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 The Comic Book Clergyman, 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-Factor #10
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Well, here I am again talking to you guys about All-New X-Factor. I honestly wasn’t going to, but since the two shmucks that make up our trio of reviewers on the X-Piles decided to pick the other two out of the three X-titles that came out last week, I figured I’d be doing you a disservice by excluding this remaining one.
Last issue ended on an explosive note where Georgia Dakei’s father forcefully snatched her up when she visited her biological mother for the first time since she was given away. This issue opens up with the X-Factor team regrouping and licking their wounds from that devastating attack. Most of the book serves to introduce us to Georgia’s biological father, a man who calls himself Memento Mori, which is a name that Cypher is quick to point out to mean “Remember that you will die” in Latin. Not much else is revealed about the man in the Día de Muertos getup other than the fact that he’s some sort of billionaire real estate mogul and that Harrison Snow seems to at least know of him. Snow then quickly dispatches the team for a second rescue attempt of Georgia Dakei.
As far as the art goes… listen, you’ve heard me gush over Carmine’s artwork before. Well this issue offers up more of that same sentiment from me with the only difference being that his work still gets incrementally better with each passing issue. The great pencils and strong inks from Carmine coupled with Lee Loughridge’s truly exceptional color work is a match made in comic book heaven. Keep up the good work fellas.
The bottom line is that All-New X-Factor #10 gives us much of the same goodness that has come from the first nine issues. If you’ve liked the series so far, you’ll equally love this issue. No complaints here. –SMG
Rating: 8.5/10
Deadpool vs X-Force #1
Writer: Duane Swierczynski
Artist: Pepe Larraz
Remember when Deadpool first met Cable and the young mutants who would become X-Force all those years ago? Well it seems as if they actually met before that but no one remembers. Mainly because there’s some time traveling involved and memory purging when it’s all said and done. A series like this seems like it plays to those fans that really like Deadpool and can’t get enough of the guy while others might not be as eager to pick this one up amid the other titles on the shelf.
Swierczynski brings things back to the 90s in his characterization of Deadpool since he’s not over the top with the jokes and humor. He seems a bit more focused on the job in his own demented and violent way. We also get a quick introduction to X-Force but they don’t get much exposure in this issue after that. Hopefully we’ll get to see them more and with a bit more characterization in the later issues. The setup of the plot is the high point when Talbot reveals his mistake to Cable. This interaction comes off a lot better than most of the issue and outshines the humor as well. The only problem with this story (and others like it) is that there isn’t a point where you’re worried about the team’s safety because you know that in the end they make it out.
The issue’s look is fantastic as Larraz adds to Swierczynski’s script. The opening sequence in 1977 is a collection of great panel work and some over the top action filled with big guns and a lot of bullets. There’s also Woodard’s colors that make it a joy for the eyes. There’s one panel in particular during Cable’s meditation that has a very cool effect that really gives that moment some added kick.
Is Deadpool vs X-Force necessary? Probably not, though I am hoping that it’s a fun look back before Cable’s powers became overly complicated and X-Force became all serious. -IS
Rating: 6/10
Magneto #6
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Javier Fernandez
After a couple of lackluster issues, Magneto gets back on track. Instead of hunting down mutant-haters and brutally murdering them like he did in the last 5 issues, Magneto turns his attention to fellow mutants who have killed other mutants. No one is more guilty of that crime than the Marauders.
The Marauders were responsible for the attacks on the Morlocks during the “Mutant Massacre” story. Magneto hasn’t forgotten, and despite the fact that these characters and their clones have been killed multiple times, Magneto feels that justice is still due. Thanks to his newfound ally in Briar Raleigh, Magneto gets a lead on the Marauders and systematically takes them all out, with the exception of Sabretooth, of course, who always gets a bye for the Marauders.
Cullen Bunn does a good job of writing the vengeful Magneto, but despite the inclusion of the Marauders, this status quo is getting a little bit tired. The only thing that made this issue turn a corner for me was that at the end, Magneto reveals that he has procured the next round of Marauder clones and plans to use them for his own mission. That should be interesting.
Joining Bunn on art is Javier Fernandez, who makes this book look fantastic. I don’t recall his work before, but for a book like this, his work really fits much more than Walta’s work. It’s dark, but the line work is much sleeker. His figures aren’t as blocky as Walta’s, which creates a great visceral form for everyone who shows up. I’m looking forward to his work on this book going forward.
Magneto isn’t the best book on the shelves, and it needs to broaden its scope, but it is not a bad book at all. Hoping for more issues like this! -JJ
Rating: 7/10
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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
