NEW X-MEN #45 REVIEW

[Anand Khatri]

<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=11559"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/nxv2-45t.jpg" vspace=10 hspace=10 align=left alt="New X-Men #45"></a>Reviewer: Anand Khatri, CaptainBuddocks@aol.com
Story Title: Messiah CompleX, Chapter Seven

“You call yourself Deathstrike. Show me."

Writers: Craig Kyle and Chris Yost
Penciler: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Carlos Cuevas
Colorist: Studio F’s Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Assistant Editors: Will Panzo and Daniel Ketchum
Editor: Nick Lowe
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Published By: Marvel Comics
Cover A by: Finch, Miki, Keith
Cover B by: Simones Bianchi and Peruzzi

After two surprisingly disappointing issues (Uncanny X-Men #493 and X-Factor #26), this weeks’ chapter of Marvels’ Messiah Complex didn’t have my full anticipation. For two reasons: The first being that the last two issues in the story felt forced and unfocused; Secondly, because this would be the second issue of New X-Men that I would buy and read. Even though the last issue of this series (New X-Men, not Messiah Complex) piqued my curiosity a bit, I was afraid that this issue would suffer from editorial interference like the previous two installments in this crossover. Thankfully, I was wrong.

Chapters six and seven lacked progression, and that’s what made this issue stand out. It’s a breath of fresh air since the overall story seemed to have stagnated over the last two weeks. The last two issues didn’t move the story along much, featured unsatisfying action sequences, and failed to build any resonant tension. There were minor cliffhangers throughout Uncanny X-Men #493 and X-Factor #26 – such as Cable’s stand off with Deathstrike and every time Predator X ate someone – but nothing that really stood out. What they last two issues didn’t have was substance as well as energy. It was getting boring. The team of Craig Kyle, Chris Yost, and Humberto Ramos changed all that simply by adding one thing: Action!

How did action help this story? This issue has a ****-load of it and it made the story exciting again. What’s more exciting than seeing beloved characters fight for their life? One of the main reasons people read comic books is to see what happens next. “Who is that guy? Where did he come from? What does he want? Will the heroes win? Will they even survive?” Those are questions that bring the audience back and this issue gives the reader reasons to tune in again. Such as is this the last of Caliban? Did X-23 put down Deathstrike for good? What is Cable’s game? Questions that are raised and (hopefully) will be answered in the future.

<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=11560" target="_blank"><img src=" http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/nxv2-45vt.jpg" vspace=10 hspace=10 align=right alt="New X-Men #45 (variant)"></a>Another way the action helped was that it helped focus the issue. It gave the issue a direction and didn’t stray away from it. Last weeks X-Factor was a bit scattered since it had to touch down on more than one plot line, like every issue of this story has. The blame for that lies with all that is happening within the four titles; since there is so much going on, the recent issues are becoming cluttered. The good thing this week was that Kyle and Yost worked with it. They wrote a battle that had been coming for a while (Cable vs. Deathstrike vs. The New X-Force); they make you wonder about the fate of a few characters (Caliban, Deathstrike, the recovering Hellion and Nightcrawler); they very briefly visit Layla and Jamie in the future, but at the same time progress their story a little; they also raise questions concerning Wolfsbane during the fight; and finally they use only one page to make Predator X’s presence known. That is something that I think is a good since so far Predator X isn’t doing much for the story except playing the part of ‘unexpected impending doom’ and I’m pretty sure he won’t do much except eat a few more people closer to the end of this story. He’ll just be the terrible, violent force that the X-Men have to deal with just because he’s there. I guess it’s also a good thing we haven’t seen much of the Marauders the last three issues since that would be one more group of people that would have been to be squeezed into this book.

Now as for the art, Humberto Ramos is perfect for this book. The guy can really draw a great fight. The characters move fast, think fast, fight fast, and are full of raw energy. There is also a sense of grace in the characters he draws. Their poses give off just the right feel for the scene and even though it is a chaotic fight, the reader won’t be confused as to what is happening.

One last thing I’d like to talk about and that is X-23. Like I said before this is my second issue of New X-Men and I haven’t had any interest in the character because I believe that Marvel Comics needs a lot less Wolverine. The thing is, X-23 was something that Wolverine hasn’t been in a while and that is a bad ass. Since after Greg Rucka’s run (Wolverine vol.3 #1-#19) on the current volume of Wolverine, Logan has reverted back to his 90's persona. He’s tough as hell, but all the wrong parts of his character are downplayed. He could still kill you, but for some reason he doesn’t feel like a threat anymore. Not this clone girl. Her dialog alone during her fight with Deathstrike made her a bad ass, then came the fight! I’m still not a fan of the idea of another Wolverine, clone or otherwise, but in this issue she was used well.

So in short, this issue was basically a big fight with a good amount of story, but it got the ball moving. Things are finally heating up and X-23 is a bad ass. :)

OVERALL:
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Buy New X-Men #45 online from X-WORLD and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1245&cat=NEW+X%2DMEN+%28CURRENT+SERIES%29 =24948)

[ursabearX]

Hell Yeah X-23 took a huge can of whoop ass and comenced to open it on to Lady D, this issue was very cool and I agree it did progress the story much better then the last two instalment, I even liked the ar, which Im not a Ramos fan. My only grip was not very much of the new or "Young" X-men team. cant wait till X-men 206, over all im really digging this crossover.

[chickrockguitar]

Laura does indeed rock. Been saying that since her first mini!!

[AngelofDeath69]

Good Issue. it was thankful to see action and some character moments at the same time. Hopefully UXM and X-Factor previous issues were only just a minor setback in quality.

[Havok-X2]

Great issue and this proved why I love X-23. I felt that they have been writing her way too soft in this book so I was pleeased with what she did to Lady Deathstrike. She deserved that.

As usual, Im not a big fan of Ramos' art. What was up with his Layla? She looked like she was 7

[heffy]

Well we finally see Darwin, and we know who is on the cover of the next issue of X-men. It seems like Layla and Jamie are in "Bishop's" time line. but when are we going to see where the other Dupe went?

[emesem]

this whole thing reads like a bad flashback to the 90s...truly awful

[Xavier Disciple]

Loved the issue. I was surprised however by how graphic the violence was, especially how Warpath dispatched the guy who shot Caliban.
And yeah, when are we going to see where the other dupe went? I totally forgot about him.

[wire154]

this whole thing reads like a bad flashback to the 90s...truly awful

Yeah, the 90s...comics shipped on time, characters were written consistently, events in one title (or in previous issues of the same title) were acknowledged in other titles, it didn't take six months to write a single fight scene...oh, the horror! The horror!!!!!!!!!

[emesem]

Yeah, the 90s...comics shipped on time, characters were written consistently, events in one title (or in previous issues of the same title) were acknowledged in other titles, it didn't take six months to write a single fight scene...oh, the horror! The horror!!!!!!!!!


what you characterize as 90s sounds more like the 80s

[HandofGod]

whats with the 90s hate?

It had its bad moments and amazing moments.

AoA Anyone? the 90s version! Vertigo comics?

If you didn’t like 90s comics you were just reading the wrong stuff.

[wire154]

what you characterize as 90s sounds more like the 80s

Point well taken - the same can also apply to the 80s, maybe even more so. But I liked the 90s, up until 1998 or so, when everything (at least in the X-comics) went completely off the rails, and casts of entire books were dumped without explanation, etc.

I can see why people don't like the 90s - there were too many crossovers, the big guns blazing, ridiculously overworked costumes, etc. But for me - and I say this as someone who started with the X-Men with Giant-Size #1 - the 90s from the X-Cutioners Song through at least the Age of Apocalypse were a high point. The events in all the separate titles felt integrated, characters were developed better than ever, the different titles - both X-Men, X-Factor, Generation X, X-Force, Wolverine, Excalibur and Cable - all felt like they had reasons to exist. There were definite problems - what the hell was up with the whole Revanche thing, for instance - but overall I felt like 92-95 were very good years, 96-97 were fairly okay, but things were starting to get shaky, then things completely collapsed in 98, best exemplified by the horrendous Mutant X.

Things started to fall apart after AOA, with the unnecessary introduction of Nate Grey into the mainstream X-Universe and the retooling of X-Factor & X-Force, the Onslaught saga was only semi-coherent, then things completely went to hell around the time Excalibur and X-Factor limped to their ends in 98 (was there ever any sort of resolution with all the different dimwits from Bishop's timeline who overwhelmed X-Factor at the end of its original run?) and things became pretty unreadable for many, many years following.

But I think part of the reason I've been enjoying Messiah CompleX is it is such an obvious throwback to The X-Cutioner's Song, although so far it hasn't felt anywhere near as satisfyingly overstuffed as that crossover did after 8 chapters. Back then, a 12 part storyline meant an awful lot of stuff was going to happen. Nowadays, it means a conversation can last an entire issue and people won't get quite as upset since it's part of a long crossover.

[Havok-X2]

Things started to fall apart after AOA, with the unnecessary introduction of Nate Grey into the mainstream X-Universe and the retooling of X-Factor & X-Force, the Onslaught saga was only semi-coherent, then things completely went to hell around the time Excalibur and X-Factor limped to their ends in 98 (was there ever any sort of resolution with all the different dimwits from Bishop's timeline who overwhelmed X-Factor at the end of its original run?) and things became pretty unreadable for many, many years following.

IA with most of your post but this. Retooling X-force was the best thing to happen to that book. The Loeb/Pollina era was gold and the best writing the series had. That title was great up until Revolution where they completely messed with it for no good reason.

And I thought Excalibur was kind of good after Onslaught. It actually felt like an X-book and I loved the lineup of Colossus, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Wolfsbane, Meaggan, Pete Wisdom and Cypher.

[Jason Grasso]

I thought the two presumed deaths in this issue were completely empty. Talk about two characters that seem to always meet their end only to come back years later. It's irritating if that's supposed to carry some dramatic oomph, whether it be emotional loss or trying to convince me that X-23 is awesome.