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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A welcome chapter in my reread of all things X. This collection should be the template for how to write a modern X-Men story. There's a bit of fanservice that's overt enough that you don't even have to be a fan to understand it, there's some wonderful interpersonal snark, awesome last page reveals, a surprising new villain that actually makes sense, a generational shift, well thought-out action that isn't Too Quippy, and the art is cinematic and perfect (though reading this when it was coming out in issues was Excruciating due to the lag between issues).
I think if this was someone's first X-book, they would run out and get some of the volumes that served as a foundation for this storyline, and, ultimately, be disappointed. This is in contention for my favorite run on any X-title.
I think if this was someone's first X-book, they would run out and get some of the volumes that served as a foundation for this storyline, and, ultimately, be disappointed. This is in contention for my favorite run on any X-title.
I’d already read the first half of the story contained in this volume, yet I still enjoyed following along with the story and seeing the twisted plot that Whedon came up with.
Full of action, intrigue, and introspection, there’s a reason why Whedon’s run of the X-Men is always brought up as an example of how to write good superhero stories.
Full of action, intrigue, and introspection, there’s a reason why Whedon’s run of the X-Men is always brought up as an example of how to write good superhero stories.
I started this review laughing because I finished this book and forgot I'd finished it 10 minutes later. Nothing about this was memorable for me.
I tried letting my feelings on Whedon's take on the MCU films aside to read this. He's definitely not my favorite person when it comes to Marvel products but I like Firefly and Serenity and I like X-men, so I have this a shot. Strangely enough, the problems I have with his shows weren't present here. The problems I have with his films were, however.
One liners.
He loves his one liners. And a lot of them feel like he was just patting himself on the back as he wrote them. Why? Because they came from characters that wouldn't say things like this. Emma Frost is a complex character but her comments are often biting or slightly cold, not quippy. It made her dialogue seem awkward. Even her making blatantly sexual comments about Scott seemed more in character and those were kind of awkwardly placed, too.
Kitty was... interesting. I appreciated the reference to when she first met Emma and she had a few bad ass moments. She didn't stand out the same way she usually does to me and I'm not sure why that is?
I feel like I should give props for an X-men book that didn't focus on Wolverine over everyone else. That's a rarity.
That being said, I must admit that this is certainly not my favorite line up. I'm not sure why but there are no characters of color here. None of my favorite X-Men, aside from Emma, are here. Even Charles is gone for most of this. My excitement was at a 5/10 to begin with.
Anyway, the first plot contains is kind of the plot to the Last Stand. There's a potential cure for mutants and for two minutes, we get the debate over whether it's okay to choose to be cured Scott says it's not because it's they'd be naive to think the government wouldn't force it on proud mutants. Wolverine thinks it'll increase self-hatred. Beast would like the option. It's X-Men Last Stand. But somehow, more bland?
Anyway, of course there's something that kind of kills the choice. The doctor creating the cure is experimenting in dead mutants. So the X-men go to stop them.
The villains here are not memorable. The first one is a dude, I forgot his name, who's trying to cure the mutants for reasons. The second is the fucking Danger Room. Because Whedon thought that would be fun. Then it's a big ass, hybrid Sentinel. No real complexity here.
It's bland. There's nothing exciting about this. I don't think the next volume will excite me more unless they change the line up.
I tried letting my feelings on Whedon's take on the MCU films aside to read this. He's definitely not my favorite person when it comes to Marvel products but I like Firefly and Serenity and I like X-men, so I have this a shot. Strangely enough, the problems I have with his shows weren't present here. The problems I have with his films were, however.
One liners.
He loves his one liners. And a lot of them feel like he was just patting himself on the back as he wrote them. Why? Because they came from characters that wouldn't say things like this. Emma Frost is a complex character but her comments are often biting or slightly cold, not quippy. It made her dialogue seem awkward. Even her making blatantly sexual comments about Scott seemed more in character and those were kind of awkwardly placed, too.
Kitty was... interesting. I appreciated the reference to when she first met Emma and she had a few bad ass moments. She didn't stand out the same way she usually does to me and I'm not sure why that is?
I feel like I should give props for an X-men book that didn't focus on Wolverine over everyone else. That's a rarity.
That being said, I must admit that this is certainly not my favorite line up. I'm not sure why but there are no characters of color here. None of my favorite X-Men, aside from Emma, are here. Even Charles is gone for most of this. My excitement was at a 5/10 to begin with.
Anyway, the first plot contains is kind of the plot to the Last Stand. There's a potential cure for mutants and for two minutes, we get the debate over whether it's okay to choose to be cured Scott says it's not because it's they'd be naive to think the government wouldn't force it on proud mutants. Wolverine thinks it'll increase self-hatred. Beast would like the option. It's X-Men Last Stand. But somehow, more bland?
Anyway, of course there's something that kind of kills the choice. The doctor creating the cure is experimenting in dead mutants. So the X-men go to stop them.
The villains here are not memorable. The first one is a dude, I forgot his name, who's trying to cure the mutants for reasons. The second is the fucking Danger Room. Because Whedon thought that would be fun. Then it's a big ass, hybrid Sentinel. No real complexity here.
It's bland. There's nothing exciting about this. I don't think the next volume will excite me more unless they change the line up.
I have to confess, I haven't really kept up with the X-Men since the mid-1980s, so I don't know everything that's been going on with them for the last few decades. But a friend recently sent me two volumes of a run of X-Men by Joss Whedon, so I wanted to give it a shot. Joss Whedon does not disappoint, and even if I didn't understand every reference to the "current events" of mutants at the time it was written, it struck me as good stuff. A cure for the mutant gene? An alien who wants to wipe out human mutants to save his planet? The Danger Room AI gone sentient and rogue? I love it!
(4.5 rounded up) I haven't read a ton of X-Men content, so there is probably a little nuance that I'm missing, but I really thought this was a super fun collection that felt like watching a miniseries! It's well paced, has an interesting (if slightly familiar) plot, and does a great job of hooking the reader forwards but also providing a satisfying end. Each of the main characters were ones I was familiar with in some capacity and all of them (except Scott, he just annoys me) grew on me throughout this story, especially Emma and Kitty. Also Danger was a very exciting character to get to read - I enjoy AI/sentient beings arcs like that and this one was no exception. I'm eager to read more of this storyline!
Enjoyed the story and the fact that all the characters looked the same throughout the book
Hands down the best X-Men series I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Joss Whedon director of the movie, The Avengers, tells us a fantastic tale mostly dealing with the trials and tribulations of Kitty Pryde who, I think, is the first time we've seen Kitty as a main role.
Recommend to anyone who loves comics.
Recommend to anyone who loves comics.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I have wanted to get into comics for a while, and a friend's boyfriend suggested I start here. It was a brilliant suggestion.
I was familiar with the X-Men, so it didn't seem too daunting, and the fact that this particular series was penned by Joss Whedon just made it better. I was impressed with the story and the artwork, and I enjoyed how easy the format is to read without compromising the quality of the story telling. (That last bit is a misconception I'd had about comic books for a LONG time.)
All in all, I'm excited, and I'm glad I had volume two ready to jump into the second I finished this one.
I was familiar with the X-Men, so it didn't seem too daunting, and the fact that this particular series was penned by Joss Whedon just made it better. I was impressed with the story and the artwork, and I enjoyed how easy the format is to read without compromising the quality of the story telling. (That last bit is a misconception I'd had about comic books for a LONG time.)
All in all, I'm excited, and I'm glad I had volume two ready to jump into the second I finished this one.