Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Tales From the 50 Cent Bin! - X-Men #1

Well, after some thinking (I think), I have decided to do this one issue instead of the arc itself. Now I get to talk about how great this issue is....(reads issue)... Uh... crap.



I'm kidding. I actually picked up X-Men #1 at Outer Limits on the day one of my close friends got married. Since it has that "Most Bought Issue" thing about it, I decided to check it out and see if it was any good. Later on, I ended up getting the X-Men Forever Alpha, which has the first three issues of the run. Is this first issue an good? Find out below. The story is done by Chris Claremont (of course) and the art is done by some random Asian guy...what's his name... Oh yeah, he's named Jim Lee.

X-Men #1
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Jim Lee

We start off "IN SPAAAAACCEEE" as a fight between two vessels happens. Apparently, one of these ships houses a few mutants and they are trying to escape from the Russian Government. Suddenly, the stuff hits the fan as Magneto stops the fight and takes both parties aboard his home, Asteroid M. On Earth, the Russian and US government are talking about the situation and are worried about the reappearance of Magneto, who's been off the grid for a while.

We then shift to Xavier's mansion where we see the X-MEN (Oh yeah!) running a Danger Room simulation. Cyclops and a few others watch as Rogue, Iceman, Colossus, and Gambit, and Psylocke get their butts handed to them in the Danger Room. Yeah, there are a lot of X-Men this time around. Xavier is also back as the team's leader and talks to Jean about it.  Anyway, things are going swell and then this happens:
Me: What? Wolverine's claws are made of adamantium and can cut through anything? Holy... Wait, I know this already, Cyclops!

The team is then contacted by Nick Fury and he tells them the situation. Some are worried that Mags has gone bad again, but some like Rouge aren't sure because Mags was good at this time. Xavier decides to split this big team into two strike forces, Gold and Blue, to handle the situation and to put the less popular X-Men in the other book (lol).

Back on Asteroid M, the two parties wake up and start to fight. The mutants clearly have no love for the humans and vice-versa. Magneto shows and tries to ease the tension by giving in to his "Horrible fashion" side and tries to treat both parties well. The mutants, who have come here for protection, try to sway Mags back into be the "Savior of Mutantkind", but he wants no part of it. Suddenly, one of the mutants (the female no less) gets shot by one of the humans. It's here where we are reminded of the awesomeness that is Magneto as he gets ANGRY and kills that human. Fabian Cortez, one of the mutants, tells him that he and the rest of the mutants will follow him and has a few suggestions on what to do. Magneto listens. 

Me: ....what the heck is Magneto wearing? He looks like a reject from a early 80's music vid.

back at the mansion, Xavier finds out that Magneto is on Earth and sends the Blue Team (Cyclops, Logan, Rouge, Gambit, Beast, and Psylocke) after him. We then move to an ocean, where magneto is trying to retrieve some nuclear missiles from a submarine he sank long ago. The X-Men show up and start out with some talk, and it all goes to hell in a handbasket as a fight breaks out. Magneto gets hurt a little but is able to leave with the warheads. Rouge follows Magneto and tries to talk some sense into him, but when they go into Soviet airspace (...Were the Soviets still around at this time?), some planes shoot at Rouge and hurt her. Magneto gets peeved and explodes one warhead as he leaves and gets Rouge out of the area. Magneto heads back to Asteroid M, and... has an emo moment as he passes out from his injuries.

Well, I think this sums it up perfectly.

On Earth, the X-Men look for Rouge. Xavier is able to find her using Cerebro and it turns out she is in Genosha, the former mutant slave island. She gets tended to as the Acolytes, the mutants on Magneto's side show up to take Rouge and kill the politicians of Genosha. The X-Men then show up and a fight ensues between the them and the Acolytes. Suddenly, Magneto shows up re-powered and declares that Asteroid M is a sovereign nation and that all mutants (even the X-Men) are invited to come. the issue ends as Sean (Banshee) finds Moira crying and saying that it's all her fault. 
.....................................................

Well, that was a read! Is it any good? I think so. The only complaints I have with the issue itself is that it is really wordy. Really. Also, some of the coloring looks off. Other than those things, this is a pretty nice issue. It brings back all of the X-Men to once again to face Magneto. We do get a little more Magneto-time this time as he is kinda being forced back into being that villain again. While it is wordy, we do get some good character moments.  The artwork is also pretty good. So this is what Jim Lee looks like when he isn't doing splash pages all of the dang time! Another thing to add is that this issue was double sized-ish.  Anyway, good story and  good artwork make this money well spent. Now this is only part one. parts two and three are saved for later. And on that note, I'm out. 

NEXT TIME: ...DARK KNIGHT OVER METROPOLI...wait never mind!!  

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