Review: ALL-NEW X-MEN #17

Writer:  Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler:  Stuart Immonen
Inker:  Wade von Grawbadger
Colorist:  Marte Garcia
Letterer:  VC’s Cory Petit

When last we left Battle of the Atom, X-Men from the past, present and future were fighting it out.  Also, Magik took the original Beast and Iceman to the future to get some answers on the true identities of the future X-Men.  Prepared to enter a dystopian future, what they found was the exact opposite.  There was even another set of future X-Men there to meet our time-travelers.

What I Liked

All-New X-Men is my favorite ongoing X-Men comic.  That is all because of the stellar work that Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen have done on the book.  It’s no surprised that their comic has been my favorite of the crossover so far.  Marte Garcia might be the best colorist in the business also.

Bendis gets extra props for providing a twist in the middle portion of the crossover by introducing this other group of future X-Men.  Originally I thought the issue would deal with the future X-Men trying to get Magik, Beast and Iceman to go back to their timeline to prevent destroying the time stream.  Instead, we got even more information on events that led to the future X-Men splitting ranks.

Part of the fun is looking at this new group of future X-Men and guessing who they are/who’s offspring they come from.  There’s even one scene with about 10+ X-Men in it that fanboys can have fun with.

What I Didn’t Like

The new team of future X-Men were pretty adamant about Magik, Beast and Iceman not finding out how the future unfolds.  Then they have a vote and decide to come back to the present?  That’s a very quick reversal.  It’s not like Magik, Beast and Iceman made a strong argument on why this second group of future X-Men should come back with them.

I doubt we find out the answer to this and without going into spoiler-territory, but why Dazzler?  I know Bendis is starting to feature her in Uncanny X-Men, but it makes me wonder does he have even larger plans for her going forward.

Plus we didn’t get to find out who every member of this new future X-Men team are.

Summary

After the swerve in last issue, All-New X-Men #17 doesn’t spend much time dwelling on it.  The story continues, with new wrinkles thrown in to keep things moving.  New questions are raised, and the next conflict is set up.  Hopefully the new few issues of Battle of the Atom can keep the momentum going.

This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network.  They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/

Timdogg

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE