Brian Wilkinson
Apr 10, 2002, 09:26 pm
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/xtxmen012.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/xtxmen012t.jpg" align=left alt="X-Treme X-Men #12"></a> Reviewer: Brian E. Wilkinson, bewilkinson@yahoo.ca
Quick Rating: Excellent
Story Title: Second Front
Storm and Gambit are captives of the alien, Khan, but can the rest of the X-Treme X-Men survive the invasion from Dimension X let alone rescue their teammates?
Written by: Chris Claremont
Art by: Salvador Larroca
Letters by: Tom Orzechowski
Colors by: Liquid!
Assistant Editor: Lynne Yoshii
Editor: Andrew Lis
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
In today’s comic book industry you can hardly go a sentence without mentioning the phenomenon that is The X-Men. The sales of any comic dealing with the vast canon that X-Men have generated are sure to go through the roof as well as being met with critical acclaim. What is an even greater guarantee of success is to attach one man’s name to that x-title as fans around the globe sit up, take notice, and buy as much as they can. That man? Chris Claremont.
Not only is Chris Claremont the man, who over 25 years ago managed to almost single-handedly save a floundering series called Uncanny X-Men from cancellation, but also helped to bring in the silver age of comics and a renaissance age of sorts for the characters. After his 17-year run on the book, many tried to duplicate the results of this tireless work with varied results. Sure, we got a lot of great stories, but the magic that was Chris Claremont just wasn’t there. After a ten-year absence, he finally returned to his characters and new fans and old welcomed him with open arms. Sure, he was a bit rusty at first (who wouldn’t be after such a long absence, not to mention dozens of creators who have put his creations through a slew of new experiences) and his complex tales were deemed a bit too much to garner that precious new audience that Marvel sought in the wake of the X-Men feature film.
So, what could Marvel do to please both its long-term fans, as well as one of their most prized writers? The solution seemed simple: create a third core X-Men title, give it a distinctive spin (X-Treme X-Men) and allow Chris to go crazy. Perfect.
In only 12 issues, Claremont has reminded fans of what it means to love the X-Men. His stories and characters are fast paced, filled with character development, with the themes of love, friendship, and the war against fate. Their goal is to find Destiny’s diaries that contain vital information about the future and the coming trials the X-Men are to face. Knowledge is power, and devastating power if allowed to fall into the hands of their enemies. The challenges are many and though they’ve lost two of their own (Beast due to severe injuries and Psylocke’s death at the hands of Vargas), Storm, Bishop, Thunderbird, Red Lotus, Slipstream, Lifeguard, Sage, Gambit, and Rogue stand ready to do their part for Xavier’s dream of peace between man and mutant. Under the pen of Chris Claremont and the pencils of the incredibly talented Salvador Larroca it would seem that a new age is upon us, and Chris Claremont is at the head of it once again.
MAJOR rambling aside, I really liked issue #12 of the series. Despite my misgivings at another villain deciding to make a female member of the team his queen (Khan is after Storm this issue, and Rogue was sought after by the Shadow King in the X-Treme X-Men 2001 Annual), I’m really pleased to see that there is a lot more than meets the eye to Khan. In the first few pages, we get a glimpse into the mind of this man, and more than ever I’m convinced that despite his intentions of conquering the Earth, this is not and evil man. This shows that Claremont is more than capable of writing a ‘villain’ capable of depth and emotion, and that the lines between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are not always as clear as we would like them to be.
After a rather dull issue #11, I was ready and eager to see what one of my favorite writers had in store and I was not disappointed. Almost immediately I was wowed by the size and scope of the space station that Khan uses as his base, and in the use of the Venom-like symbiote that covered Storm’s body, and then attached itself to Shaitan to make the warrior appear to be her physical duplicate. This, more than anything, convinces me that Khan is a man to be feared and respected… it is no wonder he commands the utmost faith of those who follow him.
Still, one has to wonder if Khan knows what he’s gotten himself into. Earth, as over 60 years of Marvel continuity has proved, is impossible to take over. It has survived the Phoenix, multiple assaults from alien invaders, and has repelled Galactus, the eater of worlds. What chance does an alien army have? Perhaps Khan should have done his homework.
Despite the need to rescue both Gambit and Storm, the rest of the X-Men find themselves caught up in defending Madripoor against the threat of the alien invaders as well as the damage both sides are causing as a result. Bishop, Thunderbird, and Rogue show that they are quite capable of dealing with the threat from above while Lifeguard and Slipstream, the two newest team members who aren’t quite as experienced, rescue those in the crossfire. Obviously there isn’t a lot of character development during sequences such as these, but it is worth noting that Slipstream does not apparently need to be physically there in order to teleport other people. The scene in question is where Lifeguard uses her powers to rescue a family in a building, and just before everything collapses around her, she radios Slipstream who promptly teleports them. If this is going to be a consistent part of Slipstream’s bag of tricks, this would make him an invaluable asset. He would never have to be physically present, could damage enemies as well as friends, and would be a great way to pull any of them out of danger. That being said, he should just go and free Gambit… oh, I know, I know, nothing is ever that easy.
My favorite part of this issue comes in the conversation between Slipstream and Thunderbird as the life-changing ramifications of Davis’ decision to become a mutant are finally hitting him. Davis imagines what most of us do, that it would be ‘cool’ to have a mutant ability that sets us apart from everyone else. That allows us to do wonderful and fantastic things… but with this power comes a whole other world of problems with it. Though touching, I couldn’t help but feel a great sadness for Davis… Welcome to the X-Men, Davis. Hope you survive the experience.
Sage continues to be a focus for mystery and intrigue. Here, it is revealed that she watched as Viper nearly killed Storm and she did nothing to stop it. Sage also gets into an argument with Lifeguard about what Sage did to her brother, as well as her desire to do something similar to Lifeguard herself. Just when I think Sage is loosening up and becoming part of the team, she comes across as so cold and calculating that her description of being a ‘living computer’ works as much for her personality as it does her power. Sage is someone who definitely needs to be kept an eye on… especially if you add on the hint that Rogue’s powers seem to have been ‘jump-started’ to which Sage replies “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Maybe she needs TWO eyes on her at all times.
Larroca’s pencils on this issue capture the magnificence of the alien culture. The space station, street corners, and the uniforms of Khan’s army all work brilliantly together. It’s one thing to challenge your artist to create new kinds of clothes for your characters to wear, but Claremont challenged Larroca to create an entirely new species. Many seem split over the lack of inks used in X-Treme X-Men but I really like the effect. It gives all of the characters a softer look and makes the colours practically leap off the page. It also gives a slightly grainier look to the page that makes the textures, people, and environments seem more realistic.
Oh, and did I mention there was a brief appearance by Vargas in this issue? No? That's interesting... ;)
Though I wasn’t thrilled at all with last issue, I must say that #12 met and exceeded all expectations I had for this arc. In fact, I think this has been one of the best issues of the series yet. Its blend of fresh characters, fast-paced action, and incredible stories has made this the x-title to watch. Every member of the X-Treme cast gets a moment to shine in this issue as the story propels itself along to the inevitable conclusion. It is my sincere hope that Claremont can keep up his award-winning work and that this series continues on for many years. No one, and I mean no one has ever written the X-Men as well as this man. With the talent of Salvador Larroca keeping this book looking so good, I have no doubt that it is destined for the greatness that only the X-Men books of old have met so far.
{I may be nitpicking, but you gotta do what ya gotta do.}
Art:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg
Story:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg
Overall:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!
Quick Rating: Excellent
Story Title: Second Front
Storm and Gambit are captives of the alien, Khan, but can the rest of the X-Treme X-Men survive the invasion from Dimension X let alone rescue their teammates?
Written by: Chris Claremont
Art by: Salvador Larroca
Letters by: Tom Orzechowski
Colors by: Liquid!
Assistant Editor: Lynne Yoshii
Editor: Andrew Lis
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
In today’s comic book industry you can hardly go a sentence without mentioning the phenomenon that is The X-Men. The sales of any comic dealing with the vast canon that X-Men have generated are sure to go through the roof as well as being met with critical acclaim. What is an even greater guarantee of success is to attach one man’s name to that x-title as fans around the globe sit up, take notice, and buy as much as they can. That man? Chris Claremont.
Not only is Chris Claremont the man, who over 25 years ago managed to almost single-handedly save a floundering series called Uncanny X-Men from cancellation, but also helped to bring in the silver age of comics and a renaissance age of sorts for the characters. After his 17-year run on the book, many tried to duplicate the results of this tireless work with varied results. Sure, we got a lot of great stories, but the magic that was Chris Claremont just wasn’t there. After a ten-year absence, he finally returned to his characters and new fans and old welcomed him with open arms. Sure, he was a bit rusty at first (who wouldn’t be after such a long absence, not to mention dozens of creators who have put his creations through a slew of new experiences) and his complex tales were deemed a bit too much to garner that precious new audience that Marvel sought in the wake of the X-Men feature film.
So, what could Marvel do to please both its long-term fans, as well as one of their most prized writers? The solution seemed simple: create a third core X-Men title, give it a distinctive spin (X-Treme X-Men) and allow Chris to go crazy. Perfect.
In only 12 issues, Claremont has reminded fans of what it means to love the X-Men. His stories and characters are fast paced, filled with character development, with the themes of love, friendship, and the war against fate. Their goal is to find Destiny’s diaries that contain vital information about the future and the coming trials the X-Men are to face. Knowledge is power, and devastating power if allowed to fall into the hands of their enemies. The challenges are many and though they’ve lost two of their own (Beast due to severe injuries and Psylocke’s death at the hands of Vargas), Storm, Bishop, Thunderbird, Red Lotus, Slipstream, Lifeguard, Sage, Gambit, and Rogue stand ready to do their part for Xavier’s dream of peace between man and mutant. Under the pen of Chris Claremont and the pencils of the incredibly talented Salvador Larroca it would seem that a new age is upon us, and Chris Claremont is at the head of it once again.
MAJOR rambling aside, I really liked issue #12 of the series. Despite my misgivings at another villain deciding to make a female member of the team his queen (Khan is after Storm this issue, and Rogue was sought after by the Shadow King in the X-Treme X-Men 2001 Annual), I’m really pleased to see that there is a lot more than meets the eye to Khan. In the first few pages, we get a glimpse into the mind of this man, and more than ever I’m convinced that despite his intentions of conquering the Earth, this is not and evil man. This shows that Claremont is more than capable of writing a ‘villain’ capable of depth and emotion, and that the lines between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are not always as clear as we would like them to be.
After a rather dull issue #11, I was ready and eager to see what one of my favorite writers had in store and I was not disappointed. Almost immediately I was wowed by the size and scope of the space station that Khan uses as his base, and in the use of the Venom-like symbiote that covered Storm’s body, and then attached itself to Shaitan to make the warrior appear to be her physical duplicate. This, more than anything, convinces me that Khan is a man to be feared and respected… it is no wonder he commands the utmost faith of those who follow him.
Still, one has to wonder if Khan knows what he’s gotten himself into. Earth, as over 60 years of Marvel continuity has proved, is impossible to take over. It has survived the Phoenix, multiple assaults from alien invaders, and has repelled Galactus, the eater of worlds. What chance does an alien army have? Perhaps Khan should have done his homework.
Despite the need to rescue both Gambit and Storm, the rest of the X-Men find themselves caught up in defending Madripoor against the threat of the alien invaders as well as the damage both sides are causing as a result. Bishop, Thunderbird, and Rogue show that they are quite capable of dealing with the threat from above while Lifeguard and Slipstream, the two newest team members who aren’t quite as experienced, rescue those in the crossfire. Obviously there isn’t a lot of character development during sequences such as these, but it is worth noting that Slipstream does not apparently need to be physically there in order to teleport other people. The scene in question is where Lifeguard uses her powers to rescue a family in a building, and just before everything collapses around her, she radios Slipstream who promptly teleports them. If this is going to be a consistent part of Slipstream’s bag of tricks, this would make him an invaluable asset. He would never have to be physically present, could damage enemies as well as friends, and would be a great way to pull any of them out of danger. That being said, he should just go and free Gambit… oh, I know, I know, nothing is ever that easy.
My favorite part of this issue comes in the conversation between Slipstream and Thunderbird as the life-changing ramifications of Davis’ decision to become a mutant are finally hitting him. Davis imagines what most of us do, that it would be ‘cool’ to have a mutant ability that sets us apart from everyone else. That allows us to do wonderful and fantastic things… but with this power comes a whole other world of problems with it. Though touching, I couldn’t help but feel a great sadness for Davis… Welcome to the X-Men, Davis. Hope you survive the experience.
Sage continues to be a focus for mystery and intrigue. Here, it is revealed that she watched as Viper nearly killed Storm and she did nothing to stop it. Sage also gets into an argument with Lifeguard about what Sage did to her brother, as well as her desire to do something similar to Lifeguard herself. Just when I think Sage is loosening up and becoming part of the team, she comes across as so cold and calculating that her description of being a ‘living computer’ works as much for her personality as it does her power. Sage is someone who definitely needs to be kept an eye on… especially if you add on the hint that Rogue’s powers seem to have been ‘jump-started’ to which Sage replies “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Maybe she needs TWO eyes on her at all times.
Larroca’s pencils on this issue capture the magnificence of the alien culture. The space station, street corners, and the uniforms of Khan’s army all work brilliantly together. It’s one thing to challenge your artist to create new kinds of clothes for your characters to wear, but Claremont challenged Larroca to create an entirely new species. Many seem split over the lack of inks used in X-Treme X-Men but I really like the effect. It gives all of the characters a softer look and makes the colours practically leap off the page. It also gives a slightly grainier look to the page that makes the textures, people, and environments seem more realistic.
Oh, and did I mention there was a brief appearance by Vargas in this issue? No? That's interesting... ;)
Though I wasn’t thrilled at all with last issue, I must say that #12 met and exceeded all expectations I had for this arc. In fact, I think this has been one of the best issues of the series yet. Its blend of fresh characters, fast-paced action, and incredible stories has made this the x-title to watch. Every member of the X-Treme cast gets a moment to shine in this issue as the story propels itself along to the inevitable conclusion. It is my sincere hope that Claremont can keep up his award-winning work and that this series continues on for many years. No one, and I mean no one has ever written the X-Men as well as this man. With the talent of Salvador Larroca keeping this book looking so good, I have no doubt that it is destined for the greatness that only the X-Men books of old have met so far.
{I may be nitpicking, but you gotta do what ya gotta do.}
Art:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg
Story:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg
Overall:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!