Penciler: Jim Lee (co-collaborator in plot)
Inker: Scott Williams
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Review: Art Bee
The X-Men #1 was published in September, 1963. For nearly 30 years the series remained unbroken on its course until 1991, when Marvel began its early pimpin’ era. At this point, in October, 1991, Marvel reboots the storyline into X-Men, featuring Cyclops’ Blue Team, and The Uncanny X-men, featuring Storm’s Gold Team. At the time this seemed like a decent way to give the reader more, but a trend was starting in Marvel that would dilute almost every successful intellectual property the company owned. In 1991 you needed two titles per month to get what was going on in the world of X-men; now a person needs to read eight.
See, they be straight pimpin’.
I found this comic book recently in a back issue box, but if I had picked it up in 1991, my excitement would have made my head spin right off my shoulders! A double-sized issue to kick off double the X-Men each month…sign me up! This was the book to do just that.
The issue begins with the heart of the plot pulled, still beating, from the story and thrust into the readers face. We find astronauts, mutant and human, locked in combat while trying to reach an orbiting asteroid, dubbed Asteroid M, which is in geosynchronous orbit (Educational note: term means to orbit at the same rate as the Earth’s rotation resulting in the object staying stationary in result to a point on the surface of the planet). Asteroid M is the home of Magneto and he has made a mutant-friendly sanctuary on the asteroid.
The main focus for this issue is to introduce the new concept of splitting the storyline between two teams and two separate comic titles. About halfway into the issue, Prof. Xavier makes the decision to create two teams, Blue and Gold. From this point forward the focus shifts from all of the X-men to just the ones on the Blue Team: Cyclops (lead), Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Beast, and Psylocke. These characters are a powerhouse team, but they have some personality issues to work out (eventually they do after awhile into the series).
X-Men #1 was just what was expected. A dramatic, dialogue-heavy story with some nice mutant action sprinkled into it…heavily. What I found most effective was the synchronous storytelling. Claremont and Lee did a deadly accurate job of pulling the converging plotlines together. The story flipped back and forth until the Blue Team encounters Magneto in the second half of the issue. The dialogue in the story flows well through most of the issue. At a few points the script seemed to get a little mechanical, but these points were trying to convey information that most readers already know while educating others. I get it. This is necessary to attract new readers.
The eye candy art of the issue is the best. Remember, at the time this issue was produced, Marvel had standards for the artists drawing and coloring for them. This issue’s artwork is gorgeous. The two page artwork introducing the X-men on pages 8 and 9 was the best for me. All of my favorite X-men together, portrayed in action, just makes me shiver with delight. What kills the art is the constant ads throughout the issue which seemed a little more than necessary, although one ad really intrigued me. The ad provided a number to call to battle some of the X-men’s villains. When prompted you enter a 1-4 corresponding to one of the X-men characters to use their powers. The ad said you could have won artwork, posters, etc. Honestly, I would have called for the chances to win. I would have called from my phone, my neighbor’s phone, friends, and anyone else allowing me to do so.
I am glad to have nabbed this issue out of a back issue box. If only I had been more diligent in my X-men reading over the years, I would have already had this issue and many others. Fortunately there is always hunting them down. That’s more fun anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment