All-New X-Men #17 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

I have been very excited about Battle of the Atom throughout the crossover so far, as although it has not had a great deal of progression over the first half, it showed plenty of promise at the end of the last instalment, renewing my excitement and having my hopes raised for the second half of this crossover.

Plot

Magik has taken the younger Beast and Iceman to the future to confront the real future X-Men. Also it is revealed the events that have caused the other future X-Men to come to the present.

Review

This was a brilliant issue and the series has finally returned to the high quality that it started with. Brian Michael Bendis managed to bring some life back to this crossover, as although it has been good throughout, it has been a little slow since part three, whereas now Bendis has turned it back into the exciting and entertaining crossover that it promised to be in the first two parts. The issue was also very dramatic, having some very mysterious moments that kept the story interesting. The dialogue throughout the issue was also very perfectly, being very dynamic and entertaining, having a brilliant tone throughout, and if it's this exciting for the rest of the crossover it could become something phenomenal.

The artwork on this issue was also fantastic, and Stuart Immonen did a fantastic job. The detail of his art was simply amazing, as although some minor imperfections, it was relatively consistent throughout. The layout of Immonen's artwork was also handled perfectly, being very dynamic and at times impactful, adding a lot of depth and drama to the issue. The character's facial expressions and emotions were also handled brilliantly, adding even more depth, as well as making the story more dramatic as well, also adding suspense at times. There would also be some rather extravagant sequences throughout this issue which Immonen handled fantastically, as they were extremely exciting and explosive.

This issue starts by showing the future, with Dazzler running to become the first mutant president. Now I won't go into much detail about this sequence as to avoid spoilers, but I will say that it was extremely dramatic, and eventually got really exciting. I also really enjoyed seeing this possible future, and how it would make the mysterious parts of this story a little more clearer. I do however question whether this is actually Dazzler, or if Mystique would keep impersonating her for a long period of time? I do hope that this is answered sometime as it would be slightly annoying otherwise.

Magik and the younger Beast and Iceman would confront the "real" future X-Men in this issue as well, and the things they said about the group that has returned to the present makes things very exciting. I'll start off by saying that it was interesting to see how the other X-Men had changed over the years, having much different looks. I especially liked the new look for Jubilee, with her still appearing to be a vampire, looking more like one than she does the now. Besides that I found it funny to see Colossus with a moustache, and the interaction he and Magik would have was extremely interesting.

What does this mean for the future of the crossover? Without going into any details about the major developments in this issue, it has really opened the storyline up, leaving a lot of different possibilities. It also has left a ton of new mysteries, with a lot of questions, like who's in the right, and what should actually happen. Put it this way I expect that the story will get even more exciting from now on, and I for one look forward to seeing it. I also look forward to seeing more from these real future X-Men in the future of the story, and how the other future X-Men react to the interaction they had with Magik.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue that has gotten the crossover back to the level of quality that the first couple of issues showed. It also had some very exciting moments, as well as having plenty of mystery drama, suspense and emotion. There were also some brilliant interactions, and the future of the story looks very promising. Due to all this it's easy to recommend this issue and I can't wait for the next part.

Rating: 9/10

All-New X-Men #16 Review

WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL SPOIL THE EVENTS OF X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #1!

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Stuart Immonen

We aren't just lucky enough for Battle of the Atom to have started, but we get two parts in one week, as following X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 this is the second part in the storyline that I personally have been looking forward to for quite a while.

Plot

Following Cyclops' near death experience a team of future X-Men come back to warn the X-Men of the consequences should the younger X-Men stay.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and although not quite on par with the first part, it was still extremely enjoyable, and very interesting. Brian Michael Bendis is certainly on a role, as given his last issue of Uncanny X-Men was slightly mediocre I was hoping that it wouldn't flow into Battle of the Atom, which it hasn't, with Bendis bouncing back brilliantly. The dialogue in this issue was simply amazing, and with the issue being mostly all talk, with little action it needed to be. Besides that Bendis managed to add a lot of atmosphere to the issue, with there being some light humour, and excitement as well. I was however not overly happy with him repeating parts, but that wasn't a huge deal, and was probably needed.

Stuart Immonen did a fantastic job of the art on this issue, as although it's not the best work that I've ever seen from him it was still amazing. The detail was however slightly inconsistent, as although most of the issue was very highly detailed, there were a few imperfections throughout, and especially near the start of the issue. His layouts were however as usual perfect, adding a lot of depth to the issue, as well as helping the story to flow smoother. I also felt that Immonen's art was very dynamic, helping create a brilliant atmosphere for the issue. I also loved how Immonen handled the characters emotions, as with the lack of action it was really needed, and Immonen didn't disappoint.

This issue followed roughly on from the opening issue, with Cyclops' X-Men back at the New Charles Xavier School for Mutants. This sequence would show how much the events that occurred in the last part have affected Triage, as he's pretty messed up over the events, and how he managed to bring the younger Cyclops (and hence the older Cylcops as well) back from the dead. This conversation was very interesting, and it showed the reality of the situation, as well as bringing home the fact that the X-Men seem to shrug off time travel incidents due to how frequent they happen.

The first part of Battle of the Atom would introduce a X-Men team that has came from the future to make sure that the younger X-Men get send back into the past. Now this was something that was already established to happen, and although their entrance in the last part was amazing, I found their appearance in this issue to be much more interesting. The team line up was amazing, and I especially loved seeing the changes that the years have caused to Deadpool, and Beast, though I do question why Deadpool is a member given the fact that he's not a mutant. I also found the other members interesting, and loved the reactions the X-Men had to these future X-Men, especially both the younger, and current Iceman's reactions.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!

During this issue the younger Jean Grey, and Cyclops would make a drastic decision and leave the group, with Jean fearing that sending her back in time is virtually a death sentence. As I said earlier the repeating of events didn't appeal to me, but they allowed this development to go in a very unique, and interesting manor. I also loved the interaction between Jean, and Cyclops during this, though I did slightly question why Cyclops didn't need persuaded. I do however feel that this is the perfect way to allow this story more time, and look forward to seeing how things will progress in X-Men #5

Final Verdict

This was a great continuation to the Battle of the Atom story, as although not quite as good, it was still very exciting, and interesting, having some shocking developments, as well as a brilliant ending. It also had some outstanding dialogue, as well as some amazing humour, making me want the next part to come out even sooner. Due to all this it's extremely easy to recommend this issue, but naturally you'll need to read X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 first.

Rating: 9/10

All-New X-Men #15 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Lafuente

This has been a series that I've been enjoying since it started, and although it's not always been consistent, it's always been fun. I have also been even more excited about the X-Men series in general after the announcement of Battle of the Atom, which I'm seriously looking forward to.

Plot

As the young Iceman, and Cyclops head out for a while, the young Jean Grey spends time with Beast, learning more about how he feels about her.

Review

This was not one of the better issues in this series, but it was still a brilliant issue, being a fun stand alone issue prior to the start of Battle of the Atom. Brian Michael Bendis did a great job of developing these characters, and I loved seeing them just relaxing, and having fun, as with Battle of the Atom just round the corner they won't have much time for that. I also loved the slightly controversy that Bendis added to this story, as although it's not proper controversy, it's bound to have mixed responses, and although I'm somewhat in the middle, I look forward to seeing where it goes, and if it will affect the Battle of the Atom crossover.

I wasn't too sure whether I liked the art in this issue or not, as it was much different than either Stuart Immonen, or David Marquez' art. I did however overall enjoy the art, feeling that David Lafuente's cartoon like style suited the fun tone of this issue. The detail in Lafuente's art was however amazing, and he did a great job wit the the characters, as although I wasn't a fan of how he drew Wolverine, he drew the younger characters perfectly, and especially Iceman who he already had experience drawing during his time on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. Lafuente also did a great job with the characters emotions, making it easy to tell what the characters are feeling. I also loved the vibrant colours from Jim Campbell.

This issue would see what I assume was the first meeting between the young Jean Grey, and Rachel Grey. This slightly confused me, as Rachel has appeared in Wolverine and the X-Men over the last year or more, and the young X-Men have been mentioned during that, so I would have thought that they'd have already met, unless this takes place before then. I was however not entirely sure if I liked the encounter, as although the awkward approach was an interesting direction to take it in, I would have much rather seen a more shocking encounter. It did however suit Lafuente's art more this way though.

During this issue the young Iceman, and Cyclops decide to leave the school, deciding to go and have some fun, meeting a few girls whilst at it. I personally loved this sequence, as it showed a time when Iceman, and Cyclops were best of friends, and it was nice to see that again. I also loved the humour in this sequence, as it was the perfect fun adventure for these two characters, allowing them to relax, whilst still getting time for a spot of action. Bendis also showed both characters personalities well during this sequence, with Iceman being very cool, and confident, and Cyclops being timid, and serious.

The cover, and solicits for this issue advertised a possible romance between Beast, and Jean in this issue. Now I've already said how I had mixed feelings on the subject, but I felt I'd go into a little more detail, though I'll try and avoid spoilers. Basically whilst spending time with the older Beast, Jean learns through her telepathy that he has/had feelings for her. Now I found it nice that Beast remembered his time with Jean, but at the same time it felt kind of sudden, as I wouldn't have thought that he'd be having these kind of thoughts this late in the series, as it would have made more sense earlier in the series. I also loved the interaction between Jean, and the young Beast, as it was very dramatic, and emotional, and although it felt slightly awkward at times, it was enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing how this is developed.

Final Verdict

Not one of the best issues, but far from one of the worst. This was a fun stand alone issue showing the young X-Men having fun, as well as Jean learning Beast's feelings, making for a really fun, entertaining read. I'd probably recommend this issue, as it was very fun, and well worth reading, as well as a great jumping on point. I would however recommend waiting till the start of Battle of the Atom if you're short on cash though.

Rating: 8/10

All-New X-Men #14 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

This has been one of my favourite Marvel NOW! series, as although it's often been inconsistent, having some really high moments followed by poor ones, it has generally been a very fun, and exciting series. Also with the announcement of Battle of the Mutants I'm even more excited about this series, as I am about the other X-Men series.

Plot

The battle between the X-Men, and Mystique's gang comes to a head, but is the young Jean Grey in control of her powers, or will she turn into the Dark Phoenix?

Review

This was a great issue, but it wasn't quite as good as last issue, and the big cliffhanger from last issue wasn't continued as well as it could have. None the less Brian Michael Bendis did a good job of this issue, and there were some really clever development points throughout. The character interaction was also handled brilliantly, with some being very amusing. The action was also handled very well, with some interesting points throughout, with both sides having their moments. I also loved how there was a bit of mystery to this issue, as it kept me questioning points. There were however some points that felt a little weird, and disappointing, but nothing to drop the quality much.

Stuart Immonen once again produced some amazing art on this issue, with brilliant detail that was for the most part perfect, having very few imperfections. The layout was probably one of the best things about his art this time round, as like usual it was very dynamic, adding depth to the issue, as well as more drama, and at times suspense. The action sequences best showed this, as they were very explosive, and exciting, with the layout adding to that. The facial expressions were also handled perfectly, as you could easily tell what the character's were feeling, and I especially loved the young Iceman's reaction to a certain event, with Immonen's art being the main reason for this.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!

Now I don't like giving away spoilers, but this was a subject that I felt strongly about in this issue, and it was revealed near the start. I'm talking about whether young Jean had truly turned into the Phoenix. It was quickly revealed that she hadn't, and that she'd projected that into the enemies brains to get them off guard, accidentally doing the same to her own team. I found this very clever, but at the same time it kind of spoiled the cliffhanger from last issue, as I was expecting to see Jean as the Phoenix properly. As I said though it was clever, and unique, and the way Jean showed progression in her new found powers also interested me a lot.

The fight between the X-Men, and Mystique's gang was the other main feature of this issue, with the battle between the two coming to an end (at least for now). The fight itself was very explosive, and exciting, and I extremely enjoyed it. It also had a lot of drama, and some interesting turning points, which really stood out. It also had some interesting dialogue, that added humour, as well as atmosphere to the fight, also adding depth. There was also some very clever points during this fight as well, and although it wasn't necessarily the best way to end the problems between the X-Men, and Mystique, it wasn't bad. I did however also feel that HYDRA wasn't involved as much as they could have.

Lady Mastermind tried to stand out in this issue, using her powers in an attempt to manipulate they young Jean, as well as the other members of the X-Men. Now this probably could have been handled better as well, but to be honest it was done justice, and it would have probably been harder to do better without dropping in quality somewhere else. The illusions from Lady Mastermind were however very interesting, with one in particular being very interesting.

Final Verdict

This was a tremendous issue, and although it wasn't as good as last issue, with some disappointing points, it was still very entertaining, and fun. It also had some amazing action, and brilliant dialogue, with real depth, and emotion. I'd still highly recommend this issue, as despite the disappointments it was still a very interesting, and exciting issue.

Rating: 4/5

All-New X-Men #13 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

This has been one of my favourite series in Marvel NOW!, and although it doesn't always deliver, having had some poor issues, it's still been very fun, and has kept me drawn in. I've also loved seeing the development of the younger X-Men in their new environment, and overall it's been a brilliant series.

Plot

As the X-Men go after Mystique's trail, Mystique herself has a meeting to attend, with none other than Madame Hydra.

Review

This was an excellent issue, and although it's not the best the series has produced, it's been the best in a long while, and isn't far behind the even better issues. Brian Michael Bendis has really got a handle on both X-Men series, and although on average his Uncanny X-Men's been better, this has been the one that's excited me the most time and time again. I've always lover the more fun based comics, as although the more serious tone of Uncanny's been working, when Bendis delivers on the fun, it really outweighs the serious. Bendis also really seems to understand character's, and more importantly character dialogue, as although you can argue that the actions of certain character's in his previous work has been out of character, it's hard to say that about their dialogue, and this was shown perfectly during this issue. There was also plenty of emotion in this issue, showing exactly how the character's felt, which was brilliant, and Bendis dialogue once again prevailed here. The action was also handled perfectly, with ton's of excitement, as well as adding drama, and suspense. There were also some other brilliant appearances from other character's that haven't yet featured in this series, as well as some mystery over what may happen later in this issue, or the next, which yet again adds suspense, as well a speculation.

The art in this issue was phenomenal, and this is probably the best art that Stuart Immonen has done all series. Don't get me wrong, his art is always great, but there have been times during this series where it has slipped in the detail department, and looked a little too rough. Anyway this wasn't the case this time, as the detail was near perfect, with very little imperfections. Immonen's layouts were also once again superb, and really added more depth, and drama to the issue, whilst also helping to set the tone. There were however two parts of Immonen's art that really stood out to me in this issue, and the first thing was his action sequences. They were nothing short of epic, and although the fights themselves weren't the best I've ever seen, it was hard to tell that when I saw Immonen's fabulous artwork. It was simply amazing, and really explosive, adding ton's of excitement, and suspense. The other thing that stood out to me in Immonen's art was the way he handled the character's facial expressions, especially during Kitty Pryde's small speech. Now Immonen usually does a great job at showing how the character's feel, but he did an outstanding job in this issue, as you could easily feel, let alone tell what the character's were feeling.

The start of this issue sees the continuation of how last issue ended, with the X-Men trying to track down Mystique by visiting Stark International, Mystique's last known location. Now I have felt that the whole Mystique story has went on a little too long without a great deal of proper development, and although it has been very suspenseful, I'd have liked something more to have happened before now. It did however go up a gear in this issue, which I was very glad about, and it looks like the story may be getting closer to it's conclusion. During the actual hunting of Mystique I loved how certain members of the younger X-Men (most notably Iceman) questioned Wolverine's abilities, which really added more humour to the issue.

Now the X-Men weren't the only ones that weren't happy with Mystique, as Lady Mastermind isn't happy with being kept out of the loop. This lead to a very interesting, and exciting discussion between Lady Mastermind, and Mystique, and the way it was handled was simply amazing. This also continued to show how Bendis is brilliant at writing dialogue, and creating friction, as although no physical fighting took place, there was a lot of harsh word slung about, and the way each character reacted to certain statements was brilliant, and the dramatic tone, along with the suspense really made this a tremendous sequence.

Lady Mastermind wasn't the only person that Mystique would have words with, as the arrival of Silver Samurai, as well as Madame Hydra would lead to a meeting between Mystique, and Madame Hydra. Now I won't go into details about this meeting, as to avoid spoilers, but I will give my thoughts on the sequence. To be honest it was no surprise that both Silver Samurai, and Madame Hydra would feature in a storyline sometime soon, as with them both going to feature in the upcoming film, The Wolverine, it was obvious that they'd make an appearance in a story, and more so a Wolverine story. I did however like that this was slightly subtle, with these character's not being the main villains, making it less obvious, and more natural. The words shared between Madame Hydra, and Mystique were also very interesting, and overall this was yet another brilliant sequence from this issue.

This issue would also show the reactions of both Mystique's group, and the X-Men over Havok's speech in Uncanny Avengers #5, where he talked about not wanting to be branded a mutant. Now I could talk about this for ages, but I'll shorten it down to my favourite part, the reaction from Kitty Pryde. Now Kitty has been one of my favourite female character's for a while now, as well as my favourite female X-Man. Basically she states how she's proud to be a mutant, and why, and that Havok isn't talking for her. Now there was a lot more to this than just that, but I felt it best not to mention, as it's a nice surprise to read. Anyway it was very emotional, and moving, as although she was neither upset whilst telling her tale, nor make others upset whilst telling it, she was getting a point across, and trying to inspire the younger X-Men, which was brilliant, and overall the sequence was handled perfectly.

Final Verdict

Although this wasn't the best issue in this series it wasn't far behind, and was one of the better issues to have been told during this story. It had excitement, and suspense, whilst also having drama, and action, which were all brilliant. It was however the emotions, and passion of a certain character that made this issue brilliant for me, and overall the issue was amazing, and I hope it continues to be like this in the next issues. Due to this I'd easily recommend this issue, and the series so far, as although it's had it's moments, it's overall been outstanding, and very fun.

Rating: 5/5

All-New X-Men #12 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

This has to be one of my favourite series in Marvel NOW!, and although it's not the best, having had a few poor issues as of late, it is still a fun series, and NOW! seems to be a good time for the X-Men.

Plot

When the Avengers Unity Squad pay the younger X-Men a visit, which gives the young Cyclops a chance to meet the grown up version of his brother, Havok. Also Mystique continues her robbing spree.

Review

This was an excellent issue, and although not quite perfect, the series is definitely back on the right track. Brian Michael Bendis has been all over the place lately, with this series having been average for the last couple of issues, Age of Ultron being terrible throughout, and Guardians of the Galaxy being amazing, so I'm not likely to say the same thing about his writing twice in a row. Anyway, it's nice to see this series back to the level of quality it deserves, as well as Bendis on average producing good comics. What I loved most about Bendis' writing in this issue was how he handled the emotion, and character interactions, as they were just perfect, and were what made the issue as good as it was. I also liked how at the same time Bendis managed to add some excitement, and drama to the issue, by having some volatile interactions, which really livened the issue up. At the same time this storyline with Mystique has been progressing a bit slow, and although it has been interesting, it has been dragged out slightly, and I'm happy that it appears to be coming to a head.

Stuart Immonen once again did a phenomenal job of the art on this issue, and this may be the best work he's done on the series so far. Immonen's art throughout this series has been amazing, and although there's always some minor imperfections in his artwork, it always amazes me, and the brilliant art outweighs them small imperfections by miles. The detail in Immonen's art in this issue was however much better than it's been in the last couple of issues, not looking as rushed, and looking like the fabulous art that you expect from Immonen, which was nice. The thing about Immonen's art that probably amazed me the most in this issue had to be his layouts, as although I've loved his layouts from the previous issues, there were some panels in this issue that blew me away, with the second and third page spread of Wolverine's X-Men, and the younger X-Men meeting the Avengers Unity Squad being the one that stood out the most. Besides that Immonen did a brilliant job of showing the emotions that the character's were feeling, especially between the young Jean Grey, and the Scarlet Witch, as well as the young Cyclops, and Havok. This along with other aspects of Immonen's art also added more drama to the story, which is always nice.

Since the younger X-Men appeared there have been a few groups wanting to meet them, with the normal Avengers, and Cylops' X-Men having already met them, and now the Avengers Unity Squad meeting them. To be honest the meetings between the younger X-Men and the groups they've already met were disappointing, but this time was much different, and really made up for the previous meetings. Having all the Avengers Unity Squad make a comment at one point or another was nice, but it was the reactions of Rogue, Scarlet Witch, and mainly Havok that interested me the most, as them seeing younger versions of their friends, and in Havok's case a younger version of his brother was bound to bring some emotions. At the same time the reaction the younger X-Men had to this was also very interesting, and overall the meeting couldn't have been any better.

Talking about Havok meeting his younger brother, the interaction between the young Cyclops was what I was most looking forward to in this issue, and it didn't disappoint. I will state however, that unlike what the cover suggests, neither of the two fight each other, and this was a much more emotional interaction between two brothers. It was this emotion that made this sequence brilliant, and it was nice to see these two actually being nice to one another, as neither Havok, or the older Cyclops have seen eye to eye recently, even before the death of Professor X.

WARNING: SMALL SPOILER AHEAD!

Things in this issue weren't all nice, and friendly as something shocking would happen, as the young Jean would learn Scarlet Witch's secret. If the young Cyclops/Havok interaction wasn't as emotionally brilliant as it was, this would probably be the best thing in this issue, as it really added the excitement that the series has been lacking over the last couple of issues. I also loved how yet again this brought up the question of whether the Avengers should have punished Scarlet Witch, as although it's been asked on and off quite a bit over the last year, it's still a question that's never had a proper answer, as if Cyclops is held responsible for Professor X's death whilst possessed by the Phoenix Force, surely Scarlet Witch should be held accountable for her actions during House of M.

Now Bendis didn't forget about Mystique, as the person responsible for bringing the Avengers Unity Squad to the doorstep of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning was shown continuing her robbing spree along with Sabretooth, and Lady Mastermind. Now I won't go into too much details as to what happened, as to avoid spoilers, but this was a very interesting sequence, and the interaction that Mystique, Sabretooth, and Lady Mastermind had with one another was very interesting, and I look forward to seeing the development of this.

Final Verdict

Although not the best issue in the series so far, this issue was still brilliant, and the series is definitely back on the right track. This issue was emotional, as well as interesting, and exciting, and the interaction between younger X-Men, and the Avengers Unity Squad was outstandingly phenomenal. I would highly recommend this issue, as well as the entire series so far, as although the previous two issues prior to this were a bit poor, the series in general has been amazing, and I can't wait for the next issue.

Rating: 4/5

All-New X-Men #11 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

I've been loving this series since the start, and although it's not been the best Marvel NOW! series it has been one of my favourites, and it's one of the series I look most forward to reading. Last issue was however one of the poorest issues in the series, and I just hope that it turns itself back to being good.

Plot

One of the younger X-Men decide to join Cyclops' Uncanny X-Men, and the result causes disarray on the grounds of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, as the rest of the younger X-Men, and Wolverine's X-Men try to stop this younger X-Man from joining Cyclops.

Review

Slightly better than the last issue, but I was expecting so much more. Overall Brian Michael Bendis has made me love X-Men comic's again, and although I decided I was only getting one X-Men series, due to the strength of this overall, as well as the good things I've heard about Uncanny X-Men I've decided to start getting it, and the issues I've missed. I do however hope that due to doing so many series that Bendis isn't pushing himself too much, as with this series, as well as Uncanny X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, and the Age of Ultron series' that's an awful lot for one writer at once, and I just hope that this isn't affecting the overall quality. This issue had it's good moments though, as having not read anything about Uncanny X-Men plot wise I didn't know until after reading this that the surprise in this issue had already been spoiled, so it was slightly surprising to me. There was also some interesting action, and although at times it was all over the place, it still added excitement, but besides the shock, and the action I've just felt that the this issue, as well as the last issue have been slow, and could have been done in the same issue. Besides all this however it was still interesting, if not amazing, and I just hope that it picks up the pace next issue, and goes back to the fun, exciting series I've enjoyed reading.

The art from Stuart Immonen was once again amazing, and although I personally still prefer David Marquez' artwork, it's still nice that Immonen's back, as his art is truly wonderful, and I love seeing his art, whereas I'll also still get to see Marquez' art on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. Anyway, Immonen's art on this issue was fantastic, and the detail was brilliant. The way he drew all the character's involved was like usual outstanding, but this time round there was the odd awkward facial expression, especially from the likes of the Stepford Cuckoo's. The layout, and action however was phenomenal, as it really added more drama, and excitement to the issue, and at times was also very dynamic. Besides the fact that the layout in general was amazing, adding drama, the more shocking moments were better, as they also added ton's of suspense, as well as drama. Although I said there was the odd awkward expression, the rest of the facial expressions were handled brilliantly, with ton's of emotion, as you could really see what the character's were feeling, whether anger from Wolverine, or frustration from Kitty Pryde, which was amazing.

The main focus of this issue was on who would join Cyclops' Uncanny X-Men. We already knew that the Stepford Cuckoo's joined last issue, but it was still left open as to who would join them from these younger X-Men. As I said I know nothing about the plot of Uncanny, having only read the ratings, and hearing that it's good, but I have heard from other reviews on this issue that the surprise was spoiled, as the member in question was shown in a recent issue of Uncanny. Now I won't name the person as to avoid spoiling for anyone that was like me, and didn't know, but I will say what I thought of this surprise. To be honest this wasn't actually the first person I thought would join Cyclops' X-Men, but after they were revealed I realised that the things that have happened to this person makes them the perfect person to change sides.

The effects this decision had was as you'd expect catastrophic, as Wolverine's X-Men, as well as the remaining younger X-Men were shocked, and upset about this decision, trying to make the person change their mind, and stay with them. The minor action that would come out of this was also brilliant, as although it was slightly all over the place, it did add more excitement to what was in general a slow, and sequence, that was also slightly dull. The way that Kitty, and Wolverine, as well as Cyclops, and his team reacted over this was also interesting, as there were a lot of different thoughts going about, and although the Uncanny X-Men didn't want the younger X-Men here, they'd rather look after them themselves if they are going to stay.

This issue also showed Mystique continue her attempt at putting blame on Wolverine and the younger X-Men, as she and her team attack Stark Resilient. Now this wasn't as impactful, or entertaining as the other attempt Mystique made to put blame on Wolverine, and the younger X-Men, but it was still interesting. I do however just wish that it'd get onto actually having Wolverine's X-Men, and the younger X-Men confront Mystique, as it's really just going at a snails pace, and I'm sure that this was probably only added to continue the build-up, as well as reminding readers that Mystique's still plotting.

WARNING: THE REMAINDER OF THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS!

There's a minor spoiler in the next couple of paragraph's as this one will make it clear on one person who didn't join Cyclop's Uncanny X-Men, and the paragraph that follows will also spoil a surprise appearance at the end of the issue. After the person who joined Cyclop's team made their decision, the younger Jean Grey wasn't happy about this, and was going to use her newly acquired psychic powers to stop them, but the Stepford Cuckoo's would step in. Now I'm not the biggest fans of the Cuckoo's but this was brilliant, and very interesting, as with the new attitude Jean's got she really needs taken down a peg. I've also felt that her learning these new abilities without Professor X's presence hasn't helped, and this goes to show just how much of an influence he was on his students.

As I said there is another spoiler in this paragraph, so be warned. The ending of this issue was brilliant, as it showed the Avengers Unity Squad make an appearance. Now Captain America, and the normal Avengers team made an appearance in issue 8, but for this team to make an appearance is much more interesting, especially considering Cyclops' brother Havok is their leader, as well as Wolverine being a member. There appearance has to be over Mystiques antics, as with everyone believing that their being attacked by Wolverine, and the younger X-Men doesn't show well for them being in the present, and I'm sure the Avengers Unity Squad will have something big to say next issue. Just hope that it's not a slow issue like the last couple. Another thing about their appearance that was slightly annoying was that they were refereed to as the Uncanny Avengers, as although that's the series they feature in, and using the logo makes for a more impactful touch, their meant to be called the Avengers Unity Squad in the comics, which kind of makes things confusing, but that's only a small thing.

Final Verdict

This was another slow issue, and although slightly better than the previous issue, the overall story seems do be going at a crawl. The revelation of the younger X-Man to join Cyclops' team was interesting, but people who read Uncanny X-Men will already know. There were also some interesting things in this issue, and the progress of Mystique's plot is shaping up nicely, and the shocking ending has me excited for the next issue. I'd still recommend this, especially if you've been getting the series so far, as it was still interesting, and the series as a whole has been fantastic, but if you're a new reader I'd recommend waiting till next issue now.

Rating: 3/5

All-New X-Men #10 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

This has been one of my favourite series since the start of Marvel NOW!, and although it's not always been brilliant, it's mostly been fun, and entertaining, and overall very interesting, as being the best X-Men series I have read in years.

Plot

The Uncanny X-Men visit the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning to recruit students to their new school named after Professor X. Also Mystique, Sabretooth, and Lady Mastermind rob a bank transport truck.

Review

This wasn't the best issue this series has seen so far, and in many ways it's probably the worst, but it was still interesting, and had it's moments. This really hasn't been a brilliant week for Brian Michael Bendis as with Age of Ultron continuing to disappoint the last thing he needed was a poor issue from this series, which overall has been fantastic, and relatively consistent. This issue wasn't terrible however, and it did a brilliant job of starting the development for the next stage in this series, but due to it focusing too much time on development it was slightly slow, and a bit dull. The dialogue however was very good, and although the lack of excitement was disappointing, this issue was still interesting, and ended with a brilliant cliffhanger conclusion (although I won't spoil what that was).

The art in this issue was once again fantastic, and Stuart Immonen continues to do an amazing job. As I said in my last review I was slightly disappointed to see David Marquez leave the series (at least for now), as I really enjoyed his artwork, but at the same time I was happy to see the return of Immonen, and now that he's been back for a couple of issues I'm even more happy. Immonen's art is simply stunning, and everything about it's fabulous. The only minor complaint I'd make about his art is that like usual it's not always perfectly detailed, but the detail in the rest of the issue outweighs that by a mile, and I can easily forget the small imperfections due to the overall wonderful art. I also liked his action sequence, as although it wasn't too long, and at first glance a little confusing (not due to him) I really enjoyed it, and he reminded me why I consider him one of the best artists on action sequences. The emotion, and expressions on the characters were also brilliant, and really helped make the feeling of the characters clear, and overall Immonen's art made this issue better than it'd be otherwise.

This issue started with Mystique, Sabretooth, and Lady Mastermind robbing a bank transport truck, and I have to say it was a little confusing at first, but that's because I forgot that Lady Mastermind was with them. I say I was initially confused as it appeared that the younger X-Men along with Wolverine were attacking the workers, which would have been due to Lady Mastermind's ability to make illusions that caused people to think that it was the younger X-Men with Wolverine, something that I personally didn't pick up on due to forgetting that she was with them. After understanding the sequence properly I enjoyed it much more after reading it again, and it was very exciting, and showed the progression of Mystiques plan brilliantly, and I like how she's trying to put the younger X-Men and Wolverine in a bad light.

The appearance of the Uncanny X-Men was quite interesting, but after seeing the entrance they made at the end of the last issue I was expecting a bit more than we got in this issue. Don't get me wrong the sequences that they appeared in were interesting, but I personally was hoping for a bit of action between the two teams, but I can see how it makes sense to avoid that, as it would be a bit predictable if they started fighting each time they met one another. The sequence was however a bit slow, and although it has me interested in the future of the series, and of both teams, it was slightly dull, but that's sometimes the price that has to be paid to develop a story, and it also should give the next issue a better chance to be better, as there should be less need for development than usual.

Another thing I liked about the Uncanny X-Men's appearance was that Wolverine's X-Men took the time to think things through, and discuss who they believe will join up with Cyclops and his Uncanny X-Men. Again this continued to keep the issue at a slowish pace, but it was interesting, and humorous at certain times, and it also made the entire event feel more realistic. I also liked that some of the young X-Men got a lesson during this, as for instance the young Jean Grey was puzzled as to how she couldn't read any of the Uncanny X-Men's minds.

S.H.I.E.L.D. continued to make an appearance in this issue, and after the way Mystique made them look like fools in the last issue I'd have been surprised if they didn't make a second appearance. Again this was a interesting scenario, and again continues the development of this part of the story nicely, but like the rest of the issue it was slightly slow, which again wasn't ideal. I did however enjoy seeing the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. being cautious around Maria Hill, as after Mystique using her identity to fool them, they don't want to make the same mistake twice, so it was nice to see Hill in a bit of discomfort.

I'll finish my review by talking about the end. Now I won't give any spoilers, and even if I gave a slight hint people who've read the solicits for the next issue would know anyway, but to be safe I'll avoid the hint as well. What I will say about the end of this issue was that despite not being too surprising (I'd already read the solicit for the next issue) it still provided a brilliant cliffhanger, and has made me more excited for the next issue, and to see how it continues.

Final Verdict

Although not the best issue in the series this was still an interesting issue, and although it was slow, it set up the future events in the series perfectly, and has kept my interest. I would still recommend this, as although technically skipable quality wise, it does set things up nicely for the next few issues, so it's worth getting if you either already follow the series or are considering getting the series in the next few issues.

Rating: 3/5

All-New X-Men #9 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

This has been by my favourite series since the start of Marvel NOW!, and although it's not always been perfect, it has been very entertaining, and fun, as well as being the best X-Men series I have read in years.

Plot

The younger X-Men battle the Sentinels in the Danger Room, plus Mystique returns, and she's brought Sabretooth.

Review

This was a phenomenal issue, and one of the best in the series so far. Brian Michael Bendis may not be doing a brilliant job on Age of Ultron, but he isn't half doing a good job on his regular Marvel NOW! series', as both this, as well as Guardians of the Galaxy has been amazing. There wasn't anything that I could fault story wise in this issue, as it ticked all the boxes, being exciting, entertaining, fun, interesting, and containing plenty of action, everything I hope for in a comic, even though I'd settle for half of that. Bendis also gave some mystery to the issue, having characters question each other, and others doing curious things, but I'll talk more on that later. Another thing that Bendis has done perfectly in this series is handle the younger X-Men. As those who read my review regularly know I was more than skeptic on the idea of bringing the younger X-Men of the past to the present, but that's been the best thing about this series, and Bendis has handled it very, very well.

The art on this issue was fantastic, and I was happy to see the return of Stuart Immonen. Although I've been enjoying David Marquez' art over the last few issues, actually preferring it over Immonen's at times, I am happy to see Immonen back, as I was so happy when I heard he was working on the series to start with, and it's really his series, along with Bendis. Plus Marquez will be returning to Ultimate Comics Spider-Man soon, so I'll be able to see his art there. The break has really done wonders for Immonen's art, as I felt the last few issues he worked on lacked a bit of detail due to the tight schedule, whereas now it's much more detailed, and overall looks much better, and as good as it looked in the first few issues. I also love how Immonen puts so much emotion into his work, as you can easily tell what the character's feeling. I did however find one sequence when the young Jean Grey, and Kitty Pryde are talking telepathically a bit awkward as they still showed body language without saying anything, which would look mighty strange to anyone around at the time.

The way the issue started was brilliant, and I loved that it made me question whether the Sentinel's were actually attacking, although I always thought it was the Danger Room, and it was obvious before long. Besides that the sequence was totally amazing, and I loved that you get to see the inexperience from the younger X-Men, whilst also seeing the teaching skills from Kitty, who's become one of my favourite X-Men over the last couple of years. I also liked that during this you could see friction between certain members, as it's been nothing but smooth for the younger X-Men, and some are copping with mindblowing realizations. There was also an interesting conversation between Kitty, and Jean. I already mentioned this earlier in my review, but that was purely on the art, whereas this is about the actual event. Kitty was worried about Jean's new powers, and was explaining that people are scared that she can prod around in their thoughts whenever she wants, but it was the child like reaction from Jean that made it interesting, as it showed that these X-Men are still children.

It was also revealed due to Jean using her telepathic powers that the young Cyclops had met Mystique, something that the rest didn't know about. The issue were Cyclops, and Mystique met was very interesting, and I always wondered what would happen when the others found out so it was interesting to see. Nothing really happened, apart from Jean being jealous, Kitty being concerned, and Cyclops feeling violated, but the way Bendis handled all these things was brilliant, and you could feel a lot of emotion throughout the sequence, making it very dramatic, as well as interesting.

Talking about Mystique, she also reappeared this issue, but that wasn't a surprise as it was advertised in the solicit, as well as being on the cover. I won't talk much about the actual sequence as to avoid spoilers, but I will say that it was very interesting, and the involvement of Sabretooth was also interesting. Sabretooth didn't actually do anything, or at least anything to take a huge interest in, but it was interesting that he was working with Mystique again. We've seen the two develop a relationship between the Wolverine: Back in Japan, and the Uncanny X-Force Final Execution stories, so I wasn't surprised to see the two still working together, but I was happy, as it shows that Mystique has something big lined up, and that Bendis is acknowledging the characters history. The only minor problem I'd say is that I was expecting something a little more explosive, although this was interesting it wasn't quite as good as I expected. Also I'd have preferred if Sabretooth did more, as he felt like the mindless sidekick again, and I liked that he's been independent in recent series'.

I'll close by talking very briefly on two subjects, as they have the possibility for huge spoilers. Beast had a very interesting conversation with the young Angel, and although like I said I won't go into details it shone some light on events that have happened, and things still to come. The second thing I'll be even briefer on, and that's simply that the end of this issue was mindblowing, and I'm so looking forward to the next issue.

Final Verdict

This was one of the better issues in the series so far, and it was beyond brilliant. It was fun, interesting, entertaining, and full of action, all at the same time, as well as leaving some interesting openings for future issues. Basically this showed exactly why I love this series so much, and I'd highly recommend this issue, as well as the series as a whole.

Rating: 5/5

All-New X-Men #8 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Marquez

I have really been enjoying this series so far, and it has been one of my favourite series in the Marvel NOW! concept. Although it's not been the most consistent of the Marvel NOW! series, it has been very fun, and there hasn't been one issue that I didn't enjoy.

Plot

The younger Angel gets to have some time with the current Angel, and isn't too happy with what he hears. Also HYDRA attack Avengers Tower, and the Avengers pay Wolverine's X-Men a visit.

Review

Another brilliant issue, and although not the best issue in the series it's still one of the better. After reading the disappointing Age of Ultron #1 I was happy to be reminded with this issue that Brian Michael Bendis isn't a rubbish writer all the time. Bendis has done a brilliant job of integrating the younger X-Men with the current, and I have enjoyed what I've seen so far. Bendis continues to give us plenty of action in this issue, and also gives us some funny moments, and some questionable ones. Bendis also did a not too bad job on the Avengers for many years, so it was nice to see him write them again. When I see his writing in series like this, and Guardians of the Galaxy I question why he produces comics like Age of Ultron #1.

David Marquez' artwork continues to amaze me, and I'm actually sad to see him leave this series (at least he'll be returning to Ultimate Comics Spider-Man). Nothing against Stuart Immonen's art, as I'm looking forward to seeing him back as the artist of this series, but I was really enjoying seeing Marquez' art on this series as it's phenomenal. Marquez' art is very detailed, and there isn't one panel that lacks detail. I also like the way that Marquez shows the emotions in the characters, as I liked that the sequence between the two Angel's had a lot of puzzled, and fun expressions, whereas the sequence with the young Jean Grey at the end was a bit more serious. I also love how Marquez draws action sequences as they are stunning. I really hope that Marquez get's put on one of the big Marvel NOW! titles on a permanent basis, as he is a brilliant artist.

The majority of this issue showed the confrontation between the two Angel's. Although this hasn't been the best confrontation in the series so far it was still very good, and probably the funniest, and most entertaining. Having read the The Dark Angel Saga I was able to see exactly what turned Angel into this mindless hippy that we have now, so it was very fun seeing him try and explain it. I also liked that we actually got to see more of the current Angel. Having dropped Wolverine and the X-Men (which current Angel featured in) I don't know if anythings changed in the Angel character since then, but when I was reading it nothing really changed since Dark Angel Saga, and Angel seemed to be a more complicated character than before, and didn't really interact much. Anyway the best part about this sequence was the reaction from the younger Angel, as he was a bit shocked to see what becomes of him. I also loved the fight sequences that involved the two Angel's working together.

HYDRA's involvement. To be honest I found the addition of HYDRA in this issue to be a bit random. Okay, it was a good way of having the Avengers make a cameo appearance, but still a little too random for me. Anyway as I said the Angel's get to fight HYDRA in this issue, which was brilliant. The only small complaint I have at this sequence, and I'm nitpicking here is, how can two superhuman's, one who's not all right in the mental department, and the other who's not got much experience beat HYDRA. Besides that the action was brilliant, and it gave for more brilliant interaction from the two Angel's.

Another thing that wasn't as good as I expected was the Avengers appearance. When I heard that the Avengers would be making an appearance in this issue I was very exited, but after reading it I was disappointed. The issue took way to much time showing the two Angel's interact, and fight HYDRA, and although it was a good sequence I'd have preferred to have seen more of the Avengers. The sequence involving the Avengers was however brilliant, and although we didn't really see much of them during that I loved Kitty Pryde, and Iceman making fun of Beast and Captain America, pretending to know what they're saying (which by the look of it was spot on). I also felt that the interaction between Cap, and the younger Cyclops could have lasted a bit longer.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, and although it's not the best in the series so far, it is not far behind. The series as a whole has been amazing, and I can't get enough of it. I'd recommend both this issue, and the series, and am looking forward to the next issue.

Rating: 4/5

All-New X-Men #7 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Marquez

I have really been enjoying this series, and it's by far the Marvel NOW! series I most look forward to reading each issue. Brian Michael Bendis has really put some life back into the X-Men franchise, as I personally was loosing interest in the X-Men, and I'm glad to see them in brilliant stories once more.

Plot

This issue sees the younger Cyclops retrieving his ruby quartz glasses from a safety deposit box, whilst also finding something a little more shocking. He also gets a surprise visit from Mystique, who gives him some advice.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and I'm starting to get the feeling that this series is done messing around. Although I've loved all the issues in the series so far the last two have probably been the most consistent the series has been, and I'm glad as that was the only thing I was disappointed with. Bendis continues to bring excitement to this series by adding something volatile, which always makes it interesting whether the end result is good or bad, in this case good. The issue however wasn't without it's faults as unlike last issue it wasn't quite perfect, feeling a little slow from time to time.

Just like last issue David Marquez' artwork has been astonishing. I've never disliked any of his art in previous series in the past, but I don't think I've liked his art as much as in this series. Although I love Stuart Immonen's artwork it's hard to say that it's better than Marquez', something I didn't expect as Marquez' has produced some of the best X-Men artwork I've ever seen, and I hope he finds his way to one of the top series'. Marquez' art is near flawless as the detail is phenomenal, and the emotion flows smoothly, whether shocked, happy, confused or upset. Marquez also gives the series a dramatic feel, giving suspense, and flair, and although Immonen did this previously in the series, Marquez has done as good a job of it.

I wasn't too sure what to make of Mystique's appearance in this series when I first heard of it, but I can't say I wasn't interested, as how couldn't I. Mystique always brings something to the table when she's used in series', and although it's not always good, it usually has a big affect on the series. Now this series doesn't show to much towards her plans, but it's safe to say that it won't be fun for the X-Men in the long run, and especially certain members. What I probably liked most about her appearance in this issue was Cyclops reaction, as she really had an affect on him, and it was easy to se the conflictions in his thoughts.

The bank sequence at the start of the issue was probably the most eventful, and it really set the tone for the rest of the issue. It was interesting to see that people have different perspectives on Cyclops, as most of the people see him as a mutant terrorist that is wanted by the police, whereas there is one person that sees him differently, and although it's obvious that his celebrity statues played some part in her actions, it also showed that not everyone had the same attitude toward him, which was nice, especially considering this Cyclops is innocent. It was also nice to see Wolverine use his Avengers members card in this issue, even if it was Mystique disguised as him. On a similar different subject, I'm also looking forward to seeing the Avengers reaction to these younger X-Men in next issue.

There was also a small sequence near the end of the issue which shows Kitty Pryde putting the rest of the younger X-Men through a training session. What was probably most interesting in this sequence was the younger Iceman's reactions to Kitty's training plan. It was also interesting to see the difference in Kitty's opinion between the younger Iceman, and the current Iceman, which she knows better. I look forward to seeing more of Kitty training the younger X-Men, as I've always liked her as a character, so it's nice to see her involved more.

Final Verdict

Although not quite as good as the last issue, this is still a very good issue, and is very interesting. I would highly recommend both this issue, and the series, and hope that it keeps this high level of quality, as it is one of the best Marvel series out the now.

Rating: 4.5/5

All-New X-Men #6 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Marquez

This has been a fabulous series, and although I've been disappointed a couple of times it has still been brilliant, and the Marvel NOW! series I look forward to reading the most each month.

Plot

This issue sees the younger Cyclops run away from the school and Wolverine has to go after him. Kitty Pryde also helps Jean Grey cope with he recently found telepathic powers.

Review

This was a brilliant issue and one of my favourites in the series so far. Brian Michael Bendis has been doing an excellent job of this series, and although it's had a few down points along the way, overall it's been a very fun, and exciting series, and Bendis has me hooked to it. As I've said in the past I never expected that bringing the younger versions of the original X-Men to the present would work, but it's been the best thing about this series, and the thing I most look forward to seeing in each issue. This issue Bendis continues throwing spanners into the works when the younger Cyclops runs away not handling the knowledge of what he's going to do very well, which has created a brilliant issue, and has potential for further great things, but I'll talk more about that further on in my review.

I've really enjoyed Stuart Immonen's art in this series, but have noticed a few imperfections recently in his work, so it's nice to see David Marquez stepping in for him. I know Marquez is capable of doing brilliant artwork, as he's shown in Fantastic Four: Season One, and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, but I never expected to like his artwork even more than Immonen's, but after seeing his art in this issue I have to say I much prefer Marquez' art. Don't get me wrong I still think Immonen is a fantastic artist, and look forward to seeing him return to this series, but I also hope that Marquez is put on one of Marvel's top titles as he deserves it. Marquez' art in this issue is simply phenomenal, and very detailed. I've really enjoyed his art on other titles, especially Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, but this has to be his best artwork to date. He draws all the characters perfectly, and the action sequences look amazing.

There were many brilliant moments in this issue, and along with issue 2 it is my joint favourite issue in the series so far. I actually half expected the series to go down hill after the announcement last issue that the young X-Men would be staying a while longer, but I'm glad that I was wrong, and even more glad to see that it's even better, and I hope it stays this good, but through past history of the series so far I'd be surprised. Still expect the series to be good though.

The thing I loved most in this issue was how the young Cyclops fled from the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, and how he couldn't handle the fact that his future self would kill Professor X. I also liked that Wolverine, went after him, and that he was angry that he took his bike, and jacket. This was handled very well, as it would be easy to just have Cyclops run away, Wolverine run after him, and drag him back, or get straight into a fight with no set-up, but Bendis did a great job in this issue. It was slightly emotional at certain points, as Wolverine couldn't help but feel anger and rage towards Cyclops knowing that he would kill Professor X, but at the same time felt sorry for him due to the predicament he was in. I also liked the naivety of the young Cyclops not knowing that Wolverine had an Adamantium skeleton. I also liked that despite all this it leaded into a fight which should be interesting to see continued in the next issue.

I also liked the sequence that involved Jean, and Kitty, and especially the way it started. Jean has recently discovered that she has telepathic powers, which she can't control. It was very nice to see Kitty help out Jean, and the way they interacted was marvellous. Although I've never been the biggest Kitty fan I have enjoyed he role in the X-Men over the last few years, and especially since she returned a year or two ago in Uncanny X-Men: Breaking Point, and have especially liked seeing her have a bigger role in the group. The thing I mainly liked about Jean and Kitty's interaction was how Kitty felt towards Jean, as she couldn't help but think of the Jean she knew, whilst trying not to reflect that towards the younger Jean. I also liked how the roles are reversed, as when Kitty joined the X-Men Jean would have been her role model, whereas now the younger Jean is looking up to her, especially since she has helped her. It was also nice to see Storm make an appearance in this issue even though it was brief.

The thing I'm most looking forward to seeing carried forward into the next issue is the interaction between the current and younger Angel, as they met for the first time near the end of this issue. I won't speak much about this encounter due to it being near the end, and not wanting to spoil it but it was very interesting, and I look forward to seeing how it progresses. I'm aslo looking forward to seeing how the current Angel is acting now, as since dropping Wolverine and the X-Men I haven't read anything he's been in, and with everything that has happened to him over the last couple of years his development could get very interesting at any moment. There was also a shocking appearance at the very end of the issue, but I won't talk about that at all. All I will say is that anyone who's saw the cover for issue 7 will guess what it is.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue and the joint best in the series so far, and I hope the series continues to be this good. I would highly recommend this issue, as well as the entire series so far, as it's been very exciting, entertaining, and fun.

Rating: 5/5

All-New X-Men #5 Review

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen

Although not necessarily the best series in the Marvel NOW! relaunches, it has been the one that I've been most interested in, and the one that I look most forward to reading. Brining the original X-Men to the present has turned out to be the best thing in this series, and it's that that keeps me coming back each issue for more.

Plot

This issue sees the younger Beast attempt to save his future self, using Jean Grey's new telepathic powers to allow the future Beast to help him. Meanwhile Cyclops attempts to recruit a mutant that has been expelled from his school after he was revealed to be a mutant.

Review

This was a very good issue, and better than the previous, but still not quite as good as I'd hoped for. Although Brian Michael Bendis has done an excellent job of introducing all these teams to the one series, he hasn't quite managed to fulfil my expectations, and at times I think he's shown good ideas, but not at there full potential. Besides that I have however been enjoying this series, and everything that is happening in it. I've also liked that there are a lot of questions still to be solved, which leaves plenty of room for future stories, and I hope they're not disappointing. I've also thoroughly enjoyed seeing how the younger X-Men have reacted to this future world, and how Bendis has handled that.

Stuart Immonen continues to produce fantastic art, which doesn't disappoint. The detail in his art is excellent, but like last issue, is poor in certain places, and looks rushed. I still think that this is mainly due to the shipping schedule, as with the series coming out basically every two weeks it doesn't give much time for the artist to do as good a job as possible. I hope this isn't a recurring thing, as his art in the first three issues was near perfect, and I'd rather the series came out once a month than continue with these inconsistencies, as it's not fair on Immonen, and it's not fair to the fans. Immonen does however continue showing perfect character emotion, and continues to give us beautiful layouts, especially the double page showing Jean's future flash before her eyes.

Saving Beast

This issue mainly focuses on the younger Beast attempting to save his future self. Jean uses her newly acquired telepathic powers so as younger Beast can talk to the present Beast, and get some help. I've been really looking forward to this, ever since it was revealed that Beast may die in the first issue, and it didn't disappoint. It was a brilliant sequence, and I loved that present Beast's mental image of himself is the one most people will know which is the simple blue fur look he's had since the 70's. I liked this as I grew up watching the 90's X-Men Animated series, and that's how he looked in that. It is however interesting that Beast chose this mental form, as there's obviously something he doesn't like about his current form, but isn't that upset with being blue that he reverts to what he looked like when he joined the X-Men. I know that the later would be confusing, as both Beast's would look the same, and although I liked seeing Beast in this form it wasn't really explained why, which was very slightly disappointing.

Cyclops Recruiting

I've been happy that the last couple of issue have still focused on the new mutants, as that's the biggest thing to come out of Avengers Vs. X-Men. I also liked that despite Cyclops taking some of the responsibility for Benjamin's expulsion, that Benjamin is still not easily persuaded to join Cyclops' school. It was also interesting to learn a bit about what powers Benjamin possesses, and how Cyclops offers to help him with them. It does however feel slightly weird seeing Cyclops offer to help mutants with their powers, especially considering he can't fully control his own any more. It will also be interesting if Benjamin ever becomes a villain, as he appears to have a temper, and a mean side. I don't see the later happening any time soon, if ever, but thought that I'd mention it.

Jean's Future

The most interesting thing in this issue was Jean asking Beast from the present to show her how she dies. She lands ups seeing everything that happened in her life, which Beast witnessed, and how she eventually died. This was very interesting as knowing your own death is something a lot of people wouldn't like to know. I was however slightly surprised that Beast had nothing against this, as despite him already potentially messing with the timeline, he's willing to let Jean do the same. At the same time you can't blame Beast for letting her see her future, as he cares for her a lot, and realises that he'd be a hypocrite if he didn't. Seeing her future also leads to Jean making a surprising decision, but I won't spoil that.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, but not quite as good as I'd hoped. I would however highly recommend it, as well as the previous issues in the series, and am looking forward to the next issue.

Rating: 4.5/5