ASTONISHING X-MEN VOL. 6: EXOGENETIC (Marvel, 2011; Softcover)
Collects Astonishing X-Men Nos. 31-35 (cover dates December, 2009- October, 2010)
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Phil Jimenez
This was X-cellent. I should have read this before Uncanny X-Men: The Birth of Generation Hope, because it foreshadows the falling out between the Beast and Cyclops in that book. Warren Ellis is a great writer, and I will add him to my short list of 'must buy' creators for modern X-titles. I love his characterization. He gets what the core of these characters are really about. Cyclops is not the military strategist/ genius that Matt Fraction has painted him as. Here, Ellis has him as the Cyclops of old, second guessing himself and flying by the seat of his pants. Wolverine is not the immortal, omnipotent ninja that countless writers have crapped him into being, but the Wolverine that I fell in love with. Tough to get along with but ultimately will do the right thing. Even The White Queen didn't make me cringe here, again unlike Fraction's take on the character. It was also great to see the Brood again, albeit in a mutated strain form.
Phil Jimenez's artwork is top notch. This looks like a comic book, not a bunch of photoshop treated stills. He has the polish of prime John Byrne, and his action sequences are tremendous. His style is a marriage of Alan Davis and John Byrne, with modern flourishes. Tasty and tasteful.
This was a great read, but my opinion of the modern X-Men as a whole stands. I am still done with these titles unless specific creators who have earned my goodwill return to the title. Warren Ellis has earned my goodwill...and my hard earned money.
The OCD zone- My OCD is a strange beast. I usually prefer hardcovers at all costs, but since I started this series in softcover, I have passed on the past two Premiere Hardcovers, and waited for the softcovers instead. I have similarly avoided upgrading this series, first to over-sized hardcover, and next the Omnibus. Why, I can't say. I loved the first four softcovers which comprise the Omnibus, but have been able to resist the upgrade. Strange.
This has the same wax coated stock hardcover found on all Marvel trade paperbacks, and I love it. The paper is a tad thinner than the old paper Marvel used to use, but I doubt that anyone in their right mind would notice. Did I mention that I am not in my right mind?
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The nice thing about softcovers is that they're cheaper and more can fit on the shelf! Though, judging from the used graphic novels I've received from GoHastings, they're far less durable...
ReplyDeleteI always thought of Phil Jimenez as a George Perez acolyte, but you're right - he's brought others' influences into his work to create his own thing. This was a great book.
"I usually prefer hardcovers at all costs". Not true, mister softcover Masterwork guy.
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