12 Days of X-Mas: Uncanny X-Men #324 (1995)

If you like action, then this one is for you, True Believers!

Not even the average art of Roger Cruz can dampen the mood when Sack and Vessel take on Cannonball, Wolverine, Beast, and Storm. And to be honest, I'm being a tad harsh. While the art isn't great, Cruz does a nice job on Beast, Cannonball, and the two villains. Wolverine looks a little too crazy for me (his mask would help) and Storm's sudden morphing into street clothes confused me for half the issue.

And Psylocke's psychic battle armor? Atrocious and weird. How could a metal suit cling that tightly to her butt?

Vessel's powers are a bill ill-defined; he can absorb the souls or psychic and physical power from those he kills. With 33 kills at a nearby nightclub, he's got enough in the tank to make it tough on Wolvie, Beast, and Storm. I do like bad guys that just take a big pounding, though. There is nothing too complicated in taking down the villain, just lots of punches, slashes, and lightning bolts.

Cannonball takes on Sack one on one in an enjoyable little fight that shows off the coolness of the "invulnerable while blasting" aspect of Cannonball's powers. That's always been one of the coolest powers in the comics and seeing it work against a weird possession villain is a neat twist.

The two villains reveal themselves as part of the Gene Nation, a group with ties to the Morlocks. Storm doesn't know exactly how that fits in with her memories of the underground mutant community, but I seem to remember this story introducing Marrow and bringing back a certain overpowered Russian mutant too. We'll see if I'm right in the upcoming issues.

The mysterious Gambit subplot isn't doing anything for me, just because whatever it is that Psylocke is looking for probably isn't that big a deal; I don't remember anything that affects the character these days. The Iceman and Rogue road trip is still weird too. Rogue is struggling to deal with a kiss with Gambit where she absorbed his memories, but again, Gambit just doesn't have enough interesting backstory to justify two subplots.

But the subplots don't take too many pages and most of the issue is straight-up action. I always appreciate that.

Good

Uncanny Avengers #1

I love the High Evolutionary. He’s so over the top ridiculous, such a perfect “comic book” villain his appearance almost guarantees that I will enjoy a comic. It certainly seems that Rick Remender imprinted on a lot of the same comics I did, so maybe we’ll get the Evolutionary War villain doing some neat stuff in this opening arc. (That said, my real hope is that the villain for this one is the Man-Beast, a tremendous and ridiculous older Thor and Spider-Man villain.)

Remender has used the Axis crossover as an excuse to totally reshuffle the Uncanny Avengers roster. Rogue (still using Wonder Man’s powers) and Scarlet Witch carryover from the previous series, the rest of the cast is new. Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Sabretooth, the Vision, Brother Voodoo, and Quicksilver round out this new lineup. That is sort of an odd line-up, and the team is lacking a true powerhouse, but the potential for drama is high. Divorced heroes, brothers and sisters, and replacements make up the team. There is real potential for sparks between these folks.

The other interesting thing is that unlike the last volume of Uncanny Avengers, this team hasn’t been brought together to serve a specific mandate. Rogue is worried about the missing Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, and she gathers the other heroes to make an attempt to track down her old teammate. I like this approach. It certainly seems like Rogue is overcompensating for how horrible she was to Scarlet Witch in the last volume, but frankly, that personality correction is more in line with the Rogue I know and love from years of X-books.

So the team ends up teleporting to Counter Earth, the world that orbits the sun directly opposite the Earth. This Counter Earth is populated by High Evolutionary’s ani-men, who show more personality in the opening few pages than they have since Quicksilver’s late 90’s series. This is going to be fun.

Daniel Acuna is in my top five for artists these days (and maybe top two). His character work is excellent. The costumes look fantastic. And the sensibility of the combat and panel layouts reminds me of Jack Kirby. Quicksilver’s new suit isn’t quite dynamic for me yet, but Acuna makes it work. And Rogue looks fantastic, as does the new Cap. Marvel really did a nice job with that new Cap suit, didn’t they? It almost always looks swell.

It isn’t surprising, considering how much I’ve loved Remender’s work for the last few years, but I’m in for as long as this volume of Uncanny Avengers lasts! 

Avengers & X-Men: Axis #1

I’m sort of conflicted on this one. There are a lot of good things about Rick Remender’s massive crossover, but there are some fairly glaring problems too.

First of all, this really feels like an epic Marvel crossover. This story clearly picks up after months of Uncanny Avengers issues, but I’d hope that the context is enough to catch everyone up on what is happening. (I read this with my 9-year old and she picked it up OK.) There are numerous great moments scattered through the book; from the use of Plantman (looking way more plant-y than I remember) all the way the surprise ending. Along the way, Remender has a great moment between the Summers brothers and a wonderful, timely arrival from the X-Men. Actually, that X-Men moment really struck me at how perfect that Uncanny line-up has always been. With Colossus, Storm, and especially Nightcrawler, man, that team just looks like it belongs front and center in the Marvel U.

I appreciate the use of Scarlet Witch and Rogue as such central characters, but man, having both them fail to fight off Red Onslaught’s power does make them seem a bit weak. Scarlet Witch in particular came off as too big of a threat to be walking around. After House of M and “No More Mutants,” maybe she shouldn’t just be walking around with her powers any more after all. Rogue comes off a tad better, especially after the talking up she gets from Professor X. I understand why Remender held off from explaining her current Wonder Man situation too; there were enough status quo changes in the book already!

Now for main problem. The smart-ass quipping. Remender does a great job with Iron Man. Iron Man is supposed to be clever, overconfident, and somewhat jokey. The character sounds like he could have Robert Downey Jr. inside that armor. And Hawkeye has always had that sarcastic tone too. But Vision? Odinson/Thor? The new Captain America? Every single one of them sounds the same, smarting off and being smart asses. It is hard to hear different voices for the Avengers when they are all this…sit-comy.

That said, I LOVED Red Onslaught’s dialogue. He used “scum” and “trash” enough to really have me hankering for a beat down. I can’t wait for him to get what he deserves! Remender also does a wonderful job with Magneto. Magneto calls someone a “cur,” instantly proving Mags’ superiority on the battlefield. Ahab gets some great smack talk in too. Remender is pretty great at getting the reader anxious to see the villains get served.

Adam Kubert has a big order here. There are a TON of heroes involved, and they all look pretty great. I mentioned how dynamic the X-Men looked, but the Avengers are just as nicely done. I’m a bit confused on a few things (doesn’t Thor have one arm?) but they are minor. I LOVE the look and feel of Red Onslaught. He dominates every page he appears on, as an event-central villain should. The design on the surprise foes at the close of the issue seem to have a nice, sleek look too. It’s too bad Kubert can’t do a book regularly any more.

This is a GOOD event that feels like the high-octane battles I remember from my youth. Remender has always channeled the 80’s in a good way, and he’s still doing so here. 

Uncanny Avengers #25

No sooner are we done with Jason Aaron’s Original Sin than we find ourselves on the March to Axis with Rick Remender. The focus has been pretty tight in these last few issues as Axis approaches. Havok (complete with scarred face), Rogue (complete with Wonder Man power-set) and Scarlet Witch team up with Magneto to take on the Red Skull and his S-Men in a mutant concentration camp. Ahab, a holdover from the big Kang arc sticks around too; relishing the chance to enslave mutants all over again (Ahab hails from a future where he has tortured and enslaved mutantkind.)

Man, the Red Skull is such an awful person; it is so easy to hate him. This issue is mostly from Scarlet Witch’s point of view, as she tries to work through her complicated feelings towards her father, Magneto. I get that Remender is putting us in her head, but some of the tension of the action sequences gets bogged down by all the narration boxes. I would have liked a tad more of Wonder Man in these issues too. If he’s going to live on only in Rogue’s head, maybe he could get a bit more dialogue? Rogue is truly best with this power set; the super strength and durability just work so well for her. Watching her slap around the S-Men then recover after the Skull’s final attack is just plain exciting.

I’m sorry, Remender, but I’m just not feeling Havok these days. The guy is just too generic of a hero for me to buy into this hero’s journey too much. The scarred face, the forced romance with Wasp, it just isn’t making enough of a difference. Havok works best as part of a big team, and setting him on this mission with such a small team is not gonna do it for me. I think Alex Summers works best when dealing with overbearing alpha males, so without Cyclops or Captain America to rage against, Havok seems sort of lost.

Magneto plays a tremendously important part here. I loved the scene where he turns things around on the Skull, and he has some fantastic monologues and quotes while taking down the S-Men. It also seems like Magneto might be responsible for creating the new Red Onslaught (the Red Skull/Onslaught hybrid starring in Axis). I’m not sure I understand how that transformation happened; hopefully Axis 1 will explain it.

Daniel Acuna is one of my top 5 artists, perhaps top 3. I love seeing him draw Rogue busting heads and Magneto tossing around metallic projectiles. When Magneto delivers his fists-only beating to the Skull, Acuna does a great job showing the destruction of the skull mask. I do wonder if the art or coloring was changed on that big splash in the Skull’s camp. I think mutants were hooked up to something, but I’m not sure what. Maybe some art changes were necessary to keep this appropriate for teens?

So Axis is coming next week. This “March” has me interested, but not tremendously excited. Red Onslaught doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, and the Skull is going to need to explain his sudden boost in power if he’s anchoring a mega-crossover on his own. The lead-in is GOOD, but I’m worried about 8 more issues Red Skull-based conflict. 

Uncanny Avengers #7

Thank goodness this comic is coming out. While the main Avengers title is wrestling with cosmic origin issues and ennui, this book delivers the hits. Red Skull! Grim Reaper! Apocalypse! The Horsemen of Apocalypse! Those are the types of problems that heroes solve by hitting them in the face! Let’s hear it for the Avengers!

Rick Remender must have mastered his Claremont 101 courses. This book has villain plotting, Celestials, and relationship building. How many books feature insane looking villains taking on the Celestials?

Amusingly enough, the two newest members of the Uncanny Avengers both strike out in their attempts to hook up with teammates. Wonder Man is still smitten over the Scarlet Witch, and Wasp continues her affection towards alpha males (in this case, Havok). Neither couple seems too close to getting together though; Wanda and Alex are some damaged goods!

I wasn’t sure if I liked the omniscient narrator caption boxes, but Remender officially won me over when he referred to Sunfire as the “solar samurai.” That narrator’s weighted tone makes the entire issue feel important. The neatest part of the trick is the way the narrator backs out of the panels when it is just characters talking. He doesn’t have anything to add when Wonder Man is pouring his heart out to Scarlet Witch. But when Sunfire and Cap are facing down a ramming Celestial starship? Let the purple prose flow!

Daniel Acuna brings a nice sense of continuity to the Celestials. I fell in love with his work on the Eternals series years ago, and he hasn’t lost his knack for the cosmic giants. They look fantastic. The designs for the Apocalypse Twins are fun too. All of the Horsemen look like a Jack Kirby designs used in a Guillermo Del Toro movie. (That’s a compliment!)

Excellent

Uncanny Avengers #5

Man, I just don’t get the controversy. From what I understand, people are offended by Havok’s “coming out” speech when he introduces the Avengers unity squad. He goes on about how he doesn’t like the word “mutant” and doesn’t want people to use it any more. He doesn’t like the label, and says that he and other mutants are just like everyone else. He goes on to say that everyone should just call him “Alex.” It seems there is an internet controversy that by abandoning the label of “mutant,” Havok is advocating that people should pretend to be like everyone else. To extend the common mutant metaphors, that people should give up their race, sexual orientation, or other identifiers. I find it fascinating, because I never would have read that in to the speech. I can’t imagine Rick Remender ever intended to offend anyone, but there it is.

As for the issue itself? I loved it. The book had a lot to live up to, that cover has been my computer wallpaper for months. I am a huge fan of Wonder Man and the Wasp, and I’ve always loved Sunfire’s potential. So adding those three heroes onto a team already sporting so many of my favorites? That’s a recipe for success. The question was, could Remender pull it off?

That’s a big affirmative. Wonder Man acts and sounds like himself, unlike the oddball “Revenger” that Bendis used in his Avengers run over the last couple of years. Wondy owns that insane behavior, and still claims that he’s going to be a pacifist hero, but his motivations and goals are in line with what we know about the character. Wasp is there to help integrate the mutants into pop culture. I love that she’s bankrolling the team, running the PR, AND an effective team member. At this point, Sunfire’s history is a tad complicated, and I don’t’ think I’m remembering all of it (didn’t Rogue get Sunfire’s powers for awhile?) In any case, Remender does a good job addressing the continuity questions before maneuvering Sunfire to a good starting point on the new team.

What I like about Remender is that even when he’s working on this much set-up, he still delivers a fight. The Grim Reaper is a fantastic, classic villain, and since he is Wonder Man’s brother, there is a good personal connection. His involvement immediately draws in Scarlet Witch too. And Rogue’s cliffhanger is a great way to end the book. It feels so classic Marvel for a hero to underestimate her own power and possibly kill a villain. That’s like West Coast Avengers 101. (Plus she gets to say how amazingly powerful Wonder Man is.)

Olivier Coipel comes in on art, and he does a great job keeping the look of the book consistent. Rogue is still rocking the hood and sullen attitude; it’s new, but I still love the character. Sunfire’s look is fantastic, and Wonder Man has yet another costume incorporating elements from his past looks. I do wish Wasp would ditch the gold-plated look and go a bit more classic, and I’m still annoyed by Cap’s battle armor, but I can deal with that if everyone else looks this good.

Excellent (but again, I’m partial to these characters)

Uncanny Avengers #4

I love the Uncanny Avengers. I love the villain, the art, the characters, the new ways Rick Remender can play all these folks off each other. There is a ton to like in Marvel’s new flagship title.

This issue actually has the team sort of come together. Instead of weird pairings, more and more characters start to actually join up and form a team. Remender gives us some fantastic pairings that feel really new. The Marvel U is an old place, so it is tough to see new character interactions, but this issue is full of them. Havok and Captain America, Havok and Scarlet Witch, Scarlet Witch vs. Thor. It’s got a ton of new combos. But Remender still delivers what we want, a Captain America vs. the Red Skull conflict; it’s worked for decades, and it is still effective.

There are a bunch of weird moments tossed in during Red Skull’s America bashing. Anything that can call back to Days of Future Past and mock reality TV is OK by me. As with all offensive tirades, there are just a few bits of truth mixed in to the Skull’s rant about America’s decline. That is why the Skull is an A-list villain. And that is why is so very sweet when the Marvel heroes get to knock him down.

John Cassady’s art is stunning. The Thor/Scarlet Witch conflict plays out like a heavyweight showdown, although I’m not sure that’s exactly how the Witch’s powers work. Poor Havok’s lumpy face makes him look ridiculous through the entire issue, but when it is time for him to deliver a speech, it just makes him look dedicated. And wow, it is weird seeing Thor look so much like a villain… he’s got a look that could make the switch, you know? I’d say I love all the new designs except for Cap’s new combat armor. Everything else looks like a modernized version of classic costumes. And soon we get Wasp, Sunfire, and Wonder Man!

Excellent 

Uncanny Avengers #3

Rick Remender’s pacing hasn’t been exactly my cup of tea, but I can’t fault his plot. The idea of the most evil man in the Marvel U getting the power of Professor X? That’s a wonderful, horrifying idea. I definitely got a Fear Itself vibe in the crowd scenes, where the Avengers are trying to save random folks from angry mobs, but Remender keeps the comparison from getting to close with a couple important changes.

The big change is that Professor X’s powers are so potent that Rogue, Scarlet Witch, and more all succumb to his effects. Heck Captain America spends most of the issue spewing venom at Havok; talk about out of character. John Cassady does a great job conveying Havok’s shock, then determination in the face of Cap’s verbal abuse.

Remender and Cassady spend a lot of time introducing the S-Men, the Skull’s new Nazi henchmen. I don’t’ think they’d all been name-checked yet, so it is neat seeing abbreviated origins and high spots as each member uses their powers. I believe this is a change to an omniscient narrator, a device not present last issue, but there is not a lot of choice; Remender has to get a lot of info out to the reader quickly.

The S-Men wouldn’t work as well as they do if they were ineffective, but Thor can’t even fight off the influence of Honest John, the Living Propaganda. Sure, Cap has a better chance to make his Will save (RPG joke!), but Thor? Not so much. 

I continue to be awed by Cassaday’s art. Flipping through, almost every page has one dynamic image to pop the page, with most of the story playing out in the other panels. This guy’s original art must sell for a TON. Every page has something great!

Good

Uncanny Avengers #2

Does it count as a legitimate complaint that a comic feels too short? I loved the first issue of this series, and after a long wait, issue 2 went by in a blur. I’m not saying Rick Remender didn’t pack a fair amount of characterization into this thing, but man, I want more! And hearing that the delays are only going to get worse doesn’t make the waiting any easier.

Wolverine finally shows up, and he shows some doubt at Havok’s ability to lead the team. At least two issues in, Havok is in no way the leader of this team. Cap is still calling the shots in every way, with Havok serving as a capable face of the team. I’m curious to see how Remender handles this going forward. Havok could step up, but I can’t see Cap in a back-up role. Or Cap could keep the reigns, but that just invalidates the “promotion” that Havok received when he joined this team. 

I’m getting some serious Glorious Godfrey vibes from Honest John, the Living Propaganda, but I’m not complaining. Legends still holds up as a fantastic, exciting story, and the idea of a populace-influencing villain is always terrifying. I enjoyed the way John Cassaday was almost subtle in the first few panes of John’s speech. I had to do a quick double take. 

The issue’s action all comes from Rogue. As a big fan of the X-Man, I’m pleased to see her this tough so quickly. Rogue is clearly an afterthought for the Red Skull, but that’s a mistake. Rogue is on the rampage in this one, and I particularly like the way she holds a grudge against the Scarlet Witch for House of M. I don’t think Wanda is going to just fit in to this new team.

Cassaday is a step above just about everyone else in comics. His facial expressions, his ability to “freeze-frame” the action, it’s simply incredible. This book is elevated to flagship status simply by his artwork. I absolutely love the way he uses his backgrounds (or lack thereof). Instead of just using blank space, Cassaday always includes a cool effect like the Red Skull’s mental powers or rows of power conduit. It leads to a strong sense of environment often missing in modern comics.

Good

X-Men Legacy #275

What a great way for Christos Gage to wrap up his run on X-Men Legacy. He’s stated that the book never quite materialized as he hoped, and I can see that. The stronger issues show what could have been, so I’m happy that the final story shows Gage’s strengths so nicely.

This was always going to be a book about Rogue, and the focus is squarely on her in this issue. Unlike some of the run, this one has Rogue dealing with familiar foes and working with one of her teammates while putting down a prison break. Seeing Rogue tap into the abilities of so many villains is a joy. The contrast between her and Mimic is a natural and effective one. Mimic in the main Marvel U has never been as cool as the one in Exiles, but I suppose there is some potential here. I don’t know that anyone will use him soon, but he is in a good place to be a future guest star.

Rogue has her head on straight. I’d argue she has since Mike Carey took over this title, but the strong closing page clearly establishes that Rogue’s spot on the X-Men and in the Marvel U is well established. Rick Remender will be taking the character now that she’s in Uncanny Avengers; it will be interesting to see if his take is as confident and powerful as Gage’s.

David Baldeon does a nice job with the sprawling cast of prisoners who show up this issue. Gage lines up a great set of small-time villains, mostly 70’s villains from Marvel Team-Up and Spectacular Spider-Man. A fair amount of these guys are Bill Mantlo villains, right? Equinox the Thermodynamic Man, Armadillo, Man-Bull, Light Master, and Ruby Thursday are just some of the obscure names I recall from my back-issue bins. Baldeon’s best scene is Rogue’s souped-up form while she’s channeling a ton of villains. She’s got major junk in the trunk while packing Armadillo’s tail.

Gage is one of my favorite Marvel writers, with his love of continuity and his devotion to cult characters. I never connected with his work on this series quite as much as I’d hoped, but it was still an entertaining run. At the least, he brushed off a lot of good Marvel characters.

Good

Uncanny Avengers #1

Rick Remender continues pumping out solid, action-packed comic books. This time, he’s paired up with an A-list artist; I’d say this probably will be his biggest debut ever. It’s a good first impression, with lots of action, snappy dialogue, and an evil, evil villain.

It’s interesting that Marvel has refocused Captain America as the stern Dad of the Marvel U. Listen, I’m a huge Cap fan, he’s my favorite character, but he sure comes off as a sanctimonious jerk these days. Say what you will about Cyclops, but Cap should at least see where he was coming from. Instead, Cap calmly strolls in and recruits an X-Man to graduate to the big leagues. The mutants don’t pick their own poster child; instead, Dad-Cap decides that Havok makes the most sense to lead a new team. That takes a lot of nerve.

Havok is interesting. I’m having a hard time getting a vibe off him. He certainly seems mad at his brother, but that’s nothing new. I’m not sure he’d be quite so uncomfortable getting called up to the majors, but there is a certain amount of awkwardness that I like.

One of the stronger scenes is the Rogue vs. Scarlet Witch showdown. I hope Remender continues giving the wronged mutants a voice. Rogue has every right to be a bit miffed after AvX, so I’m firmly in her corner. Scarlet Witch is making excuses, and she takes a bit less responsibility than I would have expected. The new idea that Cyclops didn’t have mutants best interests at heart (voiced by multiple characters, including SW) is an interesting one. It should be proven false quickly, though.

Thor doesn’t have a lot to do, other than a few lines of dialogue and a wee bit of smashing. Wolverine just delivers a eulogy; pretty darn sedate for the hairy little scrapper.

John Cassady is fantastic, of course. I mean, he makes Avalanche look awesome. Avalanche! I do like that the unlettered preview pages made it seem like Cyke was the one getting lobotomized, but no, poor Avalanche is a pawn of the Red Skull. Is that Masque hanging out with the Skull or someone new? I like the design of the Skull’s new flunkies, there is a lot of potential there.

And Skull? You are one sick puppy.

Good

X-Men Legacy #274

Now that’s pretty funny. After two or three issues in that alien dimension, it gets a one-panel mention in this issue. That panel is actually recapping AvX!

Fortunately, Christos Gage gets to refocus the title on the bigger X-universe. Rogue and Magneto have a pretty complicated history, but that’s really unnecessary here. The focus is on the future, determining if this power couple is going to make a go of it. Personally, I’ve always much preferred Gambit and Rogue as a couple, Magneto’s just too old and creepy. Rogue doesn’t say as much here, but you know she’s thinking it.

Rogue and Magneto are dealing with a collapsed subway, where Magneto’s powers aren’t too useful under all that concrete and plastic. Rogue absorbs the specializations of a bunch of bystanders, and the two of them head down without super-strength or mastery of magnetism. It’s an interesting backdrop, allowing the couple to discuss their relationship in context with a dying commuter. I always enjoy more fighting than talking, but Gage does a nice job putting a bow on this relationship.

David Baldeon makes some interesting choices with the art. Magneto looks downright evil in a lot of these panels, especially in the moment after Rogue gives him his decision. Baldeon continues to draw kids better than adults, with everyone’s faces looking a tad too cartoony for me.

Fair

X-Men Legacy #273

Here's a quick one for ya!

There isn’t much more to say about this one. I like Christos Gage’s writing. I like Rafa Sandoval’s art. I really like Rogue as a character.

But I don’t like seeing Rogue exiled to some random alien world dealing with a sci-fi plot that is not a great fit for the character and is really pointless in Marvel’s current world. I simply don’t get it.

I hope Gage has a chance to wrap this up a bit more before he leaves the title.

Pretty cover, though!

Average

X-Men Legacy #272

It’s a real bummer to me that Christos Gage is going to be moving off the Legacy title, and his last arc is a weird, alternate dimension story with no impact on the “real” Marvel U.

Gage has put some work in developing this world, its creatures, and its history, but it seems like the pages are just kind of taking up space. I’m sure that’s because Gage can’t really address the post-AvX status quo like some of the other Marvel creators are doing, he’s got to tread water until the crossover finishes. That means we have a well-written and likable lead off spinning her wheels. Too bad she couldn’t have been dumped in the Savage Land or with the Star Jammers instead. Heck, Gage could team Rogue up with Hercules and have them fight Black Tom Cassidy for a couple issues. Anything other than this exile!

Rafa Sandoval continues to do a solid job on pencils; he gets a lot more creepy-crawlies to do this issue. The horde of bugs is pretty creepy, especially with their helmets! What bugs wear helmets??? I’m not sure if the other side is supposed to be lion-men or more human-like with weird features. Again, I’m not sure that totally matters.

Average

X-Men Legacy #271

Yeah. I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’m pretty sure that’s the bustiest I’ve ever seen Rogue. Yowza!

Well now, this is pretty far gone from the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover. I can appreciate it as a character piece, but I can’t imagine we are ever going to see anything about this alien world ever again. Christos Gage is in a weird position here; he’s got to keep going with a narrative set up in a crossover that he’s not allowed to finish. It makes sense he’d use this chance to spend time with Rogue, the series lead, but man, this is odd.

I love Rogue, but I’m not sure this is the type of story she works best in. It’s a neat twist that she opens the issue with Ms. Marvel’s power set (was I the only one hoping the powers would be permanent?), but by the close, her powers are gone. It’s a neat set up, but man, this whole issue is world-building for a place I’m confident we will never see again. Even bouncing Rogue to an alien planet or the Savage Land would make a bit more sense than some weird fantasy planet. This just feels like a diversion at a time when big stuff is happening in other books.

Rafa Sandoval has a neat take on Rogue’s skunk stripe. Maybe I just didn’t notice, and more artists are doing it, but Sandoval draws the whole front third of Rogue’s hair as white. She’s also got a pretty kicking new hairstyle that shows it off nicely. I did have a hard time discerning between her hair and her scarf, though, it seems like they were interchangeably dangling between panels.

Fair

X-Men Legacy #270

I enjoy this comic, but I won’t be crushed when it is cancelled for the Marvel NOW push. I really dig Christos Gage’s take on Rogue, it’s just that too often the story in this title is just on the periphery of the “real” story taking place in another title. Once again, this issue is an Avengers vs. X-Men crossover, with the main focus on Rogue and Ms. Marvel.

Gage doesn’t skimp on the interpersonal interaction, though. We get to see how Magik is treating her Avenger prisoners, and it looks horrific. Rogue can barely even play along with her Phoenix Five teammate, and Magik is barely out the door when Rogue starts trying to bust Ms. M out. Most of the action takes place inside Rogue’s psyche as she attempts to absorb the powers and look of one of Magik’s pet demons, but of course, demons know a little bit about possession.

Rogue and Ms. Marvel have a brief moment to bond, but it’s short-lived. Magik returns and Rogue’s got no chance against her. Looking at it, it seems that Rogue would have been better off trying to get more moderate X-Men involved. She’s absolutely right when she says that Iceman wouldn’t go along with this. Magneto? Maybe. Rogue clearly thinks more of him than I do.

I’m a tad worried because it looks like the next issue features Rogue trapped in some alien dimension, further cut off from the main conflicts and storylines. On the one hand, I’m pleased that her story could actually lead to some real repercussions, but I’m annoyed that Rogue is being shunted off the board in AvX.

David Baldeon’s work is fine, but Mark Brooks’ covers are a lot to live up to. I’m amazed Baldeon can draw gross things like the leech-headed Rogue and lamprey-like demons and maintain his cartoony look. But he does it!

Fair

X-Men Legacy #269

It seems that the tie-in books are going to be spoiling things for AvX on a regular basis. This issue of X-Men Legacy features Rogue going up against Ms. Marvel. It’s status quo, though, because I guess as of the next issue of AvX, the X-Men are actively hunting down and capturing the Avengers! It’s a pretty great high concept, and Gage does a great job with it.

Even though every person reading the series knows that the Phoenix Five are a bad idea; that they’re going to turn bad, I love that the X-Men are in denial. They really are making the world a better place, now that they don’t have to hide anymore. It’s easy for the X-people to dismiss the Avengers’ fear. Gage gives a great argument: The Avengers really liked the status quo before, so they never tried to change the world. Now that the X-Men are actually making the world a safer place, the Avengers are just jealous.

Rogue and Ms. Marvel have a long history, and that certainly plays into the tensions between them here. Rogue reacts in a fashion much more violent than usual, and Ms. Marvel spends most of the fight trying to maintain her composure. It makes sense that Rogue’s re-taking of the Ms. Marvel power-set would set Carol Danvers off. (Any hope that Rogue gets to keep those powers full-time again? Maybe adding in other mutants too?)

David Baldeon does a nice job once the book turns violent. I’m not a huge fan of his style, but I have to say he does a great job with fight choreography. I almost got upset when Rogue absorbed the electrical current and punched Ms. M, but I looked again and saw that Rogue was just channeling the current through her Ms. Marvel-boosted form.

Good

X-Men Legacy #267

I love Rogue. I love She-Hulk. In fact, they may be my top two comic book ladies. So seeing the two of them go at it is pretty great. Especially with Rogue channeling She-Hulk’s powers!

Rogue beat the Avengers single-handedly in her first appearance, so it only makes sense that she’d tear up this smaller team now. Sure, she gets a little back up from the other X-Men, but for the most part, this is her show. (How cool was it seeing Gambit fight Moon Knight? I want more of that in the Versus title!) I figured Iron Man was a little too busy to appear in this book, but Gage makes the most of it. At this rate, Iron Man could show up in every title and you could just try to figure out which armor was the newest, and therefore, occupied.

It’s nice seeing Shadowcat show up and take some action. Since I read Wolverine & the X-Men in trade, I haven’t seen much of her in awhile. More importantly, this book is the catalyst that sends more big names over to the X-Men’s roster in AvX. Rogue, Gambit, Shadowcat, even Cannonball will be welcome additions.

Rafa Sandoval does not like to draw backgrounds. There are a lot of good fights in this, and they look great (She-Hulk vs. Rogue, people). He does have a habit of just going with a solid color in the background of almost every panel. Even if he does put in some other detail, it’s pretty simple. It also would have helped to put Shadowcat in her costume, I miss those blue puffy sleeves.

Good

Wolverine vs. the X-Men TPB

This is another strong outing for Jason Aaron and his continuing Wolverine story.


While I found the opening chapters of Wolvie’s current series to be a bit too metaphysical for me, that wasn’t a problem this time. In the first trade, Wolverine spends a lot of time in hell, working on his escape from a bunch of demons as he interacts with people he’s killed along the way. Aaron did his best to keep things visceral, but it was all a bit too emotional for a strong Wolverine story.

In this chapter, Wolverine is almost free. While his consciousness was trapped in hell, a crew of demons hijacked his body and have been running rampant. Daimon Hellstrom and the Ghost Riders got Wolverine back into his own skin, but they didn’t get the demons out. Now a possessed Wolverine is running around San Francisco while Cyclops mobilizes the X-Men.

It makes sense that Cyke would have a plan for putting Wolvie down. Logan has been possessed or mind-controlled a lot over the years, so I enjoyed seeing the ultimate sanction team put together. The first group is Cyke, Namor, and Magneto, a pretty powerful bunch. (They even make their try backed up by Hellstrom and the Riders.) It doesn’t quite work, though, so the B-team gets called in to make another attempt. The Dr. Nemesis and Fantomex team brings decent powers and a ton of snark; Aaron does a wonderful job with the banter between the grumpy heroes.

Meanwhile, the ladies of Wolverine’s life try to help him out mentally. Storm, Rogue, Jubilee, and White Queen join Wolvie’s current girlfriend in attempting to purge his mind of the demons. This, much like the first trade, gets pretty surreal, but it is worth it. The locked doors of Logan’s mind are worth the payoffs, including fantasies about Squirrel Girl, card-cheating tricks, and revenge.

Daniel Acuna is one of my favorite artists. Sometimes he elects to go a bit blurry on faces and details, but the mood of the panels is impeccable. When he does handle detail, the heroes and villains look wonderful; the demons look horrific while the glow of Cyke’s visor can’t help but impress. Seeing Acuna draw Nightcrawler makes me angry that the character is dead!

Good

X-Men Legacy: Aftermath TPB

These bridge trades are always a bit odd. X-Men: Legacy needs some time to catch up from two recent X-crossovers, Second Coming and Age of X. The first couple issues of this trade deal with the first, and then the last few issues all deal with the fallout from Age of X. Mike Carey wrote Age of X, so those chapters make a lot more sense and entertain me more than the first couple issues.


In the aftermath of losing his hands, Hellion’s actions are under review. Cyclops and some of the other X-Men are worried that Hellion is turning bad. They’re worried after he used excessive force in taking down erstwhile X-Man Sentinel Prime. (That’s her name, right? The Indian lady from the beginning of Carey’s run?) I don’t know Hellion at all, and I’m not a huge Hope fan yet. For me, the most interesting part of this story is seeing Random, the mutant hit-man, working with the X-Men. I wouldn’t have guessed he’d be a hero, but here he is.

I do find the idea of a powerful telekinetic missing his hands to be pretty interesting. If you can manipulate everything with your mind, why do you even need those primitive things? Hellion doesn’t see it that way yet, but I think there is a lot of potential with the character after that development.

I like seeing the fallout from Age of X in the rest of the trade; it’s worthwhile to see Carey wrap up some of the interpersonal strands he’s created. When given the chance to forget what happened in the alternate world, most of the X-Men choose to forget it, the time is just too painful. But Frenzy wants to remember the time she was actually a hero, and involved with Cyclops’ alter ego of Basilisk. Now I’m starting to see how the character was softened up for her appearances in the current Legacy title.

Carey also puts the Gambit/Rogue romance to bed for a bit. Gambit is certain of his feelings for Rogue, but he tells her he’s going to back off until she’s sure. I guess that’s leaving Magneto a nice opening to try and get back on the scene. (I’m firmly in the Gambit camp, he’s a much better match.)

It’s too bad that after such a dramatic cover, the interior art is so much weaker. Paul Davidson is OK, but his art is a bit generic, almost like the DC house style. Harvey Tolibao typically puts a weird reflective sheen on the faces of too many characters. Are their skins all made out of metal?

Rafa Sandoval is more solid, but I’m not a huge fan of his work either. I think Carey’s best work on the title has been with Chris Bachalo and Scot Eaton. Too bad Carey didn’t ever get matched up with a top-tier or more classic artist.

Fair