All-New X-Men #10

I’m amazed how much I love these X-books. It took me four issues, but I absolutely love the tone of Bendis’ relaunch. He started off with a very anti-Cyclops tone in All-New X-Men, but now that Bendis is writing Cyclops in Uncanny, I can’t help but notice a shift. Cyclops really is coming off like the more realistic leader in the X-family. What is especially cool about all this is that Cyclops is still the same guy he was pre-AvX; the X-Men have just grown complacent. I’m impressed that Bendis is keeping Cyke’s character so grounded in his prior arguments.

I’ve started reading the X-books with my 8 year old daughter, and the two of us are having a great time trying to guess who will choose what side in the x-split. She’s certain that Angel and Cyclops are going to go to the Uncanny book, leaving Beast, Iceman, and Jean Grey with Wolverine. My money is on Angel making the switch alone. (He’s had some lines that suggest this, but Stuart Immonen’s art seemed to project his separation even further.) 

All this, plus an actual villain plot! Mystique, Sabretooth, and Lady Mastermind need some more muscle on their team, but they are well on the way to becoming a solid new stable of villains to plague the All-New X-Men. I certainly hope that the “Brotherhood of Evil Mutants” name is still available. And surely Avalanche has given up on his reformation after being mind-controlled in Uncanny Avengers!

Immonen’s art is always a treat, and he’s a fantastic fit for the X-Men. I do wish that a few of the costumes were a bit stronger, I’m not digging Storm’s current look. I’d also kill for some Colossus appearances; you know Immonen’s Colossus would be tremendous. I absolutely love the redesigns on Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost, and Magik. I wouldn’t like them as permanent uniforms, but for where the book is right now? The new look is awesome.

Good