49) The Bird, The Beast and The Lizard (X-Men: First Class # 2)
Summary:
Speaking of retcons . . .
Professor X has promised his students a vacation, so down
to Warren’s parents Florida home they go! They make a stop at Curt Conners house, only to discover he has become the Lizard again. Professor X charges Angel and Beast to subdue
the Lizard and insists on Scott, Jean, and Bobby continue on with the
vacation. Things don’t go so well for
Angel and Beast, so Iceman is called in and helps put an end to Lizard’s
rampage. Meanwhile, Scott relaxes with
Jean.
Why It’s # 49:
I fully admit that this comic series in particular is a
little iffy on continuity and canon. I
remember being at HeroesCon back in 2007 and hearing (I think) Christos Gage
say that the book was “canon, but not in continuity.” Whatever that means.
Anyways, this issue delivers on what this whole series is
about – the original X-Men just being super-hero teens. It’s a fun, laid back story that gives
everyone something to do. The chase
throughout the Everglades is fun.
Professor X’s side-comments to the X-Men are cute. The dialogue is funny. But the best is the way they’re written. Stan Lee wrote the original X-Men decently,
don’t get me wrong, but they were hardly more than sketches of themselves for
the first 19 issues. Roy Thomas was the
one that drew the characters out and developed them.
Honestly, this is what I would of rather have
had. Jeff Parker presents us with a fun,
enjoyable tale. My favorite scene is
the one with Scott and Jean on the beach, when she actually encourages him to
open up.
It’s a small moment, but it speaks volumes of their
relationship, even at that point.
Bottom Line:
This is a bit of an off-beat, fun little
story. It’s nothing ground
breaking. Roger Cruz makes the X-Men
appear as actual teenagers. Val Staples
colors add a lot of vibrant (and sometimes quiet) energy to the linework. Jeff Parker, ultimately gives us a fun story
that reminds us that the X-Men were once teenagers and that, yes, even in a
world that fears and hates you, there’s time for a vacation.
48) The Trial of Gambit (Uncanny X-Men # 341 – 350)
Summary:
On Christmas Eve, Gladiator arrives on Earth
and proceeds to have a fight with Cannonball.
After being beaten by Cannonball, Gladiator sends Rogue, Bishop, Gambit,
Beast, Trish Tibly, and the kinda-sorta Magneto Joseph to the Shi’ar galaxy. They find Deathbird and discover that the
Empire is being eaten by the Phalanx.
The X-Men intervene and defeat them.
The X-Men and Deathbird head back to Earth, but get knocked off course
by a big ol’ spaceship. Luckily, all but
Bishop and Deathbird make it back. Once
back, the X-Men are captured by the demented robot Nanny, who was created by
Magneto a long time ago. During this
time, their powers are negated and Rogue and Gambit make love. Gambit, who upon his arrival was being hunted
by Spat and Grovel, is weighed down tremendous guilt. The X-Men overpower Nanny, but Gambit
surrenders himself to the bounty hunters.
Meanwhile, the mysterious Maggot is tracking down Joseph, and bumps into
Psylocke and Archangel. Eventually,
everyone comes together at a Citadel in Antarctica, where Gambit is put by Eric
the Red. It comes to light that Gambit
formed the Marauders in a deal with Mister Sinister and led them to the Morlock
tunnels to wipe them out. The X-Men free
themselves, but they abandon Gambit in Antarctica. Then, after all is said and done, Eric the
Red is revealed to be Magneto!
Why It’s # 48:
This is one of those cases where I’ve included more than
just the necessary issues for the story.
The trial of Gambit really only takes place in Uncanny 350, but the
build-up from 341 is what makes it such a good story. See, the Phalanx/Shi’ar stuff is fairly
fluffy. Nanny is more annoying than
threatening. There’s also a big subplot
regarding Operation Zero Tolerance that takes over 346 (making it not a very
good fit for this run). But through it
all, we see Gambit continue on with this burden of guilt that slowly but surely
screws into his mind. By the time we
reach 349, Gambit has given up on his freedom and is willing to stand trial for
what he’s done. That’s the selling point
– even with all the Shi’ar and Magneto stuff, Gambit is the one who shines
through the most. In addition to all
this, we get some nice character moments with the others. We get introduced to
Maggot. Plus, Joe Mad’s art is amazing
and it hits a high with the Shi’ar material.
Bottom Line:
A fun romp in Shi’ar featuring some amazing art from Joe
Mad, plus angsty journey into Gambit’s soul, with a big ol’ last page Magneto
reveal. It’s a classic, even it’s a
weighed down by its weaker, more disjointed issues.
47) Demon (Uncanny X-Men # 143)
Summary:
Again, on Christmas Eve, the X-Men hit the town
for some R&R. They leave Kitty home
. . . who is then attacked by a N’Gari demon, who was left behind after the
X-Men’s previous battle with them. Kitty
leads it on a path of destruction through the mansion. It follows her to the hanger, where Kitty uses
the Blackbird to fry it. The X-Men then
return home, proud of Kitty.
Why It’s # 47:
This is the perfect coming-of-age story for Kitty. During the Dark Phoenix Saga, a lot of what
she did was supported by the X-Men.
During the Days of Future Past, she was possessed by Kate Pryde. So this is the first time we see Kitty bust
loose. We see her use her education from
earlier in the issue. We see her thoughts
about being introduced to the super-hero world.
We see her struggle and then rise up.
Bottom Line:
There’s some just great subtly in this story. Claremont gets us into the head of Kitty
Pryde as she goes through this trial by fire.
Byrne’s artwork fleshes it out just beautifully, instilling it with the
kind of perfect synergy that makes this comic so good.
46) Unstoppable (Astonishing X-Men # 19 – 24, Giant-Sized
Astonishing X-Men # 1)
Summary:
This is a fairly complicated story, so the reader’s
digest version is this – the X-Men and SWORD head off to Breakworld to stop
them from shooting a giant bullet at the Earth.
They are separated, come together, join with Danger, Cyclops comes up with
a brilliant plan, and then Kitty phases the bullet through the Earth, implying
her dead.
Why It’s # 46:
If there’s ever a book that lives up to its title, it’s
this one. It kicks off by ripping us
out of the momentum of the previous storyline and immediately propels us
towards Breakworld. And it doesn’t
stop. It’s not perfect – there are some
plot holes and it’s a little over complicated.
But the sheer emotion of this story and the amazing art by John Cassady
just sells it. What makes the threat
work so well is the fact that you know that something bad is going to happen .
. . you actually get a sense of danger from the giant bullet! Cyclops’ plan is brilliant, Emma’s angst and
attempts at reaching Kitty in the bullet are well done, and Beast and Wolverine
are a ton of fun. Plus call backs from
earlier in Whedon run brings it run full circle. And, on top of everything, Kitty’s fate is
such an emotional gut punch.
It’s not without its flaws. But those can be overlooked because of just
how well done the characterization is handled.
Bottom Line:
Despite its flaws, this story hits the ground
running. Great characterization, a
well-done threat, and fulfilling the mission of the book of the X-Men as
super-heroes makes it an amazing story.
45) AvsX (Marvel .1, AvsX # 0 – 12, AvsX: Versus # 1 – 6)
Summary:
The Phoenix is coming back to Earth and is going
to use Hope as its host. Cyclops and his
X-Men see this as the rebirth of the Mutant people. Captain America sees this as a threat. The Avengers and the X-Men go to war with
each other when the Avengers try and take Hope into custody. Hope escapes,
heads to the Moon with Logan, and the X-Men and the Avengers catch up with them
and fight it out more. Phoenix comes,
but Iron Man blows it up and five pieces of the Phoenix possess Cyclops, Namor,
Emma Frost, Magik, and Colossus. They
try and build Earth into a Utopia, but their war with the Avengers continues
and eventually, one by one, they fall until Cyclops claims the power of the
Phoenix himself and becomes the new Dark Phoenix. He kills Professor X, but is then defeated by
Scarlet Witch and Hope. Hope then
becomes Phoenix, saves the Earth, and then releases the Phoenix into the world,
restarting Mutantkind.
Why It’s 45:
It’s a bit of a 15 year olds’ nerd dream to see these two
big franchises go at each other.
Seriously, after all these of years reading these comics and always
wanting a slugfest, I finally got one. The
action is spectacular and fun. The
story, while suffering from pacing and some wayward subplots, is fairly
decent. There are some interesting
questions raised about destiny, faith, and a super-heroes role in a world gone
wild like this. Overall, it’s not
perfect, but it’s a blast.
Bottom Line:
It’s not a perfect story, but it’s fun. Lots of neat moments and plenty of action and
it makes the little teenaged fanboy in me excited.
44) The Origin of Professor X/Where Walks the
Juggernaut! (Uncanny X-Men # 12 – 13)
Summary:
Reeling from the latest battle with Magneto and the
Brotherhood, Cerebro goes nuts with an alert!
Professor X realizes that his step-brother, Cain Marko, now the
Juggernaut, is on his way to the mansion.
After the X-Men set up several defenses to stop the Juggernaut,
Professor reveals to them his origin and his past relationship with Cain. Meanwhile, Juggernaut plows through every
defense and trap and arrives on site to wipe out the team. The
X-Men try their best to hold him off, including tossing the Juggernaut into the
Danger Room. Professor X grabs the
Human Torch and forces him into battle with the Juggernaut. Together with the Angel, they are able to
remove Juggernaut’s helmet and Professor X attacks him telepathically. After that, the Human Torch returns home
after Professor X wipes his memory of the event.
Why It’s # 44:
This is some of the original X-Men at their best. The threat of the Juggernaut is huge and immense
and it’s really something to see him just smash through the defenses that the
X-Men set-up. Lots of neat, classic
X-Men action and the origins of Professor X are an added touch. It’s one of the best and consistently good
Juggernaut stories we’ve seen. The use
of Human Torch and the way Professor X just kinda uses him is a little odd and
off-putting, and it does leave a bad taste in my mouth. It just felt unnecessary. In spite of that, the action leading up to his involvement is worth it.
Bottom Line:
A great build-up to a major threat plus the origins of
Professor X makes this s a classic. Even with the pointless involvement and
treatment of the Human Torch, it’s a solid and fun read. It solidifies the Juggernaut as a classic
villain and gives the X-Men their greatest challenge up to that point.
43) Operation: Zero Tolerance
Summary:
After months of build-up, anti-Mutant government program
Operation: Zero Tolerance comes alive and launches its assault on the X-Men and
their allies. Jubilee is captured early
on. Wolverine, Cannonball, Storm,
Cyclops, and Phoenix are defeated and imprisoned. X-Force and MLF are hunted down. Generation X is on the run. Cable fights Bastian and his minions at the
mansion. Ultimately, Senator Kelly
shuts down the program, but Cyclops ends up with a bomb in his belly and the
mansion is stripped down to nothing.
Why It’s # 44:
To me, this is the X-Men’s ultimate challenge. A huge threat that’s analyzed and targeted
them. It’s not just Apocalypse or
Sinister or Magneto – it’s a humanity at its worse, unleashing a threat that
they themselves can barely contain. The
Prime Sentinels are such a scary concept – that anyone around you could
transform into a new breed of Sentinel and counteract your powers. I’m stunned we haven’t seen more of these
guys out there. And, honestly,
Operation: Zero Tolerance feels like the first X-Men story in which the X-Men
cannot dig themselves out. There’s no
“banding together” for one final battle.
The ending, while a deus ex machine, does not necessarily feature a win
for our heroes.
Now, the battle themselves are pretty slick. There are some great action scenes. Spider-Man shows up for some fun. Cable invasion of the mansion is pretty epic. Plus, the inclusion and excellent use of
Calisto, Marrow, and Doctor Reyes makes it even better. And putting Iceman front and center is a
great move.
Bottom Line:
There is some potential lost and the defeat of Bastian is
a little too convenient. But as a whole,
it’s a great threat and puts the X-Men up against a foe they can’t contend with
as easily as, say, Magneto. It’s grim,
but energetic. There are some great
character moments and action scenes. Good
artwork, decent storytelling. All
around, pretty good.
42) Here Comes Tomorrow
Summary:
There’s no short supply of dark alternate reailties and/or
dystopian futures for the X-Men. And
here’s another one! Set 150 years after
the second death of Jean Grey and the whole Xorn madness, the X-Men now consist
of Wolverine, Beak’s grandson Tito, EVA, Martha, Cassandra Nova, Three-In-One,
Tom Skylar and his Sentinel friend Rover.
After the Phoenix Egg is taken by a John Sublime-possessed Beast, the
X-Men launch an attack. The Phoenix Egg
hatches and Jean/Phoenix does Sublime’s bidding. Eventually, the X-Men win out, Jean realizes
that everything went wrong after she died.
Scott rejected Emma Frost and the X-Men.
Beast took over the school, but failed and turned to Kick and became
possessed by Sublime. The world then
fell apart. After Logan and Hank are
killed, Jean removes Sublime and then prepares to enter the White Hot Room with
the rest of the Phoenixes. However, to
save the future, she gives Scott a mental push into his relationship with Emma,
thus saving the world.
Why It’s # 42:
The story itself is pretty interesting, but what I really
liked about this one is everything that occurs beneath the surface. It shows just how important both Scott and
Hank are to the X-Men and how they both need the X-Men and how the X-Men need
them. Without Scott, Hank can’t run the
school and save humanity. With Hank gone
bad, the world falls apart. But with
Scott, the X-Men are able to hold together (well, kinda). But Scott won’t return to the X-Men unless
he gives into his feelings with Emma.
Ultimately, it’s left up to Logan to carry on with the dream, but he’s
no Professor X.
So it takes one mental push from Jean to make sure the
X-Men (and the world) survive and continue on.
It’s such a simple moment and all it takes is one woman’s love and
forgiveness to her husband to win the day.
It’s a nice concept and is really what the X-Men are about.
The art is great and is some of my favorite from Marc
Silvestri. Beast looks freaky, Jean
looks great, the X-Men look badass.
There are some amazing action scenes, like this one:
And, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, no one draws
Sentinels like Silvestri.
Bottom Line:
The art is fantastic.
The story is excellent, with lots of fun Morrison-isms and references to
his arc as a whole. It’s a nice wrap-up
of Morrison’s far-too-short run. It’s
message of peace, forgiveness, and just plain love bleed through subtly and,
dare I say it, sublimely.
41) He’ll Never Make Me Cry (Uncanny X-Men # 183)
Summary:
Basically, after dumping Kitty, Peter is dragged out to
bar scene by Logan and Kurt. Logan gives
Peter a “if you’re going to act like a man, you better be a man” speech and
then makes him fight the
Juggernaut. It ends in pretty much a
draw, though Peter gets a beating.
Why It’s # 41:
There’s not a whole lot to say about this one. It’s a nice coming-of-age story for Peter,
with him pitted against Marko. It’s a
small story that really makes two of our favorite lovebirds suffer. Peter and Kitty both do some serious growing
after their break up. It’s a lot of fun
and a lot of angst. Can’t go wrong!
Bottom Line:
Strong art by JrJr and a nice blend of angst and
fun. It’s good stuff.
