Astonishing X-Men #1

by Ryan.L on July 19, 2017

Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel Comics


Some of the X-books have been awesome and some of them have not been Blue or Gold. It's great to finally see the X-Men have a focus again in the Marvel Universe. Even with the several x-book many have wondered why a lot of the top favorites are nowhere to be found. Well worry not we now have another series Astonishing X-Men. This book has many of the beloved members that have been missing from other books.

This book there is an unknown psychic attack on many of the worlds psychic mutants, Psylocke being one of them. She makes a distress call out to her fellow X-Men and unique mix of them come to Psylockes aid. Things are proving to be a lot more dire than they thought as they prepare to head into the astral plane.

Ok so this book was a lot of fun for the most part. The story really pulls you in and takes you right into the action. The intensity really comes through in the writing and you really get a sense that this is no joking matter. Things are not good and the X-Men must stop it before whatever it is destroys the world. I also enjoyed the art a lot. It was bright and exciting and really captured the intensity of the action. The book will have revolving artists but we are off with a bang in this first issue.

The team that has been selected for this book on the other hand has me a little unsure about it. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Fantomex and Gambit. They really play off of each other really nicely and it also adds a comedic touch to the book. Old Man Logan and Rogue was great to see working together. These two have always had a bond and it's great to see that even though this isn't our usual Logan, the bond that ties these two characters together is still strong even when one is from another dimension. Bishop, why Bishop!? If any character needs  a redemption story it is him, but I don't know if I'm ready for that just yet. he's nothing but a dirty dirty trader and really, I do see how his power set works well with this team, but for a character I used to love in the 90s, Marvel had made him such a villain the past decade and a bit I would rather have someone else in the book. This is also something that I felt when another X-Man makes an appearance who was a complete surprise. It may work in the long run but the pessimistic side of me is really having trouble here.

Also Mystique was no where to be found. The book is advertised with her as a member and she is even on the cover of this issue but was nowhere to be found in the book. Maybe she will come later on, but I have a feeling maybe last minute the removed her for the surprise member. What got me excited for this book was some of the members and the relationships they have had that would inevitably cause some tension. Psylocke and Angel used to date, Psylocke and Fantomex used to date. Rogue and Gambit used to date, Mystique and Rogue are mother and daughter and even Logan is a sort of father figure or mentor to Rogue. many of these relationships would cause some kind of conflict in the most inopportune time. But with now Mystique being missing, I wonder if this was on purpose or I'm just being impatient. This is a larger team than what an X-team usually consists of, and adding in another member makes it even more unusually large.

I guess we will just have to wait and see. This book is already off to a great start. It has action, comedy and something that has always been a big mainstay in the x-books, soap opera drama. There are even a few surprises in this first issue that really get you excited for the next issue. The X-Men are definitely back and Astonishing X-Men proves that.

 

Our Score:

8/10

A Look Inside