Comic Info
Comic Name: Uncanny X-Men (Volume 2)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Carlos Pacheco/Jorge Molina/Rodney Buscemi/Paco Diaz/Brandon Peterson
# of Issues: 4
Release Date: 2012
Uncanny X-Men (2) #1 Variant
Reprints Uncanny X-Men (2) #1-4 (January 2012-March 2012). From Utopia, Cyclops has made a decision…the X-Men have the show the world their powers and abilities. With the Extinction Team made up of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Magneto, Storm, Danger, Colossus, Magik, and Hope Summers, the X-Men find themselves in battle with Sinister for control of the Dream Celestial and the fate of the world in the balance.
Written by Kieron Gillen, Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen—Volume 1 is a Marvel Comics team book. The series features art by Carlos Pacheco, Jorge Molina, Rodney Buscemi, Paco Diaz, and Brandon Peterson. Issues in this collection were also part of Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen: The Complete Collection—Volume 1.
X-Men really lost me when they got to Utopia and whole Schism thing. I had cared deeply about the X-Men and even the bad characters, but the storylines took a lot of the fun out of the series. I thought I’d give the “new” Uncanny X-Men a chance, but it doesn’t feel like it has the spirit of the older series.
Uncanny X-Men (2) #3 Variant
The X-Men always managed to take on heavy issues while keeping the series fun. There were stories involving slavery, oppression, and predestination, but the characters felt like a family and had real dimension. Here, the dimension feels shattered. I didn’t feel character development, and I didn’t feel much of a tie between the characters. While setting up a strike force (or Extinction Team) is a valid way to deal with threats, it doesn’t mean it is fun to read.
While I didn’t like the Sinister issues, I kind of liked the Phalanx stand alone issue in Uncanny X-Men (2) #4. It had a character, and it had an arch (plus, I was always a fan of Warlock and Doug Ramsey). While it might have been more interesting to see the character develop more before meeting its fate, I felt that there was emotion and dimension. Cyclops’ group just feels like it is an assembled project with no soul.
Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen—Volume 1 is a rather weak start. The collection only features four issues and it doesn’t feel like it even has enough substance for that. It feels like the Sinister story could have been reduced to two issues and the Phalanx story could have been expanded one issue…leaving not much substance in either way. I have read better X-Men stories, and I know the X-Men can do better. Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen—Volume 1 is followed by Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen—Volume 2.
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