All New XMen #14 Review

Tags

All New X-Men, All New X-Men #14, Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Wyngarde, Jean Grey, Lady Mastermind, Marvel Comics, Mystique, Phoenix, Sabertooth, Silver Samurai, Stuart Immonen, The Original X-Men, Wolverine, X-Men

Al New X-Men #14

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

Having learned from the Uncanny Avengers that Mystique, Sabertooh, and Lady Mastermind have been using their identities to conduct a number of robberies, the Original X-Men set out to track them down with the help of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde. Meanwhile in a disused warehouse, Mystique and her Brotherhood are meeting with Madame Hydra and her terrorist organization. As the Silver Samurai stands guard by Madame Hydra’s side, Mystique offers all the money that her Brotherhood has stolen so that she can buy the island of Madrpoor from Hydra. But before Mystique can seal the deal, Wolverine, Kitty, and the original X-Men gatecrash the meeting. As the battle rages, Jean Grey is overwhelmed by Lady Mastermind’s illusions, and her powers begin spiralling out of control as the Phoenix Force is apparently unleashed…

Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen have crafted another fine issue of All New X-Men as the sudden appearance of the Phoenix Force throws everyone off balance. All New X-Men #14 has the Original X-Men coming face to face with something they can scarcely begin to understand, while Kitty and Wolverine must face the unimaginable dread of Jean becoming Phoenix at an age where she can hardly even control her original powers.

All New X-Men #14 sees the X-Men, the Brotherhood and Hydra reeling from Jean’s sudden manifestation of the Phoenix Force. By catching Jean off guard with the illusion of  Jason Wyngarde, the original Mastermind and Regan’s father, Lady Mastermind hoped to make Jean suffer for destroying her family, and when Jean appears to be transforming into Phoenix, it looks as if history is about to repeat itself. However, Brian Michael Bendis ingeniously blindsides those of us who thought the Phoenix effect was another one of Lady Mastermind’s illusions, when the X-Men realize that it is Jean who is projecting the Phoenix image to deceive their enemies.

Jean’s inexperience with her powers means that she has inadvertently projected the image into the minds of the Original X-Men, Wolverine, and Kitty Pryde as well. Fortunately for Jean she is able to regain control before Wolverine’s attempt to end the Phoenix menace gets her slashed by his claws, just as Lady Mastermind strikes back with an illusion of Professor Charles Xavier to give the Brotherhood and Hydra a chance to regain their senses.

The warehouse soon becomes a raging battle ground, with the Original X-Men proving to be more than a match for their opponents: as Cyclops, Iceman, and Beast deal with Sabertooth and the Silver Samurai, while Jean gives Lady Mastermind a taste of her own medicine, Kitty takes on Madame Hydra and Wolverine confronts Mystique. The art by Stuart Immonen on All New X-Men #14 is as fantastic as ever, together with Wade Von Grawbadger’s inks, and the welcome return of Marte Gracia’s fantastic colors, this issue looks absolutely stunning. All New X-Men #14 places the Original X-Men right in the thick of the action, it’s great to see them battling the likes of Sabertooth and the Silver Samurai, and Stuart Immonen really captures the youthful sense of exuberance that makes their teamwork and tactics so effective.

There are some really fun moments after Lady Mastermind attempts to cover her escape with an illusion of the Uncanny Avengers, especially once the real Uncanny Avengers turn up at the scene after Kitty has captured Regan, and Iceman throws a snowball at Thor because he thinks that the Uncanny Avengers are still an illusion. The young Iceman continues to say and do all the wrong things at the most inappropriate moments, it’s hilariously funny, and the way the God of Thunder responds to Bobby’s mistake is brilliant.

Brian Michael Bendis also manages to include a nice little interlude between Alex and Scott, with a Summers brother high five, it’s a great scene, and follows on nicely from their first encounter during the last issue. Mystique is imprisoned in The Cage Extra-Max Prison at the end of the issue, but as Maria Hill quickly discovers, it’s not easy to keep Raven Darkholme under lock and key.  By the end of this issue Bendis’ takes the opportunity to hint at just how profound an effect Jean’s foreknowledge has had on her, as she sits alone on the basketball court pondering over the memories behind of the Phoenix image she projected psychically during the battle.

The cover of All New X-Men #14 by Immonen, Grawbadger, and Gracia depicts the young Jean Grey being led towards us by Jason Wyngarde. This stunning cover is as sinister as it is opulent, with Jean entranced by Mastermind against a lavish backdrop, providing a chilling reminder of how Wyngarde’s influence originally transformed her into the Hellfire Clubs Black Queen – an event that ultimately led to Jean being corrupted by her own power during the Dark Phoenix saga.

All New X-Men #14 is another superb issue by Bendis and Immonen, the Original X-Men get to fight side by side with Wolverine and Kitty, and the foreboding coda as Jean reflects on her actions hints that things might not have been resolved as easily as we thought.

All New XMen #13 Review

Tags

All New X-Men, All New X-Men #13, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Havok, Iceman, Jean Grey, Kitty, Marvel Comics, Mystique, Stuart Immonen, The Original X-Men, Uncanny Avengers, Wolverine, X-Men

All New X-Men #13

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

Jean Grey continues to struggle with her newly awakened telepathic powers and the knowledge she has gained of the future, while her team mates wonder if Angel’s defection to the adult Cyclops’ rival team will be permanent. To complicate matters further Mystique, Sabertooth, and Lady Mastermind have been using the X-Men’s identities to conduct a series of high-profile robberies. The young X-Men later encountered the Uncanny Avengers and Scott met his brother Alex. Together with Wolverine and Kitty, the teenage X-Men set out to find Mystique and clear their name, but first they need to find out exactly what she intends to do with all the money.

All New X-Men #13 opens in spectacular fashion, with a jaw-dropping sneak peak at the issues closing moments, before turning the clock back six hours to show the events leading up to this momentous event. The original X-Men accompany Wolverine and Kitty to Resilient International in Seattle, where Jean uses her psychic powers to hide their presence so they can investigate the scene of the robbery. Wolverine picks ups Sabertooth’s scent just as Jean’s concentration falters, they are discovered, but Iceman shields them with an ice barrier so they can escape.

However, it is after they resume their search for Mystique where the young X-Men hear the speech Havok made earlier in the day, along with Kitty’s response to it, and the story she recounts about her first experience of racism that proves to be the real highlight of the issue. Brian Michael Bendis skilfully addresses this issue as the original X-Men discuss Warren’s departure, allowing Jean and Scott to share a quite moment together, before they ask Kitty‘s opinion about Havok’s speech. It a superb piece of writing by Bendis, where Kitty tells a story from her teenage years – about an anti-semitic comment a boy made without knowing she was Jewish – that draws a stark contrast with her own heartbreaking experience and Alex’s statement that the “M” word represents everything he hates. Kitty is proud to be Jewish and proud to be a Mutant, and although Alex Summers speech is a well intentioned attempt to smooth over the damage to human / mutant relations in the wake of what his brother did in AvX, its certainly clear that Kitty doesn’t feel that she, or anyone, should ever have to shy away from telling people who they are in the way that Havok‘s speech implies.

Its moments like this that makes All New X-Men such a rewarding experience. Brian Michael Bendis has such a grasp on these characters, Kitty’s passionate speech not only highlights the differences between what the X-Men and the Uncanny Avengers are trying to achieve, but it also shows the inner strength that Kitty possesses – and makes you realise just how Havok’s speech could actually end up being incredibly counter productive. A page of this speech, which originally took place in Uncanny Avengers #5, is reprinted at the end of this issue – serving to create a synergy between the two books while placing their opposing views into context against the backdrop of these events.

The art by Stuart Immonen really brings this scene to life, he captures the reactions of the Original X-Men to Kitty’s response to Havok’s speech perfectly, and this is probably some of the finest work he has done of the series to date. While the colours might not be quite on par with Marte Gracia’s work, Rain Beredo has still done a great job with this issue, and he manages to maintain the consistency and tone of the previous instalments.

There are some really funny moments involving Iceman this issue, especially after he discovers that Tony Stark is actually Iron Man, and later when he asks Logan if his mutant name is Hound Dog as he attempts to detect Sabertooth’s scent at Resilient International.

We also get learn to what Mystique has planned for the all money her new Brotherhood have stolen, when  Madame Hydra and the Silver Samurai arrive for a meeting with Raven, Sabertooth, and Lady Mastermind. It seems that Madame Hydra has control of something that Mystique wants, namely the island called Madrpoor, and Raven offers her the money the Brotherhood have stolen so she can buy this centrepiece of vice and criminality.

All New X-Men #13 races to a dramatic conclusion as the Original X-Men disobey orders to join Wolverine and Kitty in gate crashing Mystique’s meeting with Hydra, offering Lady Mastermind the perfect opportunity to take revenge on Jean Grey for destroying her family and driving her father mad by seemingly reaching into Jean’s mind and triggering her apparent manifestation of the Phoenix Force. Whether this shocking turn of events is actually real, possibly caused by some bizarre time travelling paradox, or just another one of Lady Mastermind’s illusions remains to be seen, but it certainly provides an exciting cliff-hanger.

This is another fantastic issue by Brian Michael Bendis, his writing has made All New X-Men one of the best comics around, and the art by Stuart Immonen is absolutely incredible. I always look forward to reading All New X-Men, and this issue is one of the best ever.

All New XMen #10 Review

Tags

All New X-Men, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Scott Summers, Stuart Immonen, The Beast, The Original X-Men, The Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, X-Men

All New X-Men #10

Review by Paul Bowler

 

Now that the shape shifting mutant know as Mystique has got Lady Mastermind to join forces with her and Sabertooth, they attack an armoured truck which is about to be used to transfer 18 million dollars in North Carolina. Mystique uses her abilities to take the place of the driver, while Lady Mastermind creates the illusion that Wolverine and the Original X-Men are attacking the truck, leaving Sabertooth free to cut a swathe through the security. Satisfied that their first haul has gone so well, Mystique and her team make plans for more robberies.

Meanwhile the Uncanny X-Men have teleported onto the front lawn of The Jean Grey School of Higher Learning. The modern-day Cyclops tells the X-Men that he has come in peace, revealing how he is building a new school in Xavier’s name, before offering to accept any Mutants who wish to be recruited and trained as part of his mutant revolution.  An uneasy standoff ensues, old friends now stand divided, and the original X-Men are caught in the middle.

After the Uncanny X-Men have teleported away to give the student’s time to consider Scott Summers proposition, Wolverine, Kitty, Storm, Iceman and the Original X-Men gather in the school to discuss their options. They receive a call from Maria Hill telling them about Mystique’s attack on The Raft, warning them that Regan Wyngarde is now free, and working with Mystique and Sabertooth to carry out a bank robbing spree.

Outside the young Scott Summers is waiting on the lawn when Cyclops and the Uncanny X-Men return. He confronts them as the others rush to join him outside the school, but Cyclops is not prepared to listen to his younger self. No one is really surprised when Celeste, “Mindee“, and Phoebe Cuckoo decide to join the Uncanny X-Men, but everyone is shocked by the next person who steps forwards and volunteers to join Cyclops and his mutant revolution…

All New X-Men #10 is another spectacular character driven piece by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. With this issue Bendis really gets to the core issues that surround Scott Summers mutant revolution, delving deep into the morality of his actions, while allowing him to finally make his case to his fellow Mutants in person.

Its interesting how the Beast is held to task for his actions by Cyclops, forcing him to justify his reasons for potentially damaging the space time continuum by allowing the Original X-Men to remain in the present. The young Scott Summers also confronts Beast, saying that he believes he misled them about his reasons for brining them to the future.

Stuart Immonen’s art on All New X-Men #10 is just phenomenal, every page is bursting with detail, and he perfectly captures every nuance of Bendis’ highly emotive story as tensions threaten to boil over between the two teams. All New X-Men continues to remain one of the best X-Titles around, with great storytelling and art, it doesn’t get much better than this.