REVIEW: The Amazing X-Men #1 + 2

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Andy Kubert
Inker: Matt Ryan
Colorist: Kevin Somers
Review: Art Bee

Who doesn’t love a good X-Men story? Personally, I would like to believe everyone loves them. As a kid, X-Men was one of my staple comics, but in the 90s Marvel started getting greedy. They began multiplying the same story into various teams and groups of X-men. As a youngster my funds were very limited, so X-Men hit the chopping block. If I could not have them all; I would have none at all. Now in my adulthood I have a targeted approach to gathering some of the X-Men comics of old, especially those including Apocalypse.

These two issues are part of the opening of the “The Age of Apocalypse” event. The book focuses on a team of X-men featuring:  Storm, Banshee, Exodus, Iceman, Dazzler, and Quicksilver. The majority of North America is under the control of Apocalypse and his Horsemen, most of the humans are enslaved, and mutant-kind must either kneel to Apocalypse or die. Storm and her companions are sent to the coast of Maine to protect a large group of humans during their evacuation to the refuge shores of Europe.  

The story starts out a bit on the slow and boring side, but towards the end it gets to the point. At the close of the issue the X-men’s plan is messed up by the Brotherhood, but there is a major disappointment about it. The second issue is much better than the first as we are introduced to the first of the Horsemen, Abyss. Storm and Quicksilver take on this villain together, and we are forced to doubt Abyss’ claim of being a Horsemen.

My soft spot for the X-men keeps me from saying anything bad about them, but the writer, Fabian Nicieza, is no X-man. He gets the story told, but his work is awkward. During the first half of no. 1, the story seemed very stagnant and throughout both issues the dialogue was deplorable. Most of what each character said seemed forced and directed rather than natural. The only saving grace of the books was the quality of the subjects being used. Fabian Nicieza is not powerful enough to diminish the X-men…his mutation is very weak.

The artwork throughout these issues is amazing. There are pages where I was wishing for less detail! What is wrong with me?
Please don’t answer that…my psyche can’t bear it.
Each page is packed with beauty. I would have to say that my favorite bit in these pages was the Sentinels. The Sentinels in these issues were the best drawn and colored Sentinels I have seen. Their size and dread were expressed in an unusual manner, but I liked it.

Overall these issues are a delight to have in my possession. “The Age of Apocalypse” is an event on my wish list to complete, and one day I will be able find all included issues. Granted, I am not a huge fan of mega-events, but every so often one of them is worth investing in.