Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus #1 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Mike Deodato, Terry Dodson, & Rachel Dodson (art), Justin Ponsor & Christina Strain (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The ultimate showdown between the X-Men and the Dark Avengers/Dark X-Men.

What’s Good: It’s really nice to be surprised every now and then. With every issue of this crossover ranging between mild and complete suckage, I couldn’t help but expect this final double-sized issue to be a total catastrophe. Shockingly, what I got was actually pretty damned good.

Fraction still keeps it simple, but this time without falling into chasms of vacuous stupidity. This issue is nonetheless one giant action scene, but you really get a feeling that this time, all these fights actually mean something; the reasons for the giant brawl make sense.

The action is explosive, bombastic, and well-plotted out. The pairings are all logical and hence are quite fun. The fights between Daken and X-23 and Hawkeye and Archangel were particular favourites of mine.

I also greatly enjoyed the use of the Sentry this month, with Emma’s entrance to his mind being a definite highlight. Going into his mind, it was very different seeing a Bob that was completely sane and dressed like an ordinary guy (I’m talking a t-shirt clad, short-haired Bob that is pretty much unrecognizable from the golden god we’re used to). For once, the vulnerability that we so often see in Bob’s dialogue actually manifested itself physically– sort of.

I guess Fraction’s greatest achievement though is finally grabbing a hold of characterization in a way that he hadn’t managed thus far. Osborn sounds like the frustrated, tantrum throwing villain and Scott sounds like the intelligent, heroic leader. Both characters finally felt engaging and true to their roles. Moreover, I especially liked how Scott essentially takes a tactic Norman has been living off of since the beginning of Dark Reign and uses it against him.

That said, I’ve saved the best part of Exodus for last: the art. This crossover has been very uneven art-wise, but make no mistake, this book is absolutely gorgeous. There are so many images and splashes here that will have your jaw dropping. Sentry leaving the planet was a highlight for me, as was Mimic’s battle with Iceman. Just beautiful, glittering superhero action that pushes both Deodato and the Dodsons to their maximum potential. The art transcends “summer blockbuster” territory, delivering something that feels utterly enormous and breathlessly explosive. It’s hyper-detailed, bright, and features some dynamic panel layouts. One would worry that splitting art between Deodato and the Dodson’s might be disastrous, but it’s actually put to good use, with each artist getting whole separate scenes and not interspersed panels.

What’s Not So Good: The very first scene of the book is abyssmal. If it had taken place in the first issue of the crossover, it may have worked, but at this point, it feels rather pointless. What’s worse is that it was accompanied by a caption advertising a future tie-in book. Yes, this issue essentially began with a promo for another book.

A minor complaint, but while I enjoyed the Sentry this month, I’m not entirely sure if Fraction’s treatment of the Void makes sense. Seeing the Void in physical form is a little weird and I didn’t realize that the Sentry thus far has essentially been the Void the entire time, with Bob unaware of everything. It completely goes against those great conversations between Osborn and the Sentry in Dark Avengers.

Conclusion: I actually enjoyed this! Quite a bit!  For once, I got the “everything has changed” vibe I’m supposed to get out of a crossover, and in a way that actually has me excited for what’s to come.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Dark X-Men: The Beginning #3 – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: While it’s been far from spectacular, I actually think I’ve enjoyed the Dark X-Men mini-series more than I’ve enjoyed the Utopia main event so far.

“Hidden Depths”

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Pencils), and Brian Reber (Colors)

The Story: Allowed in, Emma Frost travels through Namor’s subconscious looking for answers to some of her questions.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: On a technical level, “Hidden Depths” is one of the best stories to be featured in Dark X-Men: The Beginning. Paul Cornell’s sharp script really captures the complex dynamics that exist between Frost and Namor in regards to both their relationship and mutantkind. The artwork by Leonard Kirk and Brian Reber is appropriately surreal and does an excellent job of making the most of a cool story setting. From the twisted mutants to the incredible memory collage, the work by Kirk and Reber proves to be surprisingly memorable.

The problem I have with “Hidden Depths” is that it seems to conflict a bit with what was revealed in Dark Avengers #8. It’s obvious Emma and Namor are on the same page in that book, but there’s absolutely no sense of that they truly are (where it matters – I’m trying to avoid spoiling anything here) in the mini-series story. Some mention of the ultimate plan would have been quite welcome.

“Get Mystique (Slight Return)”

By Jason Aaron (Writer), Jock (Art), and Dave Stewart (Colors)

The Story: “Get Mystique” serves as an epilogue to Jason Aaron’s excellent Wolverine arc of the same name.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: “Get Mystique” is quite possibly, one of my all time favorite Wolverine stories. So, needless to say, I’m quite pleased to see Jason Aaron back to clean up the only real loose end of that arc. As expected, Aaron effortlessly delivers one badass Mystique and a great Norman Osborn. Aaron’s dialogue is top-notch and makes “Get Mystique” one hell of a fun read. On the visual side, Jock’s gritty artwork could not possibly be more fitting. Stylish, violent, and (I hate to use the word again, but I have to) badass, it makes one hell of an impression. I can’t wait to see what Jock does when he’s given a full arc to work with.  Also worth mentioning is how much Dave Stewart’s color work adds to what Jock does. It makes Jock’s work dark and moody, yet strikingly vivid.

“The One Who Got Away”

By Simon Spurrier (Writer), Paul Davidson (Art), and Rain Beredo (Colors)

The Story: Jeanne-Marie Beaubier (A.K.A. Aurora) adapts to Norman Osborn’s tactics in an unusual way.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Since everyone knows the Dark X-Men lineup by now, the effect of Simon Spurrier’s story doesn’t really make any sort of impact as far as Osborn’s team is concerned. That said, Spurrier definitely makes the most of what he has to deal with. Aurora’s unique psychological state is used quite effectively and her confrontation with Osborn is far more fun than one might expect. As for the artwork, Paul Davidson’s visuals are a bit problematic. While it tells the story well, the character work is inconsistent as can be. Osborn looks different in almost every panel, Aurora’s body proportions are all over the place, and some panels just look downright strange.

Conclusion: Dark X-Men: The Beginning #3 isn’t flawless, but the best of the mini-series was definitely saved for last. I recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some short, cool stories.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Uncanny X-Men #514 (Utopia) – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Terry Dodson (Pencils), Rachel Dodson (Inks), and Justin Ponsor (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Utopia has been pretty weak so far. While it hasn’t been awful, it certainly feels like it’s getting in the way of better things. Dark Avengers was on a roll prior to Utopia, and Uncanny X-Men finally seemed like it was getting back on the right track.

The Story: The Dark X-Men deal with Simon Trask’s new bio-mechanical Sentinels while Cyclops begins to put his offensive plan into action.

What’s Good & What’s Not So Good: This may sound a bit strange, but the biggest problem with Uncanny X-Men #514 is the big Utopia banner that’s plastered on the cover. It’s an unfortunate piece of baggage for a comic that’s, at a basic level, pretty fun (albeit somewhat average). The action scenes are cool, the artwork is solid, and the writing is pretty sharp. While that’s all well and good, I expect more out of an issue of a crossover. A lot more. Especially when it’s an issue of a crossover that’s been as heavily hyped as Utopia.

See, the thing is, the latest chapter of Utopia makes something painfully obvious: that there was really no need for the crossover in the first place. Why? Because Utopia is an “X” story through and through. When the mutants are taking front and center, everything just works much better. It is great? No. But, with that said, it’s still pretty decent. As for the Dark Avengers? They are really just taking up space, getting in the way, and, unfortunately, helping to sell books.

Had Uncanny #514 been part of a regular “X” arc (because that’s how it reads), I would have less of a problem with it. Sure, I might have complained about how all of Terry Dodson’s females have the same face, brought up the storytelling issues (which I’ll get to), or mentioned that some of Cyclops’ dramatic lines are a bit lame, but as a whole, I would have been satisfied with what it delivers knowing that Utopia is the “X” story being told. Unfortunately though, the latest issue of Uncanny is not just a regular issue. It’s stuck being part of an ill-timed crossover between the Dark Avengers and the X-Men. Therefore, it has to be judged as part of something that’s, according to Marvel, something of high quality and importance. So judge I shall… By asking a few questions about Uncanny X-Men #514…

-Why is there no mention of Beast and Xavier (I thought they were important), yet pages (3) dedicated to a pointless scuffle between Bullseye and Wolverine’s kid?!

-Those people in the hospital completely turned to robots after their eyes lit up?! I can handle comic book logic but it seems a bit silly to me…

-Why is Iceman so intimidated by the Dark X-Men!? And by that same token, why does Cyclops see them as such a challenge?!

-According to the back page, there’s only two chapters of Utopia left. Why do I get the sense that things are being rushed along?!

-Why does Wolverine emerge from the water like he’s some sea creature?!

-Did anything of importance happen in regards to Utopia? At all?

Conclusion: Uncanny X-Men #514 is a pretty decent “X” comic if you can ignore the whole Utopia nonsense. I certainly wish I could…

Grade: C-

-Kyle Posluszny

Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2 (Utopia) – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I picked up the first Dark X-Men: The Beginning book because I liked the characters that were featured. Time to find out if The Beginning can hold out without the likes of Namor, Dark Beast, or Mimic…

“The Last Temptation of Cloak and Dagger”

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Pencils), and Brian Reber (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Paul Cornell’s story about Cloak and Dagger is about as basic an “offer” story as you can get. Norman Osborn approaches Cloak and Dagger about joining the Dark X-Men and as expected, Cloak and Dagger really don’t have much of a choice in the matter. Cornell’s dialogue is pretty strong (he writes a great Osborn) and Leonard Kirk’s art certainly gets the job done, but that’s really all there is to say about “The Last Temptation of Cloak and Dagger.”

“Weapon Omega”

By Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman (Writers), Michael Lacombe (Art), and John Rauch (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The story about Norman Osborn’s plan to get Weapon Omega on board with the Dark X-Men is rather clever, visually solid, and well-written. Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman do a nice job of explaining what Michael Pointer’s deal is and why he is the type of person he is today. In addition, Bernardin and Freeman manage to add an extra layer of slime of Osborn’s character. That’s no easy task with all the Osborn over-exposure going on.

“I Am Daken”

By Rob Willaims (Writer), Paco Diaz (Pencils), Guillermo Ortega (Inks), and Edgar Delgado (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Before I say anything about “I Am Daken,” I have to ask: Is there anyone who truly likes Daken or thinks he’s a good idea for a character? Isn’t one Wolverine (that appears in at least one book almost every week) enough? Ok, with that out of the way, time for me to say a few things about Daken’s story.

Surprisingly, “I Am Daken” is the best of the three stories featured in Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2. That’s really not saying a whole lot, but there’s no denying that Daken’s conversation with Norman Osborn is sharply written and that the artwork by Paco Diaz is pretty slick (though I’m not sure I like how Osborn looks). If I have any complaint, it’s that the brief action scene comes across as a bit disjointed and somewhat unnecessary.

Conclusion: I enjoyed the first Dark X-Men: The Beginning book quite a bit more than the second. That said, the second is worth checking out if you’re a fan of the characters. If you aren’t a fan, then by all means skip Dark X-Men: The Beginning #2, since there’s nothing in the book that absolutely must be read in order to get more out of the Utopia storyline.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

Dark Avengers #7 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Luke Ross (pencils & inks), Rick Magyar & Mark Pennington (inks), Rain Beredo (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The newly formed Dark X-Men battle mutant rioters in their first field mission. Meanwhile, Emma Frost begins to have second thoughts regarding her allegiance with Norman Osborn.

What’s Good: The dialogue between Beast and Xavier continues to be a highpoint, always carrying an ominous and desperate tone. Fraction also writes a good Sentry, his dialogue really manages to convey a character who is constantly in a state of befuddlement. I also enjoyed seeing Emma in such a central role, leading her own morally ambiguous team into the field.

As always, Fraction’s now trademark captions identifying the characters are humorous, all of them being well-worth reading. Uncanny X-Men fans are no strangers to these, but unacquainted Dark Avengers readers should get a kick out of them.

Lastly, the “negotiation” between Cyclops and Norman hits the right notes. Some might find Cyclops resorting to an ultimatum to be a bit overly simple, but I felt that this very simplicity succeeded in giving Norman something that he’s not at all used to. In fact, in this Dark Reign-centred universe, Cyclops’ words are downright shocking and the reader will no doubt be as surprised as Norman. Certainly, a trainwreck is now unavoidable…

Despite being a last minute replacement for Deodato, Luke Ross gets the job done. His action scenes serve to highlight each particular Dark X-Man and he does his best in imitating Deodato’s dark conversation scenes. A special mention has to go to his depiction of Emma’s diamond skin, which is fantastic.

What’s Not So Good: Several moments just lack believability. For instance, Emma Frost joins up with Norman and is now suddenly suspicious about his abuse of mutant prisoners? Really? For such a famously intelligent character, Emma comes across as utterly naive this month, and therefore totally out of character. One would think she would be well aware of Norman’s dark deeds. I just can’t go along with Emma Frost of all people signing up with the bad guys only to just now realize that, yes, they are the bad guys.

The scuffle between the Dark Avengers and the Dark X-Men also feels completely forced, lacking any firm motivations. Since when did Bullseye give a crap about loyalty to the Avengers? Furthermore, Daken’s anger didn’t at all match Bullseye’s comments; even by Daken’s standards, his reaction here was illogical.  Fraction was clearly hellbent on having the two teams fight, motivations be damned.

In addition, Fraction’s banter during the the battle between the Dark X-Men and the rioters is also absolutely awful. Real cringe-inducing stuff here; so painful to read and horrendously written. Similarly, Cyclops’ bizarre alien jokes were also completely terrible.

The biggest letdown, though, comes with respect to the Dark X-Men themselves, who get all of one line of mid-battle banter apiece. No character development, no info regarding how/why they joined, no motivations, nothing. That is downright unacceptable, particularly when one of them is an A-list heavy-hitter like Namor (whose shocking enro;lment is still unexplained, by the way; all Namor even says this issue is “Imperius Rex” and “Silence!”).

Conclusion: Neither smart nor good, this was a big and stupid comic that made me wish for a regular issue of Dark Avengers instead.

Grade: C –

-Alex Evans

Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1 (Utopia) – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m always a bit hesitant to pick up story collections like Dark X-Men: The Beginning because they tend to be rather hit-or-miss. That said, I couldn’t possibly pass up a Namor story by the Captain Britain team.

“Namor/Norman”

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Pencils), Jay Leisten (Inks), and Brian Reber (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Little more than a tense standoff/exchange of words between Norman Osborn and Namor about Namor’s recent actions, “Namor/Norman” still manages to make an impact thanks to Paul Cornell’s strong knack for personality-driven dialogue and Leonard Kirk’s always reliable pencil work. What’s disappointing about “Namor/Norman” is that it really doesn’t amount to a whole lot beyond being an interesting character study. Now I’m all about character studies, but Cornell’s story left me wanting more…anything really. Thankfully, the “To be continued” lets me know that “more” is on the way.

“Mimic”

By James Asmus (Writer), Jesse Delperdang (Pencils & Inks), Andy Lanning (Inks), and Rain Beredo (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: James Asmus’ compelling Mimic story is basically the comic equivalent to a movie montage. That’s both a good thing and a bad thing. The montage style is a good thing because it means that “Mimic” is a great introduction to a troubled character that has been thrust back into the spotlight. It’s also a bad thing because it means that “Mimic” is a fast read that ends just as it begins to gain some real momentum. Now, with the good and bad out of the way, I can say that “Mimic” ultimately manages to avoid feeling like a wasted effort thanks to the art team’s impressive handling of Asmus’ (rather weighty) dialogue.

“Dark Beast”

By Shane McCarthy (Writer), Ibraim Roberson (Artist), and Matt Milla (Colors)

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: I’ve always found the alternate Beast to be a cool character. He’s generic, sure, but he’s also quite interesting and a great addition to the Dark X-Men lineup. Shane McCarthy’s “Dark Beast” is a prime example of why I found the other Beast to be worth reading about. It works as both a nice introduction to the character and as a way to move some of the Dark X-Men story forward in regards to the secret project Fraction has been writing about. The only downside to “Dark Beast” is that it’s artwork looks a bit odd. Matt Milla’s color work sets a strong tone, but Ibraim Roberson’s Norman Osborn looks quite fat and his Beast goes from looking downright awesome to silly depending on the panel. It leaves “Dark Beast” looking visually inconsistent.

Conclusion: Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1 is worth picking up if you’re a fan of what Emma’s team of X-Men has to offer. All three stories read well, two out of three look quite good, and one, Paul Cornell’s, brings Namor’s special kind of awesome in a big way.  The problem though is that nothing of consequence happens.  If you can handle that and character studies, you’ll probably find a lot to like in this book.

Grade (As a whole): C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Uncanny X-Men #513 (Utopia Chapter 2) – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Terry Dodson (Pencils), Rachel Dodson (Inks), and Justin Ponsor (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The Uncanny X-Men and Dark Avengers crossover, Utopia, got off to an unremarkable start. It laid the foundation for some interesting things though, so I look forward to seeing where Matt Fraction takes the story now that most of the pieces are in place.

The Story: If the Utopia oneshot was all about setting the stage, then Uncanny X-Men #513 is all about introducing the rest of the arc’s players. As riots continue in California, Norman Osborn institutes a curfew and introduces a new team of X-Men. Lead by Emma Frost and Charles Xavier (is it really Xavier?), Cloak, Dagger, Beast (from another timeline), Namor, Daken, Weapon Omega, and Mimic makes up the team, ordered to restore peace between humans and mutants. Meanwhile, Cyclops regroups with other mutants to plan another move. As for the hospitalized Simon Trask? Let’s just say that he’s got something else up his sleeve…

Simply put, Uncanny X-Men #513 feels a whole hell of a lot like the Utopia oneshot; which is a good thing in some ways and a bad thing in other ways.

What’s Good: The solid looking second chapter of Utopia continues building momentum for what looks to be a promising crossover. While it’s too early to make any real judgments, the Dark X-Men team shows a lot of early potential. It’s made up of a few interesting, oft-ignored characters (Cloak, Dagger, Mimic, etc.) that could turn out to be the breakout stars of the crossover if Matt Fraction handles them right (he’s definitely on the right track).

Speaking of Matt Fraction, he does a nice job of juggling an extremely large cast of characters while still moving the story forward at an acceptable pace. What’s especially notable is the way that Fraction quickly and efficiently introduces the mutants that the average reader might not be instantly familiar with. Cloak, Dagger, Mimic, Weapon Omega, and Dark Beast all benefit from Fraction’s occasionally/usually annoying/clever – pick your pair note boxes.

What’s Not So Good: The biggest problem I have with Uncanny X-Men #513 is that it feels filled with stuff that probably should have been put into the Utopia oneshot. Remember all that filler I talked about in my review of the book? Well most of that filler should have been taken out in favor of using the space to do almost everything that’s done in the latest issue of Uncanny.

More time is spent introducing characters and establishing the current social climate than moving the story forward in a satisfying way. In other words, in Uncanny X-Men #513, plot threads are still being created while most remain unused. While the pacing is still acceptable, it’s also somewhat frustrating. To add on, that’s not all that’s maddening.

The visuals, while solid, are a bit of a headache at times. I’m usually a fan of Terry Dodson’s attractive art style, but it’s a poor fit for Utopia because the crossover is absolutely packed with characters. Too many faces look exactly the same, some panels are way too oversimplified, and a few scenes look a bit silly. Also, why does Venom/Dark Spider-Man look like a snake?!

Conclusion: The second chapter of Utopia feels a lot like the oneshot that introduced the crossover. So much so, that it gets the same grade, but for different reasons.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny