Review: AMAZING X-MEN #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciler: Ed McGuinness
Inker: Dexter Vines
Colors: Marte Gracia
Letter: VC’s Joe Caramagna
For those who don’t know, Nightcrawler died during the “Second Coming” storyline in the X-books. He died defending Hope from the villain Bastion.
“Second Coming” was in 2010, so Marvel gets a little credit for keeping Nightcrawler dead for as many years as they have. His death was controversial at the time. Nightcrawler was a fan favorite character and had never been killed before. The X-Men creative team felt like that made him the perfect sacrifice for story purposes.
Fast forward to the launch of Jason Aaron’s Wolverine and the X-Men in 2011. As the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning opens, some familiar blue creatures start popping up (or BAMF’ing up) on campus. No explanation is given as to their origin. Two years later, it looks like we’re finally getting that origin in Amazing X-Men #1. Along with the resurrection of Nightcrawler.
What I Liked
With this being a new #1, Aaron uses the technique of allowing readers to experience things through the eyes of a new teacher at the Jean Grey School, Firestar. Seeing as how I grew up reading the original New Warriors book, I’m glad to see Firestar being utilized again.
We’re very quickly re-acquainted with Kurt Wagner. We get his fun-loving nature mixed with adventurer mixed with his ability to let things weigh on him. Nightcrawler is not one to easily dismiss things. He gives everything deep thought….even his time spent in the afterlife.
The art team of Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines and Marte Gracia give us pretty, bright interiors. There’s nothing sloppy here. McGuinness has said in interviews how once he heard Nightcrawler was returning, he lobbied to be the artist. He’s a fan and it comes across in his artwork. You can tell McGuinness is having fun in each panel and each page.
What I Didn’t Like
Aaron is familiar with the main cast (they are all teachers at the Jean Grey School), yet a lot of their personalities felt wrong. Almost every word balloon from an X-Men ended with an exclamation mark. All the screaming and yelling wasn’t necessary. Especially in one-on-one conversations.
Summary
Amazing X-Men #1 is the newest X-book on the market. It almost feels like a merging of the canceled Astonishing X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men with how the casts are similar.
Readers got to see Nightcrawler after years of not appearing in an X-book, our main villain, and the X-Men. Not a bad introductory issue.
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
