Welcome to our “double X” edition of The Uncanny X-Piles! Sadly, this was not really a “double X” kind of week as the X-books were sparse, but take a look at what Andy and Jeff have to say about the two X-books that did come out in the 20th edition of The Uncanny X-Piles!
Generation Hope #2
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Salvador Espin
We’re now quite a few months since the last big X-event and looking at the entire landscape of the X-universe, I have to say I’m rather disappointed. The end of Second Coming was supposed to turn the crystal and shed some more light on the character of Hope, and while it did, the books post-SC that feature Hope have been quite boring. Last month’s issue #1 of this series promised some excitement and some self-definition in this group of characters lost in a sea of X-Men. However, issue #2 really didn’t move the story along at all. At the end of last issue, Kenji, the last of the Five Lights, is wrecking all kinds of havoc on the team and their X-Men companions. At the end of issue #2, the same thing is true, and not much happened in the in-between time. We learn that Hope really doesn’t do much to help in the fight, and in fact, becomes rather useless. We also learn that perhaps Kenji can’t be held responsible for his actions. But other than that, this issue falls flat, making me care even less about these new mutants. I was annoyed with Wolverine, Cyclops, and Rogue being here when their presence did nothing. It seems the tension could have been built more if the Five Lights had to take out Kenji on their own. Maybe that will still happen. There was one funny moment though, when Teon (the Beast/Wolverine-archetype character) meets Wolverine and growls. Logan shuts Teon down pretty quickly, to which Teon responds, “Woof.” Salvador Espin’s art seemed weaker in this issue to me. I tend to judge people based on how they draw Cyclops’ visor in proportion to his nose. There were a couple of times where Espin’s art was a bit off, looked a little looser, and much more rushed. This was the only X-book I read this week, and while it gets my pick, if something else had popped up, I would have chosen it instead of Gen.Hope #2. The name of this story is The Future Is A Four-Lettered Word, I’d say this issue is a four-lettered word. Take your pick. -JJ
Wolverine: The Best There Is #1
Writer: Charlie Huston
Artist: Juan Jose Ryp
I’m really not sure what to make of this issue. I was entertained, there’s no doubt about that, but it certainly didn’t feel like I was reading a Wolverine book. Essentially, Wolverine is held captive, forced to fight freaks and beasts in an arena type setting. When he escapes in a bloodbath, he hooks up with this sexy lady who takes him to a club, and this is where things begin to get…odd. Before diving into that though, lets talk about the positives of this issue, beginning with the villains. They’re new, cruel, gruesome, and downright deadly. It’s not entirely clear what their M.O. is just yet, but whatever it is, they’ve managed to manipulate Wolverine. Obviously, this is no simple task, so these guys must be really nasty. I want to see more of their twisted antics. Juan Jose Ryp’s artwork here is solid, just like in Wolfskin, No Hero, and Black Summer. He pays attention to detail, and his panels are loaded from corner to corner. His environments are rich too, and everything he draws is textured nicely. However, Wolverine comes off a bit…effeminate. Actually, not a bit effeminate, a lot effeminate. Sure he kills plenty of people, but he’s also nude for awhile when held captive (with his wing-wang and bum-bum being masked by strategically placed items and panel edges), and then, after escaping, he wears a skin tight faux tuxedo shirt and ripped jeans. Then, randomly and completely out of nowhere, he cuts his date’s hair (not ferociously mind you), which, somehow, transforms it into something out of an Herbal Essences commercial. That moment had me scratching my head, but nothing could have prepared me for what happened next. The pair go to a club and Wolverine dances… Yes, Wolverine dances. In a faux tuxedo and ripped jeans. Can you please pause for a moment and picture what I’m saying here? …Yeah. To make matters worse, word gets out about his amazing claws and what they can do for a lady’s “do,” and Wolvie finds himself turned into a full blown stylist, cutting the hair of every woman in the club. I shit you not. WHAT THE F AM I READING HERE!? I have absolutely no idea, but I can only hope that he’s being mind controlled. Otherwise, I want to know what Charlie Huston was smoking when writing this thing, because it’s bizarre, and is feeling like a god-awful characterization of Logan. Wolverine may be the best there is at what he does (like cut hair, apparently), but you should read this at your own risk. -AL
Most X-Cellent Pick of the Week:
Jeff: By default, Generation Hope #2.
Andy: I have to pick one don’t I? I’m going with Wolverine: The Best There Is #1. I didn’t like Generation Hope at all. At least the Wolvie book wasn’t boring.
For previous editions of The Uncanny X-Piles, click here!
Andy Liegl
andy@comicattack.net
Jeff Jackson
jeff@comicattack.net
Neither of these books sparked the slightest bit of interest for me to pick up. Did we really need another Wolverine book? Marvel is doing a very slow build up with Hope, the problem is…it’s boring.
That cover to the Wolverine title bugs me because I really hate that ever since the X-Men movies came out a lot of artists are drawing Wolverine’s claws to reflect how the pop out in the films instead of how they were drawn for 30 yrs prior.
Wolverine TBTI was awful.
@Jeff I’m going to have to try out the whole judging artist by “how they draw Cyclops’ visor in proportion to his nose.” lol
What a dud of a week. I wouldn’t have picked up that Wolverine book if my life depended on it. It’s gotten horrible reviews all over the interwebs.
Nick, the worst was Billy Tan. The guy couldn’t figure out how to center the visor on Scott’s head.
No wait, I take it back…the worst was Whilce Portacio!!!! Always!!!!
I’m gonna have to go back and check out my old X-Factor issues Jeff because Portacio did some pretty good work on those.
I used to think so too, ‘Speech, but I went back and looked at it and was like, “How did I ever like this guy?” And his Cyclops visor was off back then too.
That was a time in my life that I never really liked Scott so I didn’t care how he was drawn. I will say that I did feel sorry for him during those stories with having to give his son up but then I remembered how much cooler Cable was than him and it quickly passed
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