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Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #8
There’s no denying that Avengers vs. X-Men #8 is a definite step up in quality and clarity from last issue, but holy crap this is a frustrating comic. I’m trying to stay objective in this, I really am. But speaking as someone who supports Cyclops and the X-Men, Marvel doesn’t seem to have any idea what they’re trying to say with this story. Everything reads as if they’re trying to paint the X-Men as the overwhelming bad guys and the Avengers as the scrappy underdogs. But while that may be implied, at least in my opinion, it is not reflected in what actually happens on the page.
Avengers vs. X-Men #8
Or maybe I’m just reading this comic wrong. I just don’t know anymore. Suffice to say, this was an entertaining issue with a great fight scene and actual emotion and nuance pushing the narrative forward. Unfortunately, it’s just so damn frustrating!
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright!
I’ll get to specifics when I get to the synopsis, because I don’t want to spoil anything here in the opening segment. But basically the X-Men are painted as evil, violent monsters who must be stopped – but other than Namor attacking Wakanda, the X-Men have done nothing wrong. In fact, they’re doing great things that are making the world a better place. But they must be stopped, just because. Meanwhile, the Avengers are pig-headed bullies who are blindly following an arrogant and stubborn Captain America. Even Black Panther and Beast, who dared to question him two issues ago, are still gladly following Cap’s command.
Yet there are specific and actual lines of dialogue in this issue that reveal Captain America to be the jackass I said he was, who’s only interested in being right. It boggles the mind. If Marvel had decided to just go for it and have the Avengers be heroes and the X-Men be villains, maybe I’d like this comic book more. But they’ve so greatly smudged the two sides that it’s just getting too frustrating to fully enjoy.
At least the art is still great. This time by Adam Kubert. Marvel got some major art talent on this series. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and a better explanation about what I’m getting at.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #7
Ugh. Talk about a complete 180-degree turn from the previous issue. Whereas in #6 we actually had some characters debating the merits of this Phoenix-fueled conflict, Avengers vs. X-Men #7 launches straight into a convoluted fight scene, then follows up with page after page of incomprehensible science mumbo jumbo. Plus, I need to stop kidding myself, because Marvel have clearly established the X-Men as the villains of this piece. Now I have no one to root for. Captain America and the Avengers have come off as pig-headed bullies who refuse to even entertain the idea that the X-Men might be right. But because of the nature of the story, the X-Men are most definitely wrong.
Avengers vs. X-Men #7
Which means the pig-headed bullies get to be right by default. And without any moment of compromise or even trying to see the conflict through their opponent’s eyes, Captain American and Wolverine just get to gloat about how they’re awesome, and how Cyclops and the X-Men should have just accepted life under their boot heel.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
I’m not just basing my score on the fact that the team I’ve backed for this entire conflict is being turned into the obvious villains. Even as Marvel tries to keep Cyclops’ intentions pure, the rest of the PhoeniX-Men are turning against him. There’s a scene at the end of the issue between Namor and Emma Frost that makes my blood boil, and if Marvel is really going that route, then shame on them. But the real problem with this issue is that the writing is just dull after last issue’s exciting chapter. The fight scene to start this issue is just a lot of flashy powers and shouting. Then we get several pages of conversation where the Avengers talk nonsense about the powers of the PhoeniX-Five and the Scarlet Witch, as if we the readers or they the writers have any idea how to quantify such cosmically-scaled powers.
And then several pages are wasted on the most idiotic of ruses where we learn that the PhoeniX-Men fear even the mere presence of the Scarlet Witch. But the ruse lasts only a handful of panels, so what was even the point of using it? For page padding? And the cliffhanger to end the issue couldn’t be more boring. Not in the sense that it’s actually ho-hum boring, but in that it promises nothing we haven’t seen before in this series. I’m actually a little surprised that the issue ended where it did considering it’s just another fight.
Continue after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #6
Following up on last issue’s epic cliffhanger, Avengers vs. X-Men #6 does not disappoint when it comes to scale. Gone is the petty back and forth between the Avengers and the X-Men, replaced by much bigger and better things. Unfortunately, this also looks to be the issue where the story starts to get regrettably predictable. I still have faith that this series will be able to surprise me down the line. But I think it’s obvious to everyone where the story is headed from here on out. Marvel has definitely taken sides over who is right and who is wrong in this battle.
Avengers vs. X-Men #6
Of course, I’m still going to side with the X-Men! Down with the murderous traitor Wolverine and the bull-headed warmonger Captain America!
Comic rating: 5/5: Great.
I have always loved the work of artist Olivier Coipel, and to see him take over the series is a delight. His characters are fantastic, the details are stellar, and the man can draw epic scale like none other. You really get a feel for just how huge this story has become. If only Marvel had been able to organize their entire comic universe to match this story, it would feel stronger. There’d be a lot of other problems to contend with, but at least this story would have the proper weight behind it. Instead, we’re just going to have to deal with Avengers vs. X-Men on its own, and that’s good enough.
But like I said, unless Marvel has some insane sort of awesomeness planned, there’s only one way this story is going to end. And that way sucks.
How do I think it’s going to end? Find out after the jump!
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #5
Talk about a game-changing cliffhanger! I’ve said it before about Avengers vs. X-Men, and I’ll say it again: I have no idea where this story is going, and that’s awesome! While most of these big Event Comics end with a giant fight (and somebody shouting “Avengers Assemble!”) we’ve already had half a dozen giant fights in this series. And while those fights haven’t been all that great, the story continues to move along at a fantastic and exciting pace. Which is why I’m going to give Avengers vs. X-Men #5 my highest rating for the series for far.
Avengers vs. X-Men #5
After that cliffhanger, Avengers vs. X-Men is definitely keeping us on our toes! I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Comic rating: 5/5: Great.
Now that’s not to say this is a perfect issue. That’s not how my rating system works. And granted, my rating system really only works in my head. The previous issues of Avengers vs. X-Men have only been “good” because they were solid stories that were told well with decent art, so worth a read, but not all that amazing. This issue continues that trend, but then delivers a fantastic, action-packed climax, and then that cliffhanger I can’t stop gushing over. I’ll spoil it in the synopsis after the jump. Just trust me that it definitely changes the series from here on out.
Though arguably not in a good way. I can’t help but feel that Marvel has definitely picked a side by the end of this issue, and it’s the side I’m against. I’ve definitely been on the side of Cyclops and the X-Men throughout the series, but Marvel may have tipped their hand.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Review: Mimic and the X-Men #4
What the hell is this supposed to be? Where’s my Mimic? If I’m going to buy a comic starring the Mimic, one of the greatest and coolest X-Men of all time, I expect him to be in more than 5 panels, and I expect him to get more than one line. But nooooOOOoooo! Apparently someone else has a better idea. Someone named Christos Gage seems to want to focus on Rogue for some reason. As if anybody cares about Rogue when they could be reading about the spectacular and handsome Mimic!
Mimic and the X-Men #4
Instead, Mimic seems to have something of a glass jaw when it comes to Avengers vs. X-Men.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
For those of you coming in late, the Mimic is one of my favorite comic book characters of all time. And recently in the pages of X-Men Legacy, writer Christos Gage has plucked Mimic out of the mothballs, dusted him off and put him in the regular cast of the comic. For the first time in 40 years, he’s a member of the X-Men again. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I’ve added X-Men: Legacy to my review list – only I prefer to refer to it as Mimic and the X-Men. Because I really only care about Mimic’s role in the comic.
And based on this issue, he doesn’t have much of a roll at all. It’s a tragedy.
Henchman-4-Hire 