A review by fsmn36
House of M by Brian Michael Bendis

3.0

House of M has some fantastic artwork and on the one hand, I like the story. On the other hand...wow, what a bunch of hypocrites. A lot of the characterization feels pretty off for me. Or else I just haven't read enough X-Men to judge that they're all total assholes. Basically, Scarlet Witch has severe mental health issues after the death of her children and its compounded by her powers and everyone acts like she's deliberately doing it - to the point where Emma says she should be "put down" (okay, that's pretty accurate characterization - Emma is a bitch and I love her). And then they all just willy-nilly blame Magneto for everything. Given the manipulation Captain America did on Scarlet Witch previously, they all need to check themselves. I'm not sure what the solution is/was to Scarlet's mental problems, but just the way everyone talked about her was disgusting. And then she gives people what they want and they're disgusted by that? With Scott vomiting (I'm assuming at the idea of being married to Emma? whatever) when he finds out the "truth". I'm sorry, but I'm kind of with Jessica Drew (although is this real Drew or Skrull!Drew?) on this one - to the point where at least she had valid points and maybe everyone shouldn't have hated this "reality" quite so much (I mean, why was Peter so broken up that Gwen was back and he wasn't with MJ? It's not like MJ was dead. But he seems to hate that Gwen is alive when he can't be with MJ, to the point where he wants it all back to before aka Gwen is dead.) If nothing else, Charles Xavier was complicit in creating this reality so maybe his disciples should calm down for a minute before erasing everyone else's happiness because they're upset. And then all the hate for Magneto. I get Scarlet Witch's emotional conflict, absolutely; Pietro's as well. But the Avengers and X-Men just throw the blame at him from the start to even after it's revealed he had nothing to do with it. And then they all seem happier about the mutants vanishing (the gene going away/being repressed, whatever) where they weren't happy with their happily-ever-after reality? Like, what? They hunted down Scarlet Witch pretty hard when mutants were in power, but not when they're gone - the X-Men? Because now their memories match? Isn't it basically just a third reality of sorts? But this one is full of misery so they're okay with it.

Basically, I hate that everyone blames Scarlet Witch for actions she can't control and Magneto for things he didn't do. I mean, at least it isn't all somehow Tony Stark's fault, but that's what the writers did with Secret Invasion and Civil War so whatever. The Avengers are assholes.