Tuesday, January 8, 2013

All-New X-Men #5

Ugh. That Marvel Now trade dress really uglies up a pretty cover.

I can’t be the only one who is on Cyclops’ side here, right? I mean, Wolverine comes off so snotty and holier than though, and Beast’s goals are so odd and self-serving, it seems like Cyclops clearly has the better option. Heck, Cyclops’ new Xavier School for the Gifted sounds downright inviting, doesn’t it?

My main problem with this whole book is that I’m still unclear on Beast’s goals. He knows Professor X will mind-wipe the young X-Men when they return to his own time, so young Cyclops won’t learn from his future field trip. Then Beast states that his other goal is that modern Cyclops should carry his shame to his grave. What exactly does that accomplish? It just seems so petty!

I am excited that all these health issues with the Beast have a relatively logical conclusion; we’re finally rid of lion-Beast. I like Grant Morrison more than the next guy, but lion-Beast was a terrible idea. I do worry that the coloring makes Beast’s new form look a bit too much like Dark Beast, but at least he’s more ape-like again. (Now we just need Archangel to back to his normal self. Imagine trying to explain the modern version to poor Young Angel!)

Jean Grey gets the starring role for most of this issue as she gets force-fed the memories of the X-Men’s history. I’m happy to see Stuart Immonen including some of the awful moments in the X-Men’s past, like the recently reviewed Search for Cyclops series. I will say that Jean Grey has rocked some particularly awesome costumes over the years, especially when drawn by Immonen.

This is the odd comic that reads much better in floppy than in digital. Immonen uses horizontal page designs so often that reading it on my tablet is downright annoying. That doesn’t come up often, but it does here.

Good

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