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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
An X-book can only be as good as its first storyline. I don't believe I've ever read someone's run on a book that started weak but got better. I've seen some start strong get weak, and then further improve, but if your initial idea isn't great, your book is unlikely to be a classic.
The first issue in this volume is great. Our point-of-view character is Jubilee, who we haven't seen for a while, returning to the X-Men with a baby, and being followed. Great hook! I like that the focus on female X-Men isn't just Storm, Jubilee, Rachel Grey, Kitty Pride, and Psylocke, but also extends to Mercury and Bling, who we haven't seen for a while, and even Pixie gets a task.
Unfortunately, the actual storyarc is completely forgettable. A possible reimagining of John Sublime, a character who seems to be constantly reinvented but never really interesting, and a new villain who is Sublime's (yawn) sister. There's a buildup to a possibly interesting story in the vain of the Phalanx Covenant and then ...pffffffffffffffffffft... nothing happens. A character who's been in a coma wakes up at just the right time, offers to sacfirice themselves, doesn't, and then the villain is deafeated off-screen, and the story moves on as if it never happened. Textbook bad X-writing.
The collection includes Jubilee's first appearance, which also wasn't a great issue. I always falsesly remember her origin as being the one from the Animated Series because it's way better written.
I don't really recommend this. It's fine. A focus on the female characters is well-intentioned but it doesn't really elevate them in any way. It's just a C+ X-Men story.
The first issue in this volume is great. Our point-of-view character is Jubilee, who we haven't seen for a while, returning to the X-Men with a baby, and being followed. Great hook! I like that the focus on female X-Men isn't just Storm, Jubilee, Rachel Grey, Kitty Pride, and Psylocke, but also extends to Mercury and Bling, who we haven't seen for a while, and even Pixie gets a task.
Unfortunately, the actual storyarc is completely forgettable. A possible reimagining of John Sublime, a character who seems to be constantly reinvented but never really interesting, and a new villain who is Sublime's (yawn) sister. There's a buildup to a possibly interesting story in the vain of the Phalanx Covenant and then ...pffffffffffffffffffft... nothing happens. A character who's been in a coma wakes up at just the right time, offers to sacfirice themselves, doesn't, and then the villain is deafeated off-screen, and the story moves on as if it never happened. Textbook bad X-writing.
The collection includes Jubilee's first appearance, which also wasn't a great issue. I always falsesly remember her origin as being the one from the Animated Series because it's way better written.
I don't really recommend this. It's fine. A focus on the female characters is well-intentioned but it doesn't really elevate them in any way. It's just a C+ X-Men story.
I love the X ladies, but a lot of this was just bickering back and forth amongst teammates, without too much plot. I might have enjoyed it more if this was an omnibus, with more issues, but it just felt a bit.. flat and disjointed.
I like the idea of an all-female X-Men team, but this story was just all over the place! The whole Sublime/Arkea storyline was not only confusing, but it came to an end in the most anticlimactic way. Coipel's art is fantastic, but I definitely have second thoughts about Wood's writing.
This is series where the concept and the art are so well done that I’m giving a lot of leeway to the fact that the story is beyond lost at times. I’m not saying it’s bad, because there are definite nuggets in there, but it seems like the story got away from them a couple of times.
There's also the fact that there's so little of the story in this volume. I get that the introductory arc for Jubilee is finished in just four issues, but I feel like they could have waited to have another arc ready or in progress to bulk up the volume.
That said, the characters designs are fantastic and I love that Jubilee is back!
There's also the fact that there's so little of the story in this volume. I get that the introductory arc for Jubilee is finished in just four issues, but I feel like they could have waited to have another arc ready or in progress to bulk up the volume.
That said, the characters designs are fantastic and I love that Jubilee is back!
Loved.
Especially enjoyed the first arc with John Sublime and Arkea Prime.
Especially enjoyed the first arc with John Sublime and Arkea Prime.
The first arc with Arkea was extremely boring for me. I don't understand why Brian Wood just handed Jubilee a baby. This is the second time an X-Men story revolved around some type of techno virus villain. I didn't care when Whedon did it and I don't care now. The art was pretty and that's about all the good I have to say about that.
The second part wasn't really an arc as it was a one shot story wherein the X-Men try to save passengers in a falling plane. I really enjoyed that story! Even without fully understanding why Rachel was being so cold towards Ororo, I was intrigued. I loved Psylocke and Rogue working together. I really enjoyed the subplot with Wolverine hanging out with Jubilee and Shogo. A very solid issue.
I even enjoyed the throwback issue to when Jubilee first met the X-Men. It was a really great issue full of strong female characters that I actually care about. I have to say, this is my favorite X-Men lineup from any book I've read so far. Storm, Jubilee, Psylocke, Dazzler and Rogue. I love seeing them work together, there was some humor here but most importantly, I love that Jubilee admires their pride in their abilities. Plus, they went to a male strip club, haha.
Anyway, as a whole, this was pretty bland but the last 40 or so pages were great.
3 stars.
The second part wasn't really an arc as it was a one shot story wherein the X-Men try to save passengers in a falling plane. I really enjoyed that story! Even without fully understanding why Rachel was being so cold towards Ororo, I was intrigued. I loved Psylocke and Rogue working together. I really enjoyed the subplot with Wolverine hanging out with Jubilee and Shogo. A very solid issue.
I even enjoyed the throwback issue to when Jubilee first met the X-Men. It was a really great issue full of strong female characters that I actually care about. I have to say, this is my favorite X-Men lineup from any book I've read so far. Storm, Jubilee, Psylocke, Dazzler and Rogue. I love seeing them work together, there was some humor here but most importantly, I love that Jubilee admires their pride in their abilities. Plus, they went to a male strip club, haha.
Anyway, as a whole, this was pretty bland but the last 40 or so pages were great.
3 stars.
This team of X-Women is great. The artwork is excellent. The story is solid, if perhaps a bit anticlimactic. The bonus issue with the first-ever appearance of Jubilee is historically interesting, but not really my cup of tea otherwise, art or story. Overall, an interesting and diverting volume.
I was thrilled to see an all female X-team and pounced on this. And, for the first half, my excitement was rewarded.
I LOVE issues 1-3. The art is positively delightful! It's relaxed and never too busy, but also has a lot of personality and jaunt. The characters all look distinct, their appearances match their personalities, and they're a pleasure to look at. Great style.
The writing is fun, with the ladies' personalities coming through in a lively, endearing way. They work well as a team and each member is capable and unique. Although, I'm not really clear on how Jubilee ended up with a baby in the first place. It's vaguely explained in the book but some more detail would have been nice.
And then issue 4 happens... There's tension between Rachel and Storm that doesn't seem built up enough to be so confrontational at this point. Next they bring Logan in and he's strangely... nice? Sweet and encouraging? With a permanent smile on his face??? It's out of character to the point of being mildly disturbing.
The art is... flatter. A lot of the personality gets sucked out of it and as a result, everything looks duller. Now, it's not horrible, but it's just "okay". As a reader, when I'm used to seeing such animated art and then find something "meh", it makes me wrinkle my nose.
And then they throw in Uncanny X-Men #244. It would be fine if it didn't feel like they were using it to eat up pages in the already too-thin trade paperback. But that's what it feels like. Four /actual/ story issues in a trade, plus one unnecessary extra issue from a different title in the 1980s. Jubilee already talked about meeting the X-Men ladies with Logan; we don't need to see it happen. And if they want to include it, do so on top of the minimum 5 story issues, or spend a few panels on Jubilee describing the event in a little more detail than she does. It would be more concise. Marvel already irks me with their thin trades, but to have filler blatantly added to a volume is just ridiculous. That's not to say it's a bad issue though. It's actually amusing. But like I said, unnecessary.
So, with the downturn in art style coupled with the suddenly over-problematic team's drama, I'm worried. I had such high hopes for this series at the start (as in, 5-star rating high), but it seems to be angling downhill. Whether that changes in later issues, I don't know yet, but I loved the first half of the book enough to keep going, optimism in hand. Overall, I say give it a try. You'll at least enjoy the first 3 issues. Issue 4 is okay. And then there's that blast from the past. Eh. Ranting aside, there is a LOT of potential with these characters as a team, and I really enjoyed most of the story. If it gets better, it'll likely become my favourite X-Men series.
I LOVE issues 1-3. The art is positively delightful! It's relaxed and never too busy, but also has a lot of personality and jaunt. The characters all look distinct, their appearances match their personalities, and they're a pleasure to look at. Great style.
The writing is fun, with the ladies' personalities coming through in a lively, endearing way. They work well as a team and each member is capable and unique. Although, I'm not really clear on how Jubilee ended up with a baby in the first place. It's vaguely explained in the book but some more detail would have been nice.
And then issue 4 happens... There's tension between Rachel and Storm that doesn't seem built up enough to be so confrontational at this point. Next they bring Logan in and he's strangely... nice? Sweet and encouraging? With a permanent smile on his face??? It's out of character to the point of being mildly disturbing.
The art is... flatter. A lot of the personality gets sucked out of it and as a result, everything looks duller. Now, it's not horrible, but it's just "okay". As a reader, when I'm used to seeing such animated art and then find something "meh", it makes me wrinkle my nose.
And then they throw in Uncanny X-Men #244. It would be fine if it didn't feel like they were using it to eat up pages in the already too-thin trade paperback. But that's what it feels like. Four /actual/ story issues in a trade, plus one unnecessary extra issue from a different title in the 1980s. Jubilee already talked about meeting the X-Men ladies with Logan; we don't need to see it happen. And if they want to include it, do so on top of the minimum 5 story issues, or spend a few panels on Jubilee describing the event in a little more detail than she does. It would be more concise. Marvel already irks me with their thin trades, but to have filler blatantly added to a volume is just ridiculous. That's not to say it's a bad issue though. It's actually amusing. But like I said, unnecessary.
So, with the downturn in art style coupled with the suddenly over-problematic team's drama, I'm worried. I had such high hopes for this series at the start (as in, 5-star rating high), but it seems to be angling downhill. Whether that changes in later issues, I don't know yet, but I loved the first half of the book enough to keep going, optimism in hand. Overall, I say give it a try. You'll at least enjoy the first 3 issues. Issue 4 is okay. And then there's that blast from the past. Eh. Ranting aside, there is a LOT of potential with these characters as a team, and I really enjoyed most of the story. If it gets better, it'll likely become my favourite X-Men series.
I found this really thin (both length and content). Just lacking a spark that was very noticeable when it was full of characters I love.