X-Men Legacy #300 – Review

by Simon Spurrier, Mike Carey, Christos Gage (Writers), Tan Eng Huat, Steve Kurth, Rafa Sandoval, Craig Yeung, Allen Martinez, Jordi Tarragona (Artists), Jose Villarrubia, Rachelle Rosenberg, Ulises Arreola (Colorists)

The Story: It can be hard to make an impression when your very powers prevent you to do so.

The Review: I have to confess this issue confused me when I looked at the cover and the very concept of what it was supposed to be. Here was a book that starred three different characters, each having their own impact, their own cast and their own message, as done by the three writers that defined their very goals and concepts. The problem, though, was the fact that each of the characters that had been the protagonists of this book are now, let us say, in a problematic position of non-existence. With none of these characters actually there to advance the story or celebrate the title, how exactly could this issue manage to get to the point?

Enter Forgetmenot, a mutant with the power of getting no attention and being erased from the memory of those he previously met. Focusing the story on this unknown X-Man, all three writers are able to pinpoint a certain era where they wrote their character, inserting this particular one into the narrative. Essentially telling some important moments through the eyes of a character that no one can remember, does the issue actually manage to celebrate the very legacy that is included in the title?

The answer is not only a resounding yes, but one filled with a certain joy at seeing an experiment succeeding in a way that feels satisfactory. What makes this work very well, though, is the actual character of Forgetmenot. His powers and how he copes with them makes for a powerful message about individuality, but also about advancing through the adversary that is loneliness. His actions, his reactions and his feelings are very human at their core, with a presentation of his struggles that makes him very identifiable for readers. Who hasn’t dealt with being alone, be it with an opinion, an effort or a phase? Well, this character has been so through his entire life, making some of his actions all the more touching, yet also easy to sympathize with.

Dark X-Men #1 – Review

by Paul Cornell & Duane Swierczynski (writers), Leonard Kirk & Steve Dillon (art)

The Story: From the ashes of this summer’s Avengers/X-Men Utopia extravaganza,  Norman Osborn’s own Dark X-Men rise.  The government-sanctioned team of mutant ne’er-do-wells are called to investigate a strange occurrence in California that leads to the resurrection of Nate Grey, X-Man!

What’s Good: Leonard Kirk needs to be put onto another ongoing series as soon as possible.  His artwork on the much-missed Captain Britain and MI:13 series was always solidly entertaining and the man knows how to tell a story clearly while still creating a beautiful looking comic.  His pencils on this premiere issue of Dark X-Men are no different.  In spite of my general disinterest with the plot, I found myself turning the pages readily due to Kirk’s solid storytelling.  The artist does an admirable job depicting what every character is feeling, especially Mimic.  The struggle and depression is evident in his body language and facial expressions, such that I was never left with any doubt about the character’s emotional state throughout.  As I was flipping through the pages preparing for this review, it struck me how similar Kirk’s clean linework is to New Avengers artist Stuart Immonen, yet another solid artist who’s work can also go unappreciated at times.  It’s disappointing when you think about it, but when a creator consistently plugs along, producing steadily good output month in and month out, most readers take them for granted.  If there’s anything to be appreciative of in this title, it’s certainly Leonard Kirk.

On a side note, Kirk also draws quite the pretty “Jean Grey”.  He almost made me miss having her around, until I remembered that the best stories she’s ever been in were the ones where she died.  Oh well.

The back-up story by Swierczynski and Dillon is satisfactory, if not anywhere near groundbreaking.  We’ve seen the tale of the gruff teacher who is shown to be silently proud of his student before, but the writer ably manages to imbue some personality into the story.  Steve Dillon’s pencils play a big part here as well.  He captures Hope’s frustration with her mentor perfectly, which really sells what Swierczynski’s trying to convey.

What’s Not So Good: Nostalgia isn’t always good for you.

I was a big fan of the X-Man title back during the late 1990’s.  The character of Nate Grey, while little more than a Cable What If…?, really struck a chord with me when I was much younger and filled with a lot more angst.  Maybe it was the always-tragic “dead by 21” schtick or the outsider among outsiders vibe the kid had going on, but I was sold.  Even as it dropped progressively lower and lower on the readability scale, I was always at the comic shop for the next issue of that series.  So when I heard that the character was making his long-delayed return in this miniseries, I of course picked it up.  Regrettably, I found myself recalling the past in more ways than one after finishing Dark X-Men #1.  While I was happy to read about Nate Grey again (well, for a page or two), I’m not as forgiving of spending my hard-earned cash on an uninteresting comic to do so.

With the sound and fury of Matt Fraction’s Utopia event over and done with, writer Paul Cornell is left with four characters that aren’t very riveting apart, much less together.  Events at the conclusion of the story-line that birthed them saw basically every one of the more interesting members of the team, such as Namor, the Cloak and Dagger duo, and Daken, exit to (mostly) greener pastures.  Cornell is stuck with the likes of Mystique, Dark Beast, Mimic and (the artist formerly known as Weapon) Omega.  While Cornell certainly gives the script his all, I never found myself caring one way or the other about what was happening.  I’m well aware that these characters aren’t called “Dark” for no reason, and as such aren’t meant to be easily sympathized with, but when I’m not even inspired to want to see what any of the lead characters do next, the writing’s on the wall.

Conclusion: Regardless of the return of a favorite of mine to the Marvel Universe, this issue fell flat for me.  Annoying and bland characters plus a premise that I’ve already seen ad nauseam in other Dark Reign titles equals a complete misfire.  Buy it for the Leonard Kirk and Steve Dillon artwork.  Otherwise, skip it.

Grade: D

-Joe Lopez

 

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