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A review by bmaackreadscomics
Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 1 by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, Bill Mantlo, Dave Cockrum, Gil Kane, Len Wein, George Pérez, Stan Lee
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Problematic:
Far less WASPy cast, though still a bit of a sausage fest. Some of the newer,
more diverse characters aren’t portrayed as well as they should be, most notably the Apache John Proudstar who feels very out of touch by today’s standards with his unjustified disdain towards his people.
The Bad:
The Count Nefaria story in #94-95 wasn’t incredible, and they killed off Thunderbird so damn fast that it makes me curious as to why. And #96 was weird as hell as the X-Men fight an elder god thing that Cyclops accidentally unleashed. These stories weren’t really that bad, but they felt out of place and a little too much like the weaker parts of the classic X-Men run.
The Good:
So much more happens in these 8 issues than what happened in say 20 issues of the older stuff. Giant-Size X-Men #1 is just so good. It’s not perfect, but it’s extra length really makes it feel robust and epic and far less episodic. #97-100 are really really solid as well. I swear every single Sentinel story is just plain good. Jean Grey’s heroic sacrifice was emotional and well-earned. In fact, the emotion in these issues is so much better written than it had been previously. Characters get angry, happy, distraught. A very welcome addition.
Overall:
Regardless of the quality of the villains & plots, the characterization is on point and consistent. The continuity keeps building on itself, and you can just tel that these issues are where so many fantasy/sci-fi drama staples were either born or exemplified.
Far less WASPy cast, though still a bit of a sausage fest. Some of the newer,
more diverse characters aren’t portrayed as well as they should be, most notably the Apache John Proudstar who feels very out of touch by today’s standards with his unjustified disdain towards his people.
The Bad:
The Count Nefaria story in #94-95 wasn’t incredible, and they killed off Thunderbird so damn fast that it makes me curious as to why. And #96 was weird as hell as the X-Men fight an elder god thing that Cyclops accidentally unleashed. These stories weren’t really that bad, but they felt out of place and a little too much like the weaker parts of the classic X-Men run.
The Good:
So much more happens in these 8 issues than what happened in say 20 issues of the older stuff. Giant-Size X-Men #1 is just so good. It’s not perfect, but it’s extra length really makes it feel robust and epic and far less episodic. #97-100 are really really solid as well. I swear every single Sentinel story is just plain good. Jean Grey’s heroic sacrifice was emotional and well-earned. In fact, the emotion in these issues is so much better written than it had been previously. Characters get angry, happy, distraught. A very welcome addition.
Overall:
Regardless of the quality of the villains & plots, the characterization is on point and consistent. The continuity keeps building on itself, and you can just tel that these issues are where so many fantasy/sci-fi drama staples were either born or exemplified.