Wolverine and the X-Men #1 – Review

By: Jason Latour (writer), Mahmud Asrar (artist), Israel Silva (color artist)

The Story: As the bard hath wrote: high school never ends…

The Review: It’s very strange to see a new Wolverine and the X-Men #1 so soon, but this is what we find ourselves confronted with. Jason Aaron’s post-Schism story for Wolverine and his school was a highly unique one, and one that occupied a very special place in Marvel’s lineup. Now that Jason Latour and Mahmud Asrar have taken over, the question on many minds is how much of the title’s charm was WatXM and how much was Aaron’s sensibility.

Well, to get right to it, it’s certainly not a repeat of Aaron’s work. Latour’s WatXM has a different feel, which might upset fans of the previous volume, but it’s not at all the reversal that the New 52 JLI was. Indeed, as we predicted last week, this could have very easily have been Wolverine and the X-Men #43.

The story picks up right from where we left off, with the solicit even assuring us that this is summer term. Our focus character is Quentin Quire, newly graduated and beginning his new job as a teaching assistant, though who he’s assisting is never made particularly clear. Quire’s always been a foil for Wolverine and, similarly, it’s interesting to see his individual brand of rebelliousness forced into a position of authority. The problem is that, unlike Logan, Quire isn’t dedicated enough to this new stage in his life to sell it in a first issue. He’d probably give up on it if it weren’t for his girlfriend, Idie.

Astonishing X-Men #32 – Review

by Warren Ellis (Writer), Phil Jimenez (Pencils), Andy Lanning (Inks), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Art hang-ups and the lack of plot development aside, the Warren Ellis/Phil Jimenez run on Astonishing X-Men got off to a pretty nice start. As a fan of the Brood, I can’t help but look forward to what Ellis has up his sleeve.

The Story: The X-Men deal with a strange biological Sentinel and unexpectedly find themselves up against Brood as well.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Astonishing X-Men #32 is, well, a whole lot like Astonishing X-Men #31. As you’ve no doubt guessed, that’s both a positive thing to say about the book in some ways and a negative thing to say in others. It means that the latest Astonishing X-Men is one hell of a fun, action-packed thrill ride. It also means that the art issues are still a problem and that the current arc’s overall plot only advances over the span of a few pages.

The script for Astonishing X-Men #32 is filled with loads of dialogue that could only come from the mind of Warren Ellis. From the pet names Beast gives to Abigail Brand to the sarcasm that drips from nearly every word bubble, the dialogue is so awesome, so distinctly “Warren Ellis,” that you can’t help but wonder what other type of magic he could work with some of the other Marvel teams. All that good dialogue comes at a price, however, as the story sort of takes a backseat to the action. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since seeing the X-Men do what they do best is almost always a good time, but it does leave the book feeling a little light on plot.

Phil Jimenez’s detailed, dynamic artwork in Astonishing #32 leaves little to be desired from a storytelling standpoint. Especially since the artist’s character work is far more consistent than it was in his Astonishing debut. Visually, Astonishing X-Men #32 is not perfect, however. The problem is that Frank D’Armata’s colors simply overwhelm Jimenez’s pencil work far too often. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that D’Armata’s slick, shiny color work makes some of the action almost indecipherable at times. Some panels/scenes are so awash in a “motion-blur” effect that everything sort of blends together in a way that’s downright hard to follow.

Conclusion: Light on story, but packed with lots of X-Men action, Astonishing X-Men #32 is definitely worth your time and money if you’re a fan of Warren Ellis or Phil Jimenez or both.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

 

Astonishing X-Men #31 – Review

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Phil Jimenez (Pencils), Andy Lanning (Inks), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Warren Ellis’ first Astonishing arc was held back a bit by Simone Bianchi’s inconsistent, occasionally ugly artwork. With Phil Jimenez now on board, I’m hoping that the artwork consistently does justice to Ellis’ storytelling. If Jimenez’s past work is any indication, it’s a good bet that it will.

The Story: The X-Men pull out all the stops in an effort to save Abigail Brand’s life as she plummets to the earth in an escape shell following an unexpected encounter with The Brood.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: From start to finish, Astonishing X-Men #31 is one hell an entertaining thrill ride. While there isn’t a whole lot to the book beyond the Abigail Brand rescue and an interesting, somewhat odd ending, there really doesn’t need to be because Warren Ellis and Phil Jimenez are such a strong creative team. Ellis and Jimenez make the absolute most of a simple premise and show that their run definitely has the potential to live up to the hype that Marvel has given it.

As expected, Warren Ellis’ dialogue is superb. Predictably, He throws around techno-babble like a pro, yet his writing never feels pretentious. His signature wit and dry humor manages to shine through on nearly every page as he effortlessly continues to put his stamp on the Astonishing team’s dynamic. Also, it must be said once again that Ellis writes Emma Frost and Beast better than anyone. The writer’s style and sense of humor truly shines whenever either Beast or Frost is in command of a panel.

Phil Jimenez’s Astonishing debut is impressive, yet it’s not perfect. The gripping action is silky smooth and the panel layouts are slick, but some of the character work and coloring knock the overall quality down a notch. In particular, Jimenez has some noticeable problems keeping Emma Frost’s look consistent and Frank D’Armata’s rich colors have the unfortunate effect of making everyone look a bit shiny. Still though, despite the flaws, the action that drives Astonishing X-Men #31 is incredibly engaging and a whole lot of fun.

Conclusion: The Warren Ellis/Phil Jimenez era of Astonishing X-Men is off to a fine start. I look forward to seeing what the team has in store for us next. Also, on a personal note, I believe that the word “gauche” totally needs to be used in more comics.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Uncanny X-Men #510 – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Greg Land (Artist), Jay Leisten (Inker), and Justin Ponsor (Colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Uncanny #509 was a step in the right direction for the series.  Time to find out if Fraction and his art team can capitalize on it.

The Story: Uncanny X-Men #510 is one big fight scene between the X-Men (veterans and rookies) and the Sisterhood.  That’s really all you need to know…

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Let me start by saying that I have no problem with comics that are all about nonstop action.  That said, I do have certain expectations of comics like that because, let’s face it, their quality depends almost entirely on how the visuals look.  The action needs to look good, be well choreographed, and have a certain flow that tells the story in a way that makes up for the lack of actual written storytelling.  In addition, whatever writing there may be it must not distract from the intensity of the action or break its flow.
Uncanny X-Men #510 is a textbook example of how not to handle an all action comic book.  The visuals are stiff, distractingly inconsistent (Emma has three or four different faces), far too clean looking considering the chaos, and, worst of all, pretty boring all around.  While I will admit that some panels do look pretty solid, they are an exception as opposed to the rule. As for the writing, it is simply annoying.  Every character seems to talk in clever, hip, or witty quips and let me tell you, it gets old really fast.

While I realize that the way the writing reads is consistent with how Uncanny has been under Matt Fraction, I can safely say that after reading issue #510, I’ve had my fill.  The comments and quips aren’t nearly as annoying (or noticeable) when there is story being told through the dialogue.  In Uncanny #510 there’s very little story so the book reads like a string of (sometimes terrible) one-liners.  And what the hell is up with the fairly timid Elixir being a Zen pacifist tantric sex god to the Cuckoo triplets?  Is it funny?  Sure somewhat…But it totally goes against how I’ve come to understand the character and feels almost painfully forced (also, out of place).

In all honesty, the only reason to bother with the latest issue of Uncanny is so that you can check out the cliffhanger.  It is pretty interesting and definitely has me curious about what is to come in the future.

Conclusion: I can’t believe I spent so much time writing about such a bad comic.  But hey, at least the series is consistent.  Every time it looks to be turning a corner, a bad issue comes out so that they can climb back up and start all over again.  The book isn’t a total loss though, thanks to the ending and a few worthwhile panels, but it could have been a whole hell of a lot better.

Grade:  D

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men #29 – Review

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Simone Bianchi (Pencils & Inks), Andrea Silvestri (Inks), and Simone Peruzzi, Christina Strain, & Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Astonishing X-Men should be better than it has been, especially considering both the talent involved and how long the wait is between issues. The biting humor and high-concept storyline work quite well. The muddy, (sometimes ridiculous) artwork and fairly plodding pace, however, does not.

The Story: The penultimate chapter of “Ghost Boxes” reveals more of the details behind both the ghost boxes and the artificial mutants. In addition, the X-Men learn about Forge’s involvement in a secret war between alternate realities. The information comes mostly from some brutal interrogation techniques used by the team.

What’s Good: I know it sounds terribly simplistic, but the good stuff about the current form of Astonishing X-Men keeps being good in Astonishing #29. Warren Ellis does a great job writing some of the characters (especially Emma Frost) and his storyline continues to be dense and intriguing, but not overwhelming (though it still feels like the plot’s moving a bit slow). The interrogation scenes are particularly amusing, given that they are written with an edge rarely seen in an “X” book that isn’t called X-Force.

What’s Not So Good: Just as the good stuff remains good, the bad stuff remains bad. The artwork is a mess of highs and lows that is incredibly frustrating to look at. For every panel (or page) that looks damn near fantastic, there are a handful that can be described as (feel free to pick more than one) inconsistent, muddy, unclear, or just downright silly looking. Wolverine is shown with a hilariously flat face on two occasions. Cyclops seems to have some relation to Angelina Jolie. Storm is actually lacking facial features in one panel. I could go on, but I assume you get my point. I know how good Simone Bianchi’s work can look. That’s why I have to come down so hard on the art in Astonishing.

Conclusion: The good outweighs the bad in Astonishing X-Men #29, but not by as much as I’d like. The writing rocks for the most part, but the book as a whole is weighed down by the art and the pacing.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #1 – Review

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Alan Davis (Pt. 1 Pencils), Mark Farmer (Pt. 1 Inks), Rob Schwager (Pt. 1 Colors), and Adi Granov (Pt. 2 Art)

The Story: The first issue of the Astonishing X-Men limited series consists of two “What-If?” styled stories about parallel universes that Subject X could have completed his mission in. The first story is set in a place very similar to the current Marvel universe, where it shows what might have happened if Subject X had succeeded in securing the universe for those he worked for. The second story is set in the Victorian styled Earth-889, and features the “X Society” working to solve a mysterious murder case.

What’s Good: Both stories are short and interesting reads that show a unique take on the situation featured in Astonishing X-Men. Seeing a familiar face used as a power source for a Sentinel was definitely something new. Also, I especially like Adi Granov’s work on the story about the X Society.

What’s Not So Good: That these stories are of little consequence to the bigger picture and, ultimately irrelevant. I know Ghost Boxes is serving as filler while the main series gets caught up, but it wouldn’t have hurt to have something of substance within the storyline.

Conclusion: I can’t really recommend this book to anyone but the most hardcore fans. While it is fun seeing the other alternate universes, there is not enough substance or story to justify the $3.99 price tag.

Grade: C-

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men #27 – Review

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Simone Bianchi (Pencils & Ink Washes), Andrea Silvestri (Ink Washes), and Simone Peruzzi (Colorist)

The Story: The mystery surrounding the now deceased Subject X and the strange electronic box grows deeper as the X-Men work to unlock whatever secrets may be held. The investigation winds up involving Agent Abigail Brand from S.W.O.R.D. and a five mile chunk of land in China that’s considered to be an intelligence dead zone.

What’s Good: Warren Ellis is slowly, but surely, unraveling one hell of a science fiction story with his first Astonishing arc. By allowing the reader to learn things only as the team does, Ellis ensures that each issue leaves you wanting more. It works extremely well, and makes for a fairly dense read. This is why it helps to have so much character work and entertaining (sometimes hilarious) dialogue throughout the book. The story could easily become overwhelming without the witty exchanges helping make everything a bit more digestible for those new to Warren Ellis’ style of science fiction.

What’s Not So Good: The artwork and, in a minor way, the pacing. I honestly can’t think of another series that hits such artistic highs and lows within the same issue. For every gorgeous or cool looking scene, there are others that look far too muddy. For every great character shot, there are facial expressions that are absolutely ridiculous or totally inappropriate (for the given scene). It’s the very definition of hit or miss and, quite frankly, this story deserves better.

As for the pacing, I only mention it because all the fun character work does little to actually advance the plot. Normally, I wouldn’t even bother mentioning it because I happen to enjoy Ellis’ banter quite a bit, but some may find the story already moving slow enough without all the added team moments.

Conclusion: An extremely entertaining chapter in what is quickly becoming a fantastic sci-fi story. The only thing holding this one back is the inconsistent artwork, but what damage it does is far from critical. This one’s worth it for the story alone.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men #26 – Review

Warren Ellis (Writer), Simone Bianchi (Pencils & Ink Washes), Andrea Silvestri (Ink Washes), and Simone Peruzzi (Colorist)

The second chapter of the Ellis/Bianchi run on Astonishing X-Men is all about deepening the mystery surrounding “Subject X,” the suspect in the bizarre murder that kicked off the storyline. While enjoyable to read, not a whole lot actually happens that can be readily understood due to the nature of the plot. The team investigates Chaparanga, a spaceship graveyard constantly being scavenged for parts, and (far too quickly) locates and confronts the suspect. That’s pretty much it.

I think I like what Warren Ellis is attempting to do with his first Astonishing arc, but too much is left up in the air at the end of this issue for me to be completely certain. Things could really go anywhere from this point on because Ellis piles on the questions without offering anything resembling an answer. That said, his writing is effective and entertaining. The team interaction is well done (if a bit heavy on the clever quips) and he does an excellent job building the sense of mystery surrounding Chaparanga, Subject X, and whatever the hell else is going on. Ellis has me hooked, but I hope that he offers a few explanations for what’s going on next month.

While Simone Bianchi can produce some truly spectacular looking work, the visuals in this book are ridiculously inconsistent. For every great looking scene (the spread of Chaparanga) or character shot (Subject X and Wolverine have a few), there are a few things that bother me. The action is poorly choreographed, the panel layout is occasionally annoying, and worst of all, the characters’ faces seemed to change throughout the book (Emma’s face looks to be made of putty at times). It is almost as if Bianchi just can’t keep up with the story Ellis is trying to tell. I was shocked to see that this book made it out on time, but I would be more than willing to wait longer if it meant the visuals would improve.

Astonishing X-Men #26 is tough to grade because so much rests on what comes next. The groundwork is in place for a compelling story, but I have no idea what story might wind up being. For the time being I am willing to give Ellis the benefit of the doubt and grant him one issue to do nothing but raise questions without penalty. That said, I can’t possibly let Bianchi off the hook quite so easily. The inconsistent visuals are honestly weighing the series down. I give Ellis a B+, but the book gets a…(Grade C+)

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men #25 – Review

Warren Ellis, (Writer) Simone Bianchi, (Artist) and Simone Peruzzi (Colorist)

Not to take anything away from the excellent run by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, but this issue of Astonishing X-Men begins what might be my most anticipated creative run of the year. Warren Ellis became one of my favorite writers with his incredible work on the Thunderbolts, while Simone Bianchi’s preview art for this series left me wanting much more. Needless to say, I came into this issue with high expectations. Suffice to say, I think many will think this issue suffers a bit because it has to establish the new status quo. Personally, I wasn’t disappointed.

Astonishing X-Men #25 kicks off with the team already relocated to San Francisco – an event that will be taking place in Uncanny X-Men #500. Armor mulls a new code name, Beast is his usual amusing self, Storm drops in to rejoin the team in order to gain information for the Black Panther, Wolverine is fighting a hangover, Emma Frost is being, well, Emma Frost, and Cyclops is just happy the team has regrouped. Things are pretty calm at the start of this arc as Ellis takes his time reintroducing everyone with some great character moments. Soon though, a call comes in from the San Francisco P.D. and the team is off to do some consulting work regarding a mysterious, possibly mutant, death. Overall, this is a smooth transition to the new creative team and while I wish things moved forward a little bit more in this issue, a solid storytelling foundation is now in place.

I expected Ellis to do some awesome things with these characters and, sure enough, everyone gets a chance to shine. The banter throughout the book is a lot of fun to read and I am happy to report that none of the charm of Whedon’s run has been lost during the creative switch. The storyline already feels like a classic Warren Ellis tale and I look forward to his more scientific approach to the intricacies of mutation. I wish there was a bit more of the new main storyline in this issue, but things are off to a compelling start nonetheless.

Simone Bianchi’s artwork is a treat to look at throughout the issue, but a part of me wishes the entire book could have been done without coloring. The pencil work loses something with the coloring as parts of the book look muddy and it feels as though some detail was lost here and there. A little more vibrant color palette would have been welcome as well, as everything feels rather…dim. Despite my criticisms, this is still a good looking book all around and I look forward to seeing what Bianchi has in store for us as the series goes on.

Astonishing X-Men is a good start for the new creative team. The character moments are spot on, the artwork is excellent and, at times, stunning. This arc looks to have a lot of storytelling possibilities. If you liked Whedon’s run, be sure to give Ellis a chance. (Grade B+)

– Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

The first few pages of this book bored me out of my mind. I had all but written it off when things finally took a more interesting turn. I love the fact that the team is welcomed by the San Francisco community and law enforcement. I also like how Warren Ellis attempts to get away from the costumes (like Grant Morrison did), even if for just a little while. There’s nothing like a nice little mystery mixed with some good science fiction to get things started. I have no doubt Ellis’ run here will be full of fun, entertaining concepts.

Simone Bianchi’s art is beautiful as expected, and his panel work very interesting. But drawing pretty pictures doesn’t mean you’re a good storyteller, and this is something Bianchi’s going to have to work on. In a way, his work reminds me of Chris Bachalo’s body of work. It’s always great on the eyes, but awful in execution. There’s also a lot of inconsistencies, especially when it comes to Storm. Sometimes she looks like this beautiful goddess while other times she looks like Jay Leno’s African cousin.

As much as the reintroduction of the team roster bored me, I absolutely loved the maturity and camaraderie shown between Cyclops and Wolverine. It’s never been easy between these two, but this issue finally shows that there’s been some growth over the years and it’s just written brilliantly. Please, let’s keep this forward momentum going. The X-Men is all about evolution and after undoing nearly everything Grant Morrison did, maybe – just maybe –  Marvel editorial will be smart enough to let things stick this time. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes