All New XMen #8 Review

Tags

All New X-Men, Angel, Avengers, Avengers Tower, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, David Marquez, Hydra, Iceman, Jean Grey, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Original X-Men, Scott Summers, The Beast, Warren Worthington III, Wolverine, X-Men

All New X-Men #8

Review by Paul Bowler

 

The adventures of the original X-Men continue to be as enthralling as ever in All New X-Men #8 when the young Warren Worthington III finally encounters his future self. He takes to the sky with this metal winged Angel of the future, trying to keep up with his present day counterpart, but their flight is cut short when they notice Avengers Tower being attack by Hydra. The winged Mutants swoop from the sky to defend Avengers Tower, keeping Hydra’s forces at bay with their combined speed and agility, before the Avengers arrive to lend a hand.

When the Avengers find themselves confronted with the bizarre sight of two Angels, they return with the Mutants to the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning where the Beast does his best to explain to Captain America why the original X-Men are currently residing in the present – even though their presence could be potentially jeopardising to the space time continuum. Before the Beast can finish explaining, the Avengers are left dumfounded when the young Scott Summers intervenes and assures Captain America that he intends to make up for everything his future self has done.

Satisfied that the Beast has the situation under control, Captain America and the Avengers take their leave, but moments later an alarm sound from Hank’s lab. They rush to the lab where the young Angel is trying to activate the Time Cube so he can return to his own time. Warren’s team mates try to get him to calm down, but he refuses and says he wants to leave and go home, unaware that Jean Grey is about to intervene and change his mind for him…

All New X-Men #8 is another amazing issue in Brian Michael Bendis’ time warping saga of the Original X-Men’s exploits in the present day. It’s been a long time coming, but this issue Bendis finally throws the spotlight on Angel, who has had the most difficult time coping with his visit to the future. The way he interacts with his future counterpart is skilfully handled by Bendis, who shows that Angel is just as agile as his future self, and more than capable of handling himself in the fight with Hydra.

The scenes where the two Angels are flying together are beautifully realized by David Marquez, his art captures the glorious freedom that comes with the power of flight, and leaves us giddy with excitement as they swoop in to attack Hydra’s forces. Here the differences between the two Angels becomes even more apparent, with the youthful Warren proving to equally as adept in combat as his metal winged self. Their fighting styles stand in marked contrast to each other, yet together they make a formidable team, and it’s great to see the bemused look on the Avengers faces when they realize they are looking at two Angels from different time zones.

The young Scott Summers also makes a scene stealing entrance when he interrupts Captain America and the Beast, quickly defusing the tension in his own inimitable way, utilizing his natural leaderships skills in a way that gives both teams cause to sit up and take notice – even Wolverine seems impressed.

One of my favourite moments is where Beast is trying to explain what’s happened to Captain America, while just out of earshot, Iceman and Kitty Pryde hilariously mimic the seriousness of their conversation. Iceman’s take on what Captain America might be saying is absolutely hilarious, and as for Kitty’s “blah blah, blah” rendition of Hank McCoy’s incomprehensible techno babble, well, that is simply priceless. It’s writing like this by Brian Michael Bendis that makes All New X-Men so endearing and special.

However, it’s not all played for laughs. The scene were Warren decides to return to his own time is one of the pivotal moments in All New X-Men #8. His angry outburst leaves his team mates reeling when he states that his future would be safer if he had nothing to do with them anymore. It’s a great character moment for Angel. Right from the outset, The Original X-Men have failed to acknowledge any of Warren’s concerns about their trip to the future, it was clear he was having a hard time coping, so it was inevitable something like this was going to happen sooner or later.

What is really astounding about this issue is the way Jean Grey uses telepathy to alter Warren’s thoughts to make him stay. This blatant abuse of Jean’s newfound powers is quite shocking, and it offers a wealth of possibilities for Brian Michael Bendis to explore in the issue ahead. With its engaging plot and superb characterization, All New X-Men #8 is another thrilling issue by Bendis and Marquez, and remains one of the best X-Titles around at the moment.

All New XMen #1 Review

Tags

All New X-Men, Bobby Drake, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Hank McCoy, Iceman, Jean Grey, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Next-Generation Mutation, Original X-Men, Scott Summers, Storm, Stuart Immonen, The Beast, Warren Worthington III, X-Men

All New X-Men #1

Review by Paul Bowler

 Now that new Mutants are beginning to appear worldwide after the dissipation of the Phoenix Energy during the climax of AvX, the X-Men try and settle back into their lives at The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. Cyclops and the core members his extinction team are now fugitives championing the rights of new Mutants, using whatever means necessary to help them. Back at the school Storm, Kitty, and Iceman can hardly believe their eyes when they watch a TV report featuring Cyclops and his team as they violently protect a new time warping mutant in Australia.

Iceman is all for confronting Cyclops and “shutting him down”, but Storm is vehemently against such a course of action, believing that it could very well lead to the X-Men being bitterly divided by a Mutant Civil War. The Beast stands listening, quietly watching another incident with Cyclops and his team as it plays out on a tablet device – this time rescuing a young Mutant with healing powers from Police custody in Michigan – and wearily Hank agrees with Iceman’s strategy. When his friends notice how exhausted Hank is he makes an excuse about being tired and walks away, but they are unaware that Hank is secretly suffering from the agonizing physical trauma of a Next-Generation Mutation – one that could very well prove fatal.

So the Beast decides that what time he has left to try and get Cyclops to see reason should be used to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, and to do that he takes the drastic measure of travelling back in time to talk to the Original X-Men: Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Bobby Drake, Warren Worthington III, and his own past self before his current mutation, Hank McCoy. The Beast appeals to Scott and his flabbergasted team mates, quickly explaining what has happened before asking them to travel back to the future so Scott can try and prevent his future self from committing Mutant Genocide!

Of all the new Marvel Now titles All New X-Men #1 has been perhaps one of the most highly anticipated, and with Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen at the helm for this premier issue X-Men fans are in for a real treat. With the world still reeling from the events of AvX, Bendis skilfully crafts a tale that provides a perfect fusion between two eras. Now that Cyclops and his Extinction team are helping to save new Mutants from persecution, we are presented with a world that now fears and mistrusts the Children of the Atom more than ever before. It will also be interesting to see how the other members of the original X-Men will cope when they encounter their future counterparts, as well as the strange new world they find themselves in.

Stuart Immonen’s dramatic artwork successfully highlights every aspect of Bendis’ intricate storyline, as well as showcasing the entire cast of All New X-Men #1and balancing the quieter – more character driven moments – with the big action set-pieces. This issue also has the superb Wade Von Grawbadger on inks, vibrant colours by Marte Gracia; with letterer and production wizard Cory Petit ensuring that every nuance of Bendis’ story is flawlessly realized.

Right from the outset we are plunged into Hank McCoy’s plight to conceal his Next-Generation Mutation from his friends. His pain and suffering is hard to watch, as is his decision to hide the condition from his friends, but even he can see that history might well be repeating itself as he watches Cyclops using any means necessary to protect the two new Mutants introduced this issue. Storm is right to wish to avoid another conflict, although they are surprised when Beast agrees with Iceman that they should take a more proactive stance against Scott this time – however none of them could realize that Hank might try to resolve the situation himself by attempting to recruit the Original X-Men from the past.

All New X-Men #1 poses many tantalizing opportunities for Brian Michael Bendis to explore in the coming issues. Aside from possibly breaking every law in space, time, and probably physics to bring the Original team of X-Men back to the present, we are sure to have some great encounters between each incarnation of Scott Summers – especially if the older Scott Summers gets to meet the younger version of his lost love Jean Grey. The possibilities are endless, although I hope the Beast isn’t left to suffer for too long and that his younger self will help him find a cure to stabilize his mutation.

The X-Men have been splintered for far too long, All New X-Men #1is the first confident step in restoring these teams to their former glory, fusing the X-Men’s past with their present in this brilliant addition to the ongoing Marvel Now range. I had my doubts about the return of the original X-Men, but I’m happy to say that Bendis and Immonen have done a fantastic job with it. All New X-Men #1 is one of the most innovative new titles from Marvel Now, it’s great to see the original X-Men again, and I look forward to seeing how this storyline develops over the months ahead.