. He’s sadistic and cruel with few layers. Seeing as this arc focuses so heavily on Magneto, it’s a drag to read.

There are some moments in Return of the King that are tolerable or are pretty enjoyable. Though it has been fairly subtle, the dynamic between Wolverine and Colossus has been one of the more fascinating interpersonal aspects to this series. In retrospect, we know Colossus is gay and has a crush on Wolverine, but it’s still subtext at this point. Colossus nearly confesses his feelings for Wolverine prior to their final battle against Magneto, which was kind of cute. During the big showdown, Colossus overcomes Magneto’s control in order to protect Wolverine. It not only emphasizes how much willpower he has, but also how intense his feelings are for his teammate. There are neat little interactions in the epilogue issue following Magneto’s defeat. There’s an exchange between Jean Grey and Thor that hints at the Phoenix Force being something bigger than Professor Xavier believes it to be, which seems to both surprise and provide Jean with a bit of vindication. Wolverine and Cyclops also manage to patch things up, which speaks to the latter’s ability to forgive and see the bigger picture. The maturity shown by both characters in that moment is admittedly quite surprising and a bit jarring, but not wholly unwelcome.

The art in this collection is handled by David Finch and Adam Kubert. The quality that Finch and Kubert share with their work is its roughness. The art throughout lacks polish and is inconsistent. A common criticism for Finch’s pencils is the sameness that all the characters take on. This means that he puts little effort into ensuring that facial features, body types, and expressions are different for each character. Kubert fares better and does in fact have quite a few memorable panels. There are a couple of really neat instances where we see Storm using her powers and it’s totally badass. Actually, the entire final battle against Magneto is really well done and really springs off the page.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 6: Return of the King concludes Mark Millar’s run on the series. There’s symmetry to this arc as he finishes his tenure the way he started it – by focusing on the philosophical and physical conflict between the X-Men and Magneto. Like the rest of his run, there are a lot of great ideas and concepts put forth in this collection. There are even some brilliant scenes. Unfortunately, Millar’s dialogue and grave misunderstanding of how the X-Men should be portrayed hinder the overall quality of the narrative. There’s simply too much flippant humour and gritty-for-the-sake-of-being-gritty going on. He also makes questionable choices with certain characters that make them vastly inferior to how they’re portrayed in the main universe. With that said, Return of the King does end with a bit of a bang and a smidgeon of optimism.

RATING: C

Review - Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 7: Irresponsible

When Peter and Gwen sneak out to attend a house party, they encounter a student named Geldoff from another school who possesses the ability of combustion. After an incident where Geldoff was causing cars to explode, Peter intervenes as Spider-Man in an attempt to get Geldoff to recognize the severity of his actions. Before he can sway him one way or the other, they are confronted by the X-Men, who are determined to bring Geldoff back with them to Professor Xavier.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 7: Irresponsible collects Ultimate Spider-Man #40-45, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley.

One of the most notable aspects of Irresponsible is the total lack of supervillains within its narrative. Instead, Bendis and Bagley take a more human approach to storytelling as they present Peter with a dilemma instead of a full-blown superheroic conflict. This results in a rather slow and somewhat torturous read. The premise is basically “what happens when the awkward foreign student gets powers and becomes popular?” There’s no real stakes since Geldoff doesn’t come across as a real threat. He blows up some cars, but that’s about it. The majority of the issues that make up this arc are essentially characters standing around talking to each other. Aside from the fact that Peter and Mary Jane reconcile after breaking up for a while and Peter meeting the X-Men, it feels like nothing of import actually happens. That’s not to say there aren’t some memorable moments. The X-Men’s inclusion in this arc really adds some much needed energy to the otherwise limp narrative. From Kitty’s fangirling over Spider-Man to an impressive action sequence involving Jean and Storm saving Spider-Man, Kitty and Geldoff during an impending plane crash, the X-Men create a sense of urgency and dynamism that really intensifies the world that Spider-Man occupies.

Given my issues with this dialogue heavy arc, it’s a surprise that my favourite issue in this collection is one that features almost no action and that’s essentially start to finish dialogue. Set in a therapist’s office, issue 45 sees Aunt May reflecting on the current state of her life and making several revelations about her feelings towards Peter, Gwen, and Spider-Man. It’s a truly intimate issue that gives readers a rare glimpse into Aunt May’s world and shows us the remarkable interiority of this character. It’s shockingly quite riveting as a read as it offers us different perspectives on supporting characters that are otherwise only ever seen through Peter’s lens. Getting to see how Aunt May is dealing with the grief of the loss of her family members, of Captain Stacy, and how she’s “using” Gwen as a coping mechanism is absolutely fascinating.

In these issues, artist Mark Bagley had to ensure the characters were as expressive as possible. Since much of this arc relied upon the feelings and thoughts of the characters involved, he had to narrow his focus and illustrate a lot of close-up reaction shots. This is especially evident in the aforementioned therapy issue. He carefully crafts each of Aunt May’s facial mannerisms to accompany the dialogue, which helps plot how she’s feeling at any given moment. There’s also a scene where Peter and Mary Jane are passing notes in class. Each panel is kept tight on their faces as they react to what’s being written. It’s really engaging since we’re seeing how they feel without being told. Beyond that, we’re seeing Bagley allowing the characters to grow through the visuals. Mary Jane is adopting a shorter hairstyle that is more refined, while Peter’s odd wispy bangs aren’t quite as jagged as usual. It’s also worth mentioning that we get to see the Ultimate versions of the X-Men in Bagley’s style. For the most part, he does a great job. I quite like how he captures Kitty’s youth and he really makes Jean pop on the page, but he struggles to make Storm’s hair a consistent style since he gives her weird bangs and the colorist doesn’t make her skin dark enough.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 7: Irresponsible is a bit of a chore. It has a lot of pacing problems and it struggles to maintain the momentum that the previous arcs built upon. Since it’s very heavy in dialogue, it may be a deterrent to some readers who are looking for something that’s less introspective and has more in the way of action. The issues with the X-Men are the most entertaining, but the Aunt May-centric issue 45 is also worth reading. Otherwise, it’d be quite easy to skip over this collection.

RATING: C

Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 5: Ultimate War

Having been freed from the rehabilitative mind control that Professor Xavier put him under, Magneto resumes his war against humanity with a fury previously unseen. The X-Men have gone underground to avoid questioning from the government, but are pursued doggedly by the Ultimates. With an inevitable conflict on the horizon, the X-Men must outwit Magneto and avoid being apprehended by the Ultimates.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 5: Ultimate War collects the four-part mini-series Ultimate War, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Chris Bachalo.

As with much of Mark Millar’s Ultimate work, Ultimate War proves to be an excellent idea in theory, but incredibly flawed in execution. It builds off the events from the pages of Ultimate X-Men. After their original conflict with Magneto, Professor Xavier made the difficult decision to spare Magneto’s life and attempted to rehabilitate him through psychic therapy. In doing so, he lied and allowed the world to believe the world that Magneto was dead by psychically projecting false images of his demise. His plan backfired when Magneto regained his memories, which subsequently resulted in the restarting of his campaign against humans. Both the X-Men and the Ultimates are working towards bringing Magneto down, but the former are wanted by the government for their role in the faking of Magneto’s death. All of this works as the impetus for a conflict between the two teams. A fight between the Ultimate Universe’s two major teams is a great idea, especially when using Magneto as an ideological catalyst for the conflict. While I appreciate Millar’s pared down approach to telling this story, his delivery is off due to the deeply off-putting way he portrays the characters involved.

As I’ve mentioned in my review of Millar’s initial arc on The Ultimates, one of the biggest issues with the Ultimate Universe’s version of the Avengers is that they aren’t even remotely close to being likeable as characters. Though it’s not essential for characters to be likeable in order to be interesting or well-written, Millar fails to add layers to the Ultimates. This is especially evident in Ultimate War. For the most part, they don’t receive any development. There’s no interiority offered to Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow or Hawkeye. They’re just following orders. Captain America, meanwhile, remains the grade-a jerk we saw him as in The Ultimates. He lacks diplomacy and seems to relish the opportunity to wage a war with the X-Men. Then there’s Wasp. She seems to have depth where the others do not. She appears to be more conflicted about the events that are going on around her. She’s a mutant, so she feels understandably quite concerned about whether the government and the team will turn on her as well. However, not enough work is done to truly excavate these worries within her character. Instead, she seems to brush them aside after being given a trite pep talk from Captain America. In reading this mini-series, I didn’t feel compelled to sympathize with or understand the Ultimates. There’s no reason to root for them or to feel that they’re justified in their persecution of the X-Men. Perhaps that was the point. Overall, the X-Men fare better than the Ultimates. They’re infinitely more complex, even though I often don’t like how Millar has chosen to portray them (Storm especially). As such, there’s really no denying that they’re the stars of this mini-series. We’re on their side and are with them in their fight for survival.

Chris Bachalo’s re-teaming with Millar is fortuitous as it elevates what could otherwise be a fairly unmemorable reading experience. I truly love the way he portrays the characters involved and the general atmospheric moodiness that his art lends to any given comic. There are quite a few memorable panels, such as the gorgeously illustrated spread of Wasp shrunken down amongst the flowers in Jean Grey’s father’s greenhouse and the stunning shot of Storm unleashing lightning on her enemies in the final issue. Though Bachalo’s art can sometimes have a certain sameness to it, I do like the effort that was put into making sure each character was distinctive and had their own feel to them. For instance, he gives Black Widow a very harsh look with slicked back hair while Jean Grey has a cuter mod-like appearance. As with anything, Bachalo’s work isn’t without flaws. There’s a very glaring mistake in that he draws Kitty Pryde to look absolutely nothing like what she’s been established as physically. In the pages of Ultimate X-Men, Kitty was drawn to be extremely young. She had curly brown hair and freckles. Here, her freckles are nowhere to be found, her hair is straight and blond, and she appears much older than she should.

If I’m being honest, I liked elements of Ultimate X-Men Volume 5: Ultimate War. It’s actually entertaining in a very mindless way. The art is gorgeous, the action is intense, and there’s a lot of dialogue that’s had on the subject of morality. Still, Millar’s faulty portrayal of beloved Marvel characters goes beyond creative re-imaginings and goes straight into “gritty for the sake of being gritty.” The Ultimates have no depth and the reader’s ability to understand Magneto’s perspective (which is always essential) is lost due to just how sociopathic he seems to be. In actuality, this mini-series would have benefitted from an added issue or two to allow for more action and character development. As is, Ultimate War falls short of its potential.

RATING: C+

Review - Ultimate X-Men:Volume 4: Hellfire & Brimstone

Scott Summers and Jean Grey are finally a couple, but it seems that fate is hellbent on interfering with their happiness. Still bitter from Jean’s rejection of him, Wolverine instigates a fight with Cyclops that lands both of them on a mission to the Savage Land in an attempt to force them to make amends. Then, Jean begins experiencing excruciatingly painful visions and seizures. Professor Xavier considers them to be a result of her growing mutant abilities, but a powerful multinational cult believes Jean to be the avatar of the powerful Phoenix God.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 4: Hellfire & Brimstone collects Ultimate X-Men #21-25, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Adam Kubert and Kaare Andrews.

At first blush, Hellfire & Brimstone appears to be Millar and Kubert’s attempt to modernize the iconic Dark Phoenix Saga. It introduces Kitty Pryde into the Ultimate Universe and has her enrolling in Xavier’s school, which is contingent on her never joining the X-Men on any missions as per mother’s request. Furthermore, we see Jean Grey struggling with her growing powers. This manifests in a series of seizures that result in her having hallucinations about the divine Phoenix Force. Millar and Kubert also reinvent the Hellfire Club as the secret investors of Xavier’s school. They are an international organization, largely comprised of billionaires, whose hidden agenda is to resurrect the Phoenix. There are a lot of interesting elements there, specifically the re-imagining of the Phoenix as a mystical force rather than a cosmic one. Millar and Kubert also ground the storyline by making the Phoenix out to be some kind of symptom of a psychic mental illness. For me, the space elements that are occasionally brought into the X-Men have always seemed at odds with the otherwise grounded world that they exist in. As such, I like the attempt to make the Phoenix less cosmic and more divine or psychological in nature. With that said, Millar and Kubert don’t seem invested in actually retelling the Dark Phoenix Saga in any meaningful way. In fact, it’s but one of several storylines going on in this collection.

There are a lot of plots and subplots in this arc, all of which serve to further diminish the impact of and distract from what could have been an interesting contemporary take on the X-Men’s most famous storyline. First, we have Kitty’s introduction. It’s cute and brief, but isn’t quite as interesting as her 616 counterpart’s where she had to rescue the X-Men after they were kidnapped by the White Queen. In this version, we merely see her tour the school and she enrolls without a problem shortly thereafter. There’s no tension or conflict whatsoever. We also have a subplot involving Wolverine and Cyclops going on a mission to the Savage Land to investigate the disappearance of a platoon of marines. This takes up two issues and is a tremendously disappointing diversion from the main plot. It’s basically just two issues of them arguing and being pouty, interrupted only briefly by an action sequence involving them fighting some zombies (yeah, zombies). The Brotherhood also gets tossed into the mix. In a set-up to the arc that follows this one, Beast effectively gets catfished by the Blob and unwittingly reveals that Magneto is alive and well. Of all the subplots, it’s the most random and unnecessary. Then, we’ve got Iceman’s parents suing Professor Xavier for the injuries he sustained while on their world tour. Ultimately, all of these narratives distract from what should have been the main storyline. Instead of having the focus on Jean Grey, the Phoenix, and the Hellfire Club, readers have their attention drawn to all these other places that aren’t contributing in any meaningful way to the primary narrative. As such, the whole arc feels anticlimactic and doesn’t build towards an exciting conclusion like it should. Where the original Dark Phoenix Saga was an epic that spanned several issues, this take has the bulk of its events crammed into one issue.

There’s really no getting around the fact that Ultimate X-Men Volume 4: Hellfire & Brimstone was a mess. It let down the storyline it was inspired by due to its failure to match its grand scale. The creative team is juggling with far too many narratives, creating a frenetic and unfocused arc that will undoubtedly leave most readers cold. In some ways, Kubert’s art matched the haphazard writing. While issue 25 is beautifully illustrated with a lot of effort put into details, the issues that precede it are incredibly inconsistent. Kubert frequently omits lips and the bodies seem hastily drawn. With that said, the one saving grace of this collection is Kaare Andrews. He provides guest pencils on issues 23 and 24. His art is dynamic, colourful, and surprisingly quite cute. It adds a freshness and youthfulness that this series sometimes lacks. Still, it’s not quite enough to rescue the arc.

RATING: C-