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Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #12
Cyclops was right. About everything. With the final issue of this mega crossover now upon us, I can say with clarity and confidence that Cyclops is the true hero of Avengers vs. X-Men. Oh sure, they want you to believe that Captain America is the real hero. And that Cyclops’ supposed ‘crimes’ are beyond redemption. But I’ve been saying it for a long time now: Marvel was unwilling to just make Cyclops a mustache-twirling bad guy. And this issue finally reveals why. Everything Cyclops set out to do in Avengers vs. X-Men was for good reason, and everything he fought for and people died for, will have been worth it thanks to the surprise ending of this series.
Avengers vs. X-Men #12
Avengers vs. X-Men #12 was a fantastic and exciting finale! It’s a little muddied with an over reliance on flashbacks, but the story is straightforward and the victory well deserved.
Comic rating: 5/5: Great!
In hindsight, I haven’t really liked most of the big crossovers at Marvel. I didn’t particularly care for Fear Itself last year. Secret Invasion was a dud. Civil War was alright, but Seige was quite dull. Avengers vs. X-Men, however, is one damn fine comic. Hero vs. hero, the fate of the world at stake! And even though the writers never really explored the deeper questions of faith and hope prevalent in the series, it’s still an exciting superhero comic. There were times I was annoyed with the series, and very frustrated at what Marvel was seemingly trying to say. But this issue alleviated all of my worries and frustrations with some solid follow through on Cyclops’ story arc.
Forget Hope, forget the Scarlet Witch, forget Captain America or Wolverine. Cyclops is the true star of this comic. He’s the only character who really grew or changed, who learned something from all of this. He’s the only character man enough to accept responsibility, while Captain America sticks with his petty bravado and arrogance.
This was a marvelous comic, settling all of my disputes in a big, bombastic climax. Although I’m not sure why Iron Man is featured so prominently on the cover. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #11
Now that was a pretty damn awesome issue. I’m happy to say that the big finale to Avengers vs. X-Men looks like it’s going to be both epic and cool, with this penultimate issue really setting up what should be a bombastic showdown. This issue has got great action, some wonderful character moments, awe-inspiring art and a brilliant cliffhanger that I’m kind of ashamed I did not see coming. But that just means it took me by one hell of a surprise! However, despite all this well-deserved praise, anyone who has been reading my reviews knows that I have one really big BUT when it comes to Avengers vs. X-Men…and this issue continues to emphasis that same glaring flaw.
Avengers vs. X-Men #11
The story is incredibly wishy-washy on just how much of a villain it wants Cyclops to be. At a time when it needs him to be a mustache-twirling Snidely Whiplash, this comic still goes to great lengths to make Cyclops sympathetic.
Comic rating: 5/5: Great.
My major gripe with Avengers vs. X-Men is that it does not have a solid answer to two important questions: What has Cyclops done wrong? And was it Cyclops who did it, or was it the Phoenix acting through Cyclops? Unfortunately, this issue continues to flip back and forth on the issue. And from someone who sympathizes with Cyclops, it just makes all the so-called heroes out to be huge assholes. One moment they are talking about having to stop Cyclops because he cannot control this evil power, and the next they are blaming Cyclops for everything. The comic has made it very clear that the Phoenix is the reason the PhoeniX-Men started turning evil, that these people were possessed by an evil force and it eventually took over. Yet never do any of the Avengers or X-Men say that they need to save Cyclops from the Phoenix. They all act like it’s Cyclops himself who is behind all of this, and not that their friend has been possessed by this evil force.
To me, that kind of makes them jerks. They don’t want to help Cyclops and stop the Phoenix. They just want to kill Cyclops and be done with it.
Despite that glaring issue, this is still a great comic. The action is fantastic, with a lot of high-stakes superheroics. But rather than just boring action, all of it is spliced with some really meaty character moments as everyone tries to reason with Cyclops while simultaneously trying to kill him. The art by Olivier Coipel is also phenomenal, giving these moments the epic feel that really makes them stand out.
Also, a very important character dies this issue, but it does not have the impact that Marvel probably hoped it would. I’ll spoil the death when we get to it in my synopsis, so if you want to know right now, just click the jump and scroll down. Otherwise, how about we get on with the fully synopsis and more review!
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #10
In order to enjoy the rest of Avengers vs. X-Men, I’m just going to have to accept that Cyclops is evil now. Despite everything he has ever done or said in this comic, despite all the good he has done around the world with the Phoenix powers, despite never having done a single evil thing at all in this series, I’m just going to have to bow down to Avengers’ peer pressure and accept that Cyclops is the bad guy. Heck, they come right out and just tell me that he’s evil several times in this comic. So why not believe the Avengers? It’s not like they brought this on themselves or anything.
Avengers vs. X-Men #10
If you’re willing to accept that Cyclops is evil, this is a good comic with some kickass moments as the Avengers fight for their lives against a god-like force. If, like me, you’re not willing to accept that Cyclops is evil, this is yet another issue where characters just say that he’s the bad guy while trying to kill him, as if they can convince him of his new badness.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Despite my continued frustrations with Cyclops’ heroism, this is still a good issue, and Avengers vs. X-Men is still a good series. And if I read the comic how I want to read it, with Cyclops as the hero, it’s also a good issue. The battle in this issue is pretty awesome, with some truly great comic moments as the Avengers and Hope take on Phoenix Cyclops in the mystical city of kung fu. Meanwhile, Emma Frost really has become evil due to the Phoenix, and she’s off in the wings becoming what will probably be the ‘final boss’ of Avengers vs. X-Men. And after this issue, I’m legitimately excited to see what side Cyclops will pick in the final battle.
Will he live up to my continued endorsement of his heroism? Or will the Avengers be right when they compare Cyclops to a certain World War 2 villain? Either way, he’s pretty dangerous in this issue, that’s for sure. I wish Avengers vs. X-Men would have spent some time in Cyclops’ head, showing us his motivations and reasons for doing what he’s doing. Instead, we don’t get any of that here. No characters take center stage to help us understand the events. It’s mostly all action. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just the issues with a focal character have usually been stronger.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Avengers vs. X-Men vs. Fantastic Four?
Anyone who’s been reading my Avengers vs. X-Men reviews knows that I have a few problems with the story. Mostly it’s the fact that the PhoeniX-Men were immediately painted as the villains, even though the comic itself told us that they were doing good in the world. They were feeding the hungry, bringing water to thirsty nations and ending war. But the comic seemed to take the Avengers’ standpoint in that they were automatically evil just because. It was frustrating.
But fortunately, it seems that someone at Marvel had the exact same thoughts as me – and he just so happens to be the smartest man in the Marvel Universe!
The recent tie-in issue, New Avengers #29, shows us what Reed Richards, leader of the Fantastic Four, thinks of the whole Avengers vs. X-Men thing.
Thank you, Reed! Leave it to a super-intelligent person to point out the major problem with Avengers vs. X-Men. Why did this have to happen in one of the tie-ins? Why did this even have to be a thing at all? This scene happened prior to Namor attacking Wakanda and the PhoeniX-Men coming off as evil. But why didn’t Marvel just make them evil right away? Why make them world saviors and turn Captain America and Iron Man into bitter losers who can’t admit that they were wrong?
The entire conflict of Avengers vs. X-Men continued because, as Reed said, the Avengers just kept poking the PhoeniX-Men with a stick. If the PhoeniX-Men were evil from the get-go, then the Avengers would actually be heroic to continue fighting them.
Instead, they’re just a bunch of whiners.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #9
Avengers vs. X-Men slows down to once again get inside its characters’ heads, and I am grateful for that. The series is also much better for it. We get a good look into the mindsets of all the remaining PhoeniX-Men, and it’s definitely not as frustrating as last issue. They actually come out and acknowledge that the dark influence of the Phoenix is effecting their minds, instead of just everybody assuming that they’re bad guys despite all the good they’re doing. We also get some quality character moments for some of the supporting characters, like Storm and Spider-Man.
Avengers vs. X-Men #9
Because all the best Marvel stories come down to Spider-Man. Though I will say that he feels totally out of place in a story like this.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
If you remember my review of last issue, I was apoplectic about Avengers vs. X-Men. The story has been frustrating the hell out of me, with the X-Men being painted as monsters when the comic has done little to actually show them being monsters. The PhoeniX-Men have been ending hunger, stopping earthquakes, halting war and all other manner of great things. But everybody reacts to them as demonic evil that needs to be killed. It annoyed me to no end. So with this issue, the series finally underlines the idea that the Phoenix Force is influencing them to be evil. Not straight up evil, and they’re all kind of aware that it’s happening, but at least it nicely, finally defines the PhoeniX-Men as proper antagonists. I understand them now.
And I really like it. I’ll reveal more in the full review after the jump, but this issue really nails down exactly what the conflict has become and where it might be going. The PhoeniX-Men make another evolution, one I am eager to read. The Avengers are a little stale this issue, but at least they’re not the hosebags they’ve been for the past couple issues.
Join me after the jump as I reveal how Avengers vs. X-Men is back in my good graces!
Henchman-4-Hire 