Welcome back ComicAttackers and X-fans to this week’s edition of the All-New Uncanny X-Piles where a handful of our merriest mutant loving reviewers have dropped by once again to regale you with their thoughts on that one X-Title that has impacted them the most, be it good or bad, from last week’s releases. So keep reading, true believers, to discover what Infinite Speech and SpidermanGeek have to say about your favorite Marvel mutants’ adventures of the week and don’t forget to leave a comment to tell us what YOU think!
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All-New X-Men #28
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Stuart Immonen
I really can’t get enough of this title and how well it’s been coming together since the first issue! We all know that time travel can be a bit complicated and tricky but Bendis makes sure to keep things fun and exciting as well. The past couple of issues have been giving a look at the origin of the evil Brotherhood that made their debut during “Battle of the Atom” and are back currently kicking serious butt. The reason for their success is explained here along with progression of the story taking place in the current time line. Bendis pulls back the curtain on the key events where Xavier and Raze form their team and their drive to do so. This not only adds some depth to this story but even gives a bit more of a punch to the “Battle of the Atom” storyline. And just when I was gladly starting to dislike Beast, Bendis decides to throw in a story element here that makes it hard to blame him for everything that’s wrong.
As per the usual with this title and with Immonen’s artwork there are fantastic visuals in each panel. Grabadger and Garcia round out the art with great inks and colors that help pages like the astral plane battle and that double page spread really stand out. We’re also treated a brief glimpse of Jean using her new ability which makes for an intense sequence during the fight. Though that last page is the definitive cliffhanger image that will keep you waiting very impatiently for the next issue!
Bendis has made this a multi layered story that has much more to offer than when things began earlier in the series. So if you’re reading only one X-title then All-New X-Men should be the one that you consistently pick up. – IS
Rating: 8/10
Savage Wolverine #20
Writer: Frank Tieri
Artist: Felix Ruiz
Wolverine’s new adventure in Savage Wolverine brings us to a garage in North Chicago during prohibition on February 14th, 1929 where 7 men lie dead, riddled with bullets. For you history buffs, you might recognize this as the scene of the infamous Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. Well, it turns out that there was an eighth man in Bugs Moran’s crew there, only problem is that it takes more than bullets from a Tommy Gun to keep him down for good.
Long time Marvel scribe Frank Tieri treads familiar territory with Wolverine as the writer weaves the events of the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre into the Wolverine vs. Sabretooth lore. The era this story is set in would make Logan out to have been in his early 40’s at that point. Relatively speaking, he was still a young man who had only lived through the events of the First World War. Tieri successfully manages to have the reader believe that Logan would have been a Canadian Whiskey smuggler for Bugs Moran in 1929. The setup of the story is typical; Wolverine is going about his business of being Wolverine, with a dame by his side and it doesn’t take long before Sabretooth shows up to spoil the fun in his own usual horrific way.
What really makes this story stand out is Felix Ruiz’ art. Best known for a stint on Wolverine: MAX, he is a relative newcomer with a gritty style that shows hints of influences from art by the likes of Sean Murphy. If you find those fantastic pencils and strong inks to be a homerun for this book, then they are totally knocked out of the park thanks to Dan Brown’s colors though. You really have to stop and make sure to appreciate the depth that Brown adds to each panel. The result of the collaboration delivers something that is outside of Marvel’s “house” style, but is wonderfully suited for a story about one Wolverine’s earlier encounters with Sabretooth.
I also want to voice a special shoutout to Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire for that incredible cover showing Logan in a trench coat and fedora, standing in the night’s rain and drenched in blood. It really set the tone for what the reader will find in between the covers.
The bottom line is that Savage Wolverine #20 is a perfect prequel of sorts to Richard Isanove 4-part Savage Wolverine story that ran through issues #14 to #17 which had Logan still working as a Canadian Whiskey bootlegger in 1933 Minnesota. So if you enjoyed those issues, then this one is a must. –SMG
Rating: 8/10
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What did you think about this week’s X-books? Let us know below! You can check out more X-Piles right here!
infinitespeech@comicattack.net – @InfiniteSpeech
jeff@comicattack.net – @FrJeffJackson
spidermangeek@comicattack.net – @SpidermanGeek
