X-Men: The Hidden Years # 1-22
Ahhhh, X-Men: The Hidden Years!
Released in 1999 and going until 2001, this was John Bryne's attempt at revealing what happened to the X-Men between Uncanny # 66 and Giant-Sized X-Men # 1. During this time, as I mentioned last time, the X-Men were cancelled and spent their time guest-staring in other peoples books from time to time. I'll get into that later.
I recall, when this series first started, enjoying this book, but only to an extent. However, as I made my way out of the Silver Age, I began to look forward to this series once more. Oh, how foolish I was . . .
(I'm not going to bother going into the politics of John Byrne. I'll say that right now.)
One word can describe this series for me: BORING. Esspecially when it hits the 'teens.
The series is hot and cold. There are some things about that are fun and interesting, like when Kraven hunts down the Beast; some of the new villains (Kreuger and Deluge) are actually kinda cool; Warren's Mom dying; and the whole Phoenix stuff was a nice touch.
BUT . . . Storm showing up? Xavier being a tight-ass? A tie-in with "The Lost Generation?" These ideas, along with story cliches (Iceman getting amnesia) and slow-moving, never-developing relationships (Iceman/Havok/Polaris) do nothing more than HURT the series rather than make it any good.
I couldn't help but wonder "how could this have been better?" I would have started it off the same because the first 6-8 issues are actually pretty good (except for the Storm stuff) - Magneto, the Savage Land, the Z'Nox, the Fantastic Four, etc. All great!
Personally, I would have sat down and plan it out so that the series fits into the missing Uncanny issues (67-93). Plan it like it would have been 28-part maxi-series! Actually give us some insight to the characters.
I can't help but think about what I would have done . . . the Atlantenian/Magneto invasion would be there by issue 12 . . . Beast leaving the X-Men after his encounter with Kraven . . . "Secret Empire" by issue 20 . . . and the legendary "Secret Mission" by 25-28.
But nope, Byrne chose a path that hurt the series and killed its potential. With the exception a few shining moments, most of "The Hidden Years" is swamped in a sea of cliches, slow-moving plots, and boring conflicts.
The art's nice, though!
~W~
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