Brian Wilkinson
May 2, 2002, 12:00 am
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/ultxmen17.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/ultxmen17t.jpg" align=left alt="Ultimate X-Men #17"></a>Reviewer: Brian E. Wilkinson, bewilkinson@yahoo.ca
Quick Rating: Great!
Story Title: World Tour, Part 2
A trip to Muir Island leaves the X-Men with a ton of revelations about their teacher, a new threat to be dealt with, and more trouble than they can shake a stick at.
Written by: Mark Millar
Penciled by: Adam Kubert
Inked by: Danny Miki
Lettered by: Chris Eliopoulos
Colored by: J.D. Smith
Associate Editors: C.B. Cebulski & Brian Smith
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
For my money, Ultimate X-Men is the best comic that has come out in years. It’s kind of ironic that I make this statement as I almost passed it over when it first came out for fear it would be a kiddie version of the X-Men books that I know and love. I was unprepared for the complex and compelling tale that Mark Millar (The Ultimates) was capable of weaving, and though I knew to expect great things from Adam Kubert (Wolverine, Uncanny X-Men) I was still amazed at how much his art has improved with this series.
The way Millar writes this series comes across as a natural and fitting evolution for the characters. They carry their baggage from one issue to the next, but seriously, how long until one of them breaks under the strain? Colossus disappeared last issue (and yes, he’s back with this one) but how long until a permanent departure is made? I’m not sure how long I would be willing to put up with all that the X-Men have. I wonder... is it a measure of their dedication or their fear of the world outside that holds them?
Muir Island, Scotland, is the destination for part two of the ‘World Tour’ arc which sees the X-Men taking a trip around the world to promote Xavier’s book on mutant/human relations. Things could be going better for the team as they’ve just been handed a doozy of a revelation about their teacher: he was married, has a son named David, and that his money doesn’t solely come from an inheritance his parents have left him. Granted the first two are merely omissions, but why would he conceal the truth about where his money comes from? Whatever the source of funding, one can’t help but be impressed by what has been entrusted to Xavier as the mansion and all of its resources weren’t the only facility created. In fact, Muir Island is also sourced by the same pool of money the X-Men draw on and functions as a kind of ‘care’ facility for socially unacceptable mutants. If I were one of the X-Men, I would seriously be considering my role as a member of this group if things this big are going to be regularly concealed from me.
Before the issue even really takes off, the X-Men are forced into the reality that there may be more to Xavier than meets the eye. I’ve mentioned in past reviews that the Ultimate version of Xavier makes me uneasy as he is willing to use his powers in questionable ways, has indirectly lied to his students, and is more than willing to place them in harms way. For a man whose life mission is peace, he certainly isn’t off to a great beginning.
Millar also reveals the nature of the abilities that the Ultimate version of Proteus has. Similar to the main Marvel Universe, David can control the state of matter around himself, essentially warping reality to suit his needs. As his own body is no longer able to support his essence, David has discovered that he can jump from body to body, but his presence in these hosts is fatal if left unchecked. His incredible powers even seem to include telepathy. All of that being said, when the X-Men confront him at Burger King (c’mon Mark, couldn’t you have sent him to a better place than that?), they discover that despite his young age, David is far from a pushover.
Some GREAT character development in this issue with some outstanding moments from Beast and Iceman. With Xavier down, Beast quickly assumes temporary leadership and does his best to incapacitate David but only succeeds in angering him. Though we’ve gotten glimpses in the past that Beast was often teased in school, David forces him to mentally relive some of the worst moments. Millar also uses David to remind us that Iceman is still barely a teenager and that he isn’t handling the stress of being a member of the X-Men as well as the others. Apparently he still wets the bed sometimes when he dreams about confronting Magneto and the Brotherhood. Though David uses this to humiliate Bobby, it has a strong impact on the reader. How can one not feel compassion and understanding for what Iceman is going through? I’d forgotten how young he was and how terrifying it must be to constantly put into situations where your life is on the line. Though others may be more visibly affected by their time with the X-Men (i.e. Beast’s new blue appearance) I think it’s safe to say that Iceman is one of the most traumatized. I hope Millar continues to dwell upon this fact in future issues.
I’m also in awe of how Wolverine was used this issue. Not only did Proteus take over his body and cause some major havoc, but then he forces him in front of a moving truck that would have completely splattered him if not for the adamantium skeleton (which is unbreakable). Rough stuff, to be sure, but darn good storytelling. The only thing I’m confused about is why David would give up a body that could likely support him indefinitely?
A complaint I have about this issue is in how Millar uses Agent Betsy Braddock (aka Psylocke in the main Marvel universe). While long time X-Men readers will know about her telepathic/telekinetic powers, the supposed uninitiated audience of Ultimate X-Men isn’t as fortunate. During the X-Men’s first encounter with Proteus, she comments on hearing telepathic static coming from David’s host body, yet nowhere before was it even mentioned that she was a mutant. In fact, how she managed to even find out about the trouble at Muir Island given that it happened the previous day remains a mystery. Though I love the fact that Pyslocke is a part of this issue, it would go a long way with me to explain why she is there.
My other complaint is that I want to see more of this Colossus sub-plot! Jean and Scott catch up with him in Russia, but he’s acting very strangely. He basically blows them off and tells them that he’s through with following Xavier’s dream. Millar has done a fantastic job here as I have NO idea what’s going on and can’t wait even a minute to find out next month. Why does this series only come out once a month? Once a week wouldn’t be enough for me if these are the kind of stories Millar keeps putting out.
Millar’s writing is once again excellent this issue. His characters show true depth and believability, his storylines compelling and thought provoking, and no one creates a better cliffhanger ending! What really strikes me about this issue isn’t in how well Millar handles confrontations, but in the subtle revelations he makes about his characters. In only 17 issues, I’ve come to see these characters are real, believable people. Their experiences affect how they act just as naturally as they would a person in real life. The core X-Men books from the Marvel Universe are often lacking in this department. The strength of those books comes from the obstacles they overcome rather than in the depth of their characters. I’m not saying there hasn’t been some brilliant character development in those books, just that it isn’t on par with how far Ultimate X-Men has come already in its short existence.
Adam Kubert delivers once again with great art to compliment the story, but the style he used on the first few pages had me briefly in doubt as to whether or not he was the artist on this issue. I know fan favorite Chris Bachalo (Generation X, Steampunk) will be lending his talents on the next two issues of this arc but some of the panels Kubert has drawn here had a similar feel to Bachalo’s gothic style. Until I checked the credits at the beginning of the issue, I wasn’t sure at first if I was mistaken and Bachalo had begun his fill-in early. This isn’t to say that the art is bad in this issue, far from it, just that it seems a departure from the tone Kubert had used in past issues. There was only one spot where I was confused by what was happening: Iceman was confronting David and the panel showed someone getting blasted by energy. I had assumed it was Iceman as the placement of the character was similar to how Iceman was placed in the panel above, but apparently it was David being hit with a lightning bolt that Storm had generated. Not a big complaint, really, but I had to go back and forth a couple times to make sure I hadn’t missed something.
Though I don’t often comment on it, this month’s cover of Ultimate X-Men is amazing. Between the colouring effect done to Beast’s glasses by Richard Isanove as well as the detail given by Kubert in Hank’s expression, his fur, and eye, I can honestly say that this is one of the best covers that Marvel has produced this year.
So, there you have it… with each issue I claim that it is the best yet, and once again Ultimate X-Men has exceeded all my expectations. How can you not love a series that surprises you again and again? If I were you, I’d go out and buy TWO copies today. It’s just that darn good.
{I may be nitpicking, but I had Burger King for lunch.}
Art:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Story:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Overall:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!
Quick Rating: Great!
Story Title: World Tour, Part 2
A trip to Muir Island leaves the X-Men with a ton of revelations about their teacher, a new threat to be dealt with, and more trouble than they can shake a stick at.
Written by: Mark Millar
Penciled by: Adam Kubert
Inked by: Danny Miki
Lettered by: Chris Eliopoulos
Colored by: J.D. Smith
Associate Editors: C.B. Cebulski & Brian Smith
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas
For my money, Ultimate X-Men is the best comic that has come out in years. It’s kind of ironic that I make this statement as I almost passed it over when it first came out for fear it would be a kiddie version of the X-Men books that I know and love. I was unprepared for the complex and compelling tale that Mark Millar (The Ultimates) was capable of weaving, and though I knew to expect great things from Adam Kubert (Wolverine, Uncanny X-Men) I was still amazed at how much his art has improved with this series.
The way Millar writes this series comes across as a natural and fitting evolution for the characters. They carry their baggage from one issue to the next, but seriously, how long until one of them breaks under the strain? Colossus disappeared last issue (and yes, he’s back with this one) but how long until a permanent departure is made? I’m not sure how long I would be willing to put up with all that the X-Men have. I wonder... is it a measure of their dedication or their fear of the world outside that holds them?
Muir Island, Scotland, is the destination for part two of the ‘World Tour’ arc which sees the X-Men taking a trip around the world to promote Xavier’s book on mutant/human relations. Things could be going better for the team as they’ve just been handed a doozy of a revelation about their teacher: he was married, has a son named David, and that his money doesn’t solely come from an inheritance his parents have left him. Granted the first two are merely omissions, but why would he conceal the truth about where his money comes from? Whatever the source of funding, one can’t help but be impressed by what has been entrusted to Xavier as the mansion and all of its resources weren’t the only facility created. In fact, Muir Island is also sourced by the same pool of money the X-Men draw on and functions as a kind of ‘care’ facility for socially unacceptable mutants. If I were one of the X-Men, I would seriously be considering my role as a member of this group if things this big are going to be regularly concealed from me.
Before the issue even really takes off, the X-Men are forced into the reality that there may be more to Xavier than meets the eye. I’ve mentioned in past reviews that the Ultimate version of Xavier makes me uneasy as he is willing to use his powers in questionable ways, has indirectly lied to his students, and is more than willing to place them in harms way. For a man whose life mission is peace, he certainly isn’t off to a great beginning.
Millar also reveals the nature of the abilities that the Ultimate version of Proteus has. Similar to the main Marvel Universe, David can control the state of matter around himself, essentially warping reality to suit his needs. As his own body is no longer able to support his essence, David has discovered that he can jump from body to body, but his presence in these hosts is fatal if left unchecked. His incredible powers even seem to include telepathy. All of that being said, when the X-Men confront him at Burger King (c’mon Mark, couldn’t you have sent him to a better place than that?), they discover that despite his young age, David is far from a pushover.
Some GREAT character development in this issue with some outstanding moments from Beast and Iceman. With Xavier down, Beast quickly assumes temporary leadership and does his best to incapacitate David but only succeeds in angering him. Though we’ve gotten glimpses in the past that Beast was often teased in school, David forces him to mentally relive some of the worst moments. Millar also uses David to remind us that Iceman is still barely a teenager and that he isn’t handling the stress of being a member of the X-Men as well as the others. Apparently he still wets the bed sometimes when he dreams about confronting Magneto and the Brotherhood. Though David uses this to humiliate Bobby, it has a strong impact on the reader. How can one not feel compassion and understanding for what Iceman is going through? I’d forgotten how young he was and how terrifying it must be to constantly put into situations where your life is on the line. Though others may be more visibly affected by their time with the X-Men (i.e. Beast’s new blue appearance) I think it’s safe to say that Iceman is one of the most traumatized. I hope Millar continues to dwell upon this fact in future issues.
I’m also in awe of how Wolverine was used this issue. Not only did Proteus take over his body and cause some major havoc, but then he forces him in front of a moving truck that would have completely splattered him if not for the adamantium skeleton (which is unbreakable). Rough stuff, to be sure, but darn good storytelling. The only thing I’m confused about is why David would give up a body that could likely support him indefinitely?
A complaint I have about this issue is in how Millar uses Agent Betsy Braddock (aka Psylocke in the main Marvel universe). While long time X-Men readers will know about her telepathic/telekinetic powers, the supposed uninitiated audience of Ultimate X-Men isn’t as fortunate. During the X-Men’s first encounter with Proteus, she comments on hearing telepathic static coming from David’s host body, yet nowhere before was it even mentioned that she was a mutant. In fact, how she managed to even find out about the trouble at Muir Island given that it happened the previous day remains a mystery. Though I love the fact that Pyslocke is a part of this issue, it would go a long way with me to explain why she is there.
My other complaint is that I want to see more of this Colossus sub-plot! Jean and Scott catch up with him in Russia, but he’s acting very strangely. He basically blows them off and tells them that he’s through with following Xavier’s dream. Millar has done a fantastic job here as I have NO idea what’s going on and can’t wait even a minute to find out next month. Why does this series only come out once a month? Once a week wouldn’t be enough for me if these are the kind of stories Millar keeps putting out.
Millar’s writing is once again excellent this issue. His characters show true depth and believability, his storylines compelling and thought provoking, and no one creates a better cliffhanger ending! What really strikes me about this issue isn’t in how well Millar handles confrontations, but in the subtle revelations he makes about his characters. In only 17 issues, I’ve come to see these characters are real, believable people. Their experiences affect how they act just as naturally as they would a person in real life. The core X-Men books from the Marvel Universe are often lacking in this department. The strength of those books comes from the obstacles they overcome rather than in the depth of their characters. I’m not saying there hasn’t been some brilliant character development in those books, just that it isn’t on par with how far Ultimate X-Men has come already in its short existence.
Adam Kubert delivers once again with great art to compliment the story, but the style he used on the first few pages had me briefly in doubt as to whether or not he was the artist on this issue. I know fan favorite Chris Bachalo (Generation X, Steampunk) will be lending his talents on the next two issues of this arc but some of the panels Kubert has drawn here had a similar feel to Bachalo’s gothic style. Until I checked the credits at the beginning of the issue, I wasn’t sure at first if I was mistaken and Bachalo had begun his fill-in early. This isn’t to say that the art is bad in this issue, far from it, just that it seems a departure from the tone Kubert had used in past issues. There was only one spot where I was confused by what was happening: Iceman was confronting David and the panel showed someone getting blasted by energy. I had assumed it was Iceman as the placement of the character was similar to how Iceman was placed in the panel above, but apparently it was David being hit with a lightning bolt that Storm had generated. Not a big complaint, really, but I had to go back and forth a couple times to make sure I hadn’t missed something.
Though I don’t often comment on it, this month’s cover of Ultimate X-Men is amazing. Between the colouring effect done to Beast’s glasses by Richard Isanove as well as the detail given by Kubert in Hank’s expression, his fur, and eye, I can honestly say that this is one of the best covers that Marvel has produced this year.
So, there you have it… with each issue I claim that it is the best yet, and once again Ultimate X-Men has exceeded all my expectations. How can you not love a series that surprises you again and again? If I were you, I’d go out and buy TWO copies today. It’s just that darn good.
{I may be nitpicking, but I had Burger King for lunch.}
Art:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Story:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Overall:
http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xfull.jpghttp://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/xnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/newbooksmain.html) and save!