X-Men Battle of the Atom #2 Review

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Battle of the Atom, Battle of the Atom #2, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Wood, Cyclops, Esad Ribic, Future X-Men, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Jason Aaron, Kitty Pryde, Marvel Comics, Original X-Men, Stuart Immonen, Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, X-Men

Battle of the Atom #2

Review by Paul Bowler

The Brotherhood from the future arrived in the present-day and convinced everyone they were the X-Men of the future. They conspired to get the modern-day X-Men to force the original X-Men to return to the past. Although the young X-Men disagreed, Wolverine and most of the X-Men at the Jean Grey School agreed. However, the scheme was foiled when the real future X-Men appeared, and the Brotherhood’s attempt to use the Time Cube to send the original X-Men home hit a snag, when they found it was impossible to send them back. Now the X-Men of the past, present, and future stand united against the Brotherhood, but when a fleet of S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarriers suddenly arrive Xorn and Xavier take control of their weapon systems and launches their missiles at the X-Men…

Faced with an onslaught of missiles launched by the S.H.I.E.L.D helleicarriers, all of the X-Men teams’ work together to fend off the attack, using every ounce of their combined powers to fight back as the Brotherhood version of the Beast urges them to all to join forces with them. But when he is suddenly cut down by blaster fire from some new arrivals – a group of Sentinels that have secretly been constructed by S.H.I.E.L.D – all hell breaks loose and the present day X-Men and future X-Men find themselves fighting a battle on two fronts. The battle is furious, casualties are high, and as the Brotherhood face defeat Jean “Xorn” Grey confronts Cyclops and Wolverine, blaming the Schism they caused that divided the X-Men for subverting the natural order of time, before fighting the original X-Men until her powers finally overload and she explodes!

By the time Mira Hill arrives at the battlefield the Brotherhood has escaped and the X-Men have teleported back to the Jean Grey School. As they mourn their dead the X-Men must also form a response to S.H.I.E.L.D deploying Sentinels against them. Despite everything that has happened, Wolverine and Cyclops are still unable to settle their differences, and their teams remain divided as the future X-Men prepare to return to their own time – though not everyone is going back to the future as Kymera opts to stay and hunt down the Brotherhood.

Heartfelt goodbyes are said before the future X-Men uses the Time Cube to leave, with the future Iceman imparting some words of wisdom to his present day self as they depart. Afterwards the X-Men gather outside the School where Kitty Pryde announces that she is leaving. Kitty explains she can no longer trust them after the way they acted during Battle of the Atom, saying they let her and the original X-Men down when they needed them most. The original X-Men have also decided to leave with Kitty, not wishing to stay where they are not really wanted. Wolverine and  the X-Men are shocked when Cyclops and Magik teleport in to collect Professor Kitty and her students as they set off to join the Uncanny X-Men at the new Xavier School…

Battle of the Atom #2 brings this 50^th anniversary crossover event for the X-Men to a close, with Jason Aaron tasked with wrapping everything up, with Brian Michael Bendis writing one of the issues four epilogues. After last issues terrific cliff-hanger Battle of the Atom #2 picks up the pace with a huge battle as the various teams of X-Men square off against the Brotherhood. The arrival of S.H.I.E.L.D’s secret supply of Sentinels is not an altogether unexpected twist; however, this is sure to have a significant impact on human-mutant relations in the future.

The climatic battle includes some brilliant action sequences, there are casualties, and I especially liked the part where the original X-Men took on Xorn. There was also a great showdown between Xorn and Phoenix Quentin Quire, where Jean taunts him about how the Phoenix force still whispers her name. While the battle does reach an explosive end, it all seems a little abrupt; giving way to a series of epilogues that shifts the emphasis towards setting up a plethora of future storylines – especially with the Brotherhood still at large.

This somewhat uneven approach to Battle of the Atom #2 is also reflected in the artwork as well, as the main storyline has art by Esad Ribic and Giuseppe Camuncoli, with Andrew Currie and Tom Palmer on finishes. The four epilogues bring more by Camuncoli and Currie, along with Kris Anka, Chris Bachalo, and Stuart Immonen. Sadly the end result is not all that good; it all feels a little cobbled together, and not a patch on previous instalments.

While Kitty’s decision to leave, followed by the original X-Men, in the final Epilogue by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen was a big surprise, I was a little uncomfortable about how smug Cyclops seemed when he arrived with Magik to collect them – it seemed a little out of character. Epilogue two by Brian Wood, on the other hand, contains one of my favourite scenes of this entire crossover, as the adult Shogo prepares to say goodbye to Jubilee. It’s a brilliant moment for the characters, and I thought it was the real highlight of the issue.

On the whole I have thoroughly enjoyed Battle of the Atom. I like how the story developed through each of the X-Titles involved in the crossover, there were some issues with constant recaps, but for the most part the story held together quiet well. Its just a shame that more time and care wasn’t put into making Battle of the Atom #2 more of an epic finale, rather than the last minute dash to the finish line that it turned out to be.

X-Men #5 Review

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Battle of the Atom, Brian Wood, Cyclops, David Lopez, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Marvel Comics, Rachel, Scott Summers, X-Men, X-Men #5

X-Men #5

Review by Paul Bowler

The Beast may have brought the original X-Men back with him to the present day to help reunite Mutantkind, but after the young Cyclops was nearly killed in a battle with the Sentinels, the modern day version of the X-Men decided to send the young mutants back to their own time. Now that she is aware of her tragic fate, the young Jean Grey is reluctant to go back. But when a team of X-Men from the future suddenly appear at the Jean Grey School, brining a dire warning of how the future will be destroyed if the original X-Men stay, young Jean causes a fight to distract everyone and goes on the run with Scott. As the X-Men prepare to give chase, the female Xorn removes her mask and is revealed as the adult Jean Grey from the future…

X-Men #5 is the first issue of Battle of the Atom that is not written by Brian Michael Bendis, it gives us some idea of how this crossover event is going to unfold over the various X-Titles, and Brian Wood does an excellent job of maintaining the pace and tone of the story. X-Men #5 picks up after the young Jean and Scott escaped in the Blackbird in All New X-Men #16, as both present and future generations of X-Men decide what to do next. We also learn that the adult Jean Grey can only manage without the Xorn helmet for a few minuets as her powers have grown so much.

Brian Wood’s manages to include some fun scenes, including one where the past, present, and future versions of the Beast remind themselves about the test jet they built: as they collectively reminisce about designing it, after building it in the present, and then remembering it fondly – before their super sleek aircraft (The Dove) rises up through the floor into the hanger bay.

After Professor Xavier’s grandson takes a Cerebro Spike, a special pill to help them track Jean’s psychic trail, Storm decides that Kitty, Rachel, and Jubilee will stay behind at the school with the young Bobby and Hank, while she leaves with the others in the Dove to search for Jean and Scott. This leads to a great moment between Kitty and Rachel, as they talk about the Jean Grey from the future and their concerns about making the original X-Men to return to their own time against their wishes. Kitty in particular has grown very close to them and Rachel believes that the young X-Men should be allowed to decide for themselves if they go back.

Having found the abandoned Blackbird the X-Men continue to scan for the mutant runaways. They soon locate them, tearing along the Pacific Coast Highway on a motorbike after Jean lowers her psychic shields and reaches out telepathically to someone for help. The X-Men catch up with them on the highway, Scott tries to evade them, but Deadpool takes out the bikes tyres. Fortunately Kitty and Rachel arrive in a small craft and get the X-Men teams to back off, with Kitty confronting Storm and Rachel berating the future Jean Grey. While the X-Men argue Jean and Scott slip away in Kitty and Rachel’s craft and travel to Utopia for a meeting with another team of mutants…

The scenes where Jean and Scott are on the run are the real highlight of X-Men #5, especially when they steal some clothes from a washing line and get changed. It’s a wonderfully goofy and awkward moment for them, as it goes hilariously wrong. However, their conversation as they escape along the highway on the motorbike brings their relationship sharply into focus, when Scott admits he would do anything for her, but unfortunately Jean has no time to respond before the X-Men arrive in force to bring them in.

Overall this is a good issue, X-Men #5 provides Brian Wood’s with the some good character moments for his regular cast, particularly between Kitty and Rachel at the school, and a funny scene were  Jubilee leaves Bobby and Hank to look after baby Shogo. This issues tie-in does interrupt Wood’s main X-Men storyline in favour of the Battle of the Atom crossover, with the focus firmly placed on Jean and Scott’s developing relationship. The art by David Lopez, together with Cam Smith’s inks and Lara Martin’s colors, is also good, and I really like the cover by Arthur Adams.

While it may not be indicative of Wood’s series as whole, X-Men #5 is still a good issue, and effectively slots into this big X-Men crossover event. Battle of the Atom is shaping up to be a really action packed story, with some great interaction between the characters, with tensions fraying between the teams as Scott and Jean make their way to Utopia.

All New XMen #9 Review

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All New X-Men, Angel, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Iceman, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Mystique, Original X-Men, Sabertooth, Sentinels, Stuart Immonen, The Beast, X-Men

All New X-Men #9

Review by Paul Bowler

 

After encountering his future self, Warren helped his metal winged counterpart defend Avengers Tower from an attack by Hydra, but after witnessing both Angel’s in action the Avengers decide to return with them to the school where the Beast explains the situation to Captain America. When the Avengers leave Angel breaks into Hank’s lab, determined to return to his own time. The young Jean Grey intervenes, shocking everyone when she uses her newfound telepathic powers to forcibly alter Warren’s mind and make him stay.

The original X-Men face one of their toughest challenges yet in All New X-Men #9 when Kitty decides its time for their first training session in the Danger Room. With the exercise set against the backdrop of Times Square, the young X-Men struggle to cope as they find themselves attacked by the Sentinels. After her students fail to work together as a team, Kitty ends the training programme, and encourages them to discuss how they went wrong.

As they head for their next class, Jean telepathically pries into Scott’s mind, and asks him who Mystique is. Kitty is horrified that Scott didn’t tell them about Mystique, but he refuses to discuss it, and storms out of the room.

Meanwhile a Maria Hill arrives at The Raft by helicopter with a new prisoner for the Ryker’s Maximum Security Installation, the Mutant known as Sabertooth! Once inside the facility Sabertooth breaks free of his shackles and tears the guars apart, leaving Mystique free to sheds the disguise of Maria Hill and release Lady Mastermind from her cell. Mystique has a proposal for Regan, one that involves using their extraordinary powers to get rich!

Back at The Jean Grey School of Higher Learning the young Angel questions the Beast about why there is no sign of the mutant genocide he told them about. Hank explains how hopes the presence of the original X-Men will make this eras Scott Summers see reason, that he brought them here to avert a disaster, not to witness a mutant genocide. However, the school day is suddenly brought to an abrupt end, when some surprise visitors materialise outside…

All New X-Men #9 is another outstanding character driven piece by Brian Michael Bendis. I really like the dynamic that Bendis has built up between Kitty and the original X-Men. She has forged a great relationship with her students, helping them learn from their mistakes, and it’s good to see Kitty addressing the way Jean has been abusing her telepathic powers. When it emerges that Cyclops has been approached by Mystique it leaves everyone stunned, especially as he refuses to talk about it, leaving us wondering exactly what he intends to do next. One of the best aspects of All New X-Men is the way Bendis has taken the time to allow the story to evolve at a natural pace, although it might by a bit too wordy and slow for some, I feel its one of this books strongest points.

We also discover more about Mystique’s plans, and that her agenda involves more than simply manipulating the young Scott Summers doubts about his mission. The way Mystique organizes Lady Mastermind’s escape from The Raft with Sabertooth is brutal in its simplicity, as Sabertooth quickly disposes of the guards, leaving Mystique free to make a deal with Regan that will enable them all to become extremely rich.

It’s also nice to see Angel finally getting to play a more active role, after being effectively sidelined for the most part, his conversation with the Beast in his lab offers us a greater insight into the reasoning behind Hank‘s actions. The way that Beast makes Warren realise how events could unfold if he hadn’t acted is truly inspired. Faced with only two possible outcomes, Hank sought out a third, and in doing so he believes that the shock of seeing original X-Men will bring Scott Summers to his senses and end his call for a mutant revolution.

All New X-Men #9 features the return of Stuart Immonen to the series with some incredible action set-pieces as the original X-Men take on the Sentinels in Times Square. This spectacular sequence is the highlight of the issue, the Sentinels look amazing, and it’s great to see the original X-Men going up against them. Immonen is also equally adept at the quieter moments that punctuate the action, perfectly capturing every emotional beat and facial expression, particularly when Kitty and Jean clash over the way she keeps sneaking a look at everyone’s thoughts.

Together with Bendis’ time warping storyline and Immonen’s stunning art, All New X-Men continues to build on its original premise, and with yet another fantastic cliff-hanger it remains one of my favourite titles from Marvel Now.