I don’t often write about the latest comics that come out each week, because I think enough people are doing it, and they do it far better than I could. I’m making an exception, with Uncanny X-Men #17, written by Gail Simone, with art by Luciano Vecchio, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and letters by Clayton Cowles. While reading that issue, it dawned on me that this was my favorite X-Men title.
I didn’t even know I was enjoying any of the X-Men current line enough to warrant that distinction. I know that sounds like me slamming comics, which goes counter to being a big cheerleader for comic books. I feel that there are far too many fantastic comic books to discuss than to waste my time on negatives.
Many fans complain that too many comics keep reworking tired plots or keep characters trapped on a never-ending hamster wheel… where nothing changes. Not enjoying comics, especially X-Men, does not put me in the minority. I also think fans, like myself, would rather have a boring, plain vanilla series—that is, nothing at all.
When a talented yet manipulative Hollywood filmmaker creates an unexpectedly successful horror movie, Murder Me, Mutina!” centered on a murderous mutant protagonist, the film sparks nationwide demonstrations outside cinemas and escalates anti-mutant hostility in affected communities. Well, the Outliers, those teenage mutants introduced at the start of the series, sneak out of the house to see the movie. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like anything all that fantastic.
A couple of pages in, Jubilee asks if anyone has seen the kids. I kind of laughed, because I remember when Jubliee was that kid. However, as I read on, it struck me that this series is not a super-team book, but a family book. Admittedly, at first, I wasn’t exactly on board when yet another group of mutants was introduced. I felt there were already too many mutants sitting on the benches.
But, these kids, yeah… they’ve grown on me. Just as they’ve grown onto Aunty Rogue, Gambit, and Nightcrawler, they are all unique and fun. Yet, I feel my favorite is the lost Addams Family member, Deathdream. His powers are pretty spooky, and the kid has no idea what it means to be a teenage boy. Even Wolveine gets a chance to snarl, but it isn’t the usual, but something more profound when he warns someone not to mess with the kids again.
I never follow creators from one comic to the next. Creative teams are secondary for me, because I’m more interested in characters and stories. The various X-Members have always had that family bonding, but it’s different here. Like genuine relationships, the various members have grown to care for one another in an organic way over time. And, as they have grown attached, so have I to the different members. Even long-time characters like Rogue and Wolverine, you get to see new levels of characterization.
Nothing lasts in comics, as we all know. Creative teams change, and titles are constantly rebooted. Unfortunately, this book of X-Men, as a family, not as a team, will more than likely be numbered. That is the reality of the comic book industry today.
What is uncommon is that this is one book I will miss when it is gone and replaced with some new bake-and-shake variation. It’s not the best comic book I’m reading, and I can’t put my finger on anything that makes it more special than it should be. But, it is a magic-in-a-bottle journey that doesn’t happen as often as it could in comics.
About Author
