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Welcome to the 115th edition of the Uncanny X-Piles! A big birthday shout-out goes to our own SpidermanGeek!

The X-Piles
Numbers next to each title are the cumulative ranking of the latest issue out of a total of 40. Numbers in parentheses indicate the previous issue’s rating. Blue indicates a raise in the chart from last issue; red indicates a drop; green indicates the book stayed put.

1. Uncanny X-Force: 34 (29)

2. Uncanny Avengers: 32

3. X-Men: Legacy: 32 (26)

4. Uncanny X-Men: 31 (16)

5. Wolverine : 29 (27)

6. Wolverine & the X-Men: 28 (31)

7. A + X: 28

8. X-Men: 26 (9)

9. X-Factor: 25 (27)

10. Gambit: 25 (24)

11. Age of Apocalypse: 22 (28)

12. Astonishing X-Men: 22 (16)

13. AvX: Consequences: 19 (30)

14. First X-Men: 14 (13)

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Age of Apocalypse #9
Writer: David Lapham
Aritst: Roberto De La Torre

There is something about this title that will impress you and then immediately turn around and do the exact opposite. Then there are times where it will straddle the line between both and this issue is one of those. We have Jean following through on her deal to go out on a date with Creed after he spoke with his father, Sabretooth. Though, while trying to help with the family ties Keeper Murdock has found out where she has been hiding and the bad guys move in to take her.

Lapham continues to move this story but it’s not too clear exactly where it’s going at times. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of mystery but there is so much going on that all of the cuts to various sub plots really detracts from the cool stuff. So when it comes to the Jean/Graydon sequence there was more of an urgency for it to be over with to see if we could get to the really cool stuff like Keeper Murdock. De La Torre’s art work still gives this title a really creepy and dark vibe that really captures the dreary world these characters inhabit. The only draw back would be that at times some the characters aren’t recognizable when out of costume.

Not a bad read by any means but with everything that this title is supposed to be building up to more is expected. -IS

Cover: 4/10 Writing: 6/10 Art: 6/10 Relevavance: 6/10 TOTAL: 22/40

AvX: Consequences #5
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Well, the end of the epilogue to Avengers vs X-Men is here and this reader found it quite unimpressive. Cyclops will be held prisoner no longer and Magneto, Danger, and Magik will see to that. Though this prison break is the set up for the next phase of what Cyclops will be up to it seems quite forced and a bit desperate. Scott is now in the role that Magneto made famous and it seems as if Wolverine is his ‘Professor X’. This might annoy a long time reader whereas someone just recently coming into the world of the X-Men may be a bit more inclined to enjoy it. Even the letter Scott left for Logan seemed to be vintage Magneto

Though the outcome of the story was a bit expected and not too exciting there were several bright spots in much of Gillen’s dialogue. Specifically the sequences involving Hope and Cable. Though very brief it added something unexpected in a pretty predictable story. Walta’s artwork seemed to be decent at times but the colors threw some things off. Especially towards the end when the Avengers showed up at the prison is when things seemed to look a bit rushed.

Surely the Cyclops fans will go crazy over this issue though his polarizing shift in ideals raises plenty of questions. Many of which will hopefully be answered in the new X titles during the Marvel NOW! release of books. -IS

Cover: 4/10 Writing: 5/10 Art: 4/10 Relevance: 6/10 TOTAL: 19/40

“Uncanny X-Force” #33
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Phil Noto

Just when you think you’ve seen everything in an issue of “Uncanny X-Force,” Rick Remender decides he wants to up the ante.

Watching X-Force getting taken apart by the new Brotherhood has been a sickening treat, taking these characters to their utmost limit. Finally, Remender took Infinite Speech’s suggestion and proved that Wolverine can be killed by drowning. Daken seems to have the upper hand here with his dad, as they spend some time exchanging words.

Deadpool continues to be the dark horse favorite in this book, and not for the obvious reasons that have made him popular. Sure, Remender writes him as funny, but there is a certain sadness to Deadpool that makes you really want to cheer for him.

But perhaps the coup de grace in this issue is that Nightcrawler finally meets the guy who killed his wife, Blob, and boy, is that fight gruesome. How can a blood-thirsty blue elf take out a gigantic fat guy? How about teleporting a live shark inside of him? Never saw that coming!

Overall, this book continues to kick so much ass, it needs a guy with a broom to follow behind and clean up all the ass on the ground. –JJ

Cover: 9/10 Writing: 9/10 Art: 7/10 Relevance: 9/10 TOTAL: 34/40

“X-Factor” #246
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Paul Davidson

Did you ever think you’d live to see the day where an entire comic book issue featured and starred none other than… Pip, the Troll?

Well now you can scratch that off your bucket list because that day has come. While the core X-Factor team is out on some unnamed mission, Pip takes it upon himself to enjoy a little down time and reflect on his role within the private investigation office. As expected though, things escalate from there.

Peter David reaches back and delivers us something the X-Factor title hasn’t seen since the early days of the current incarnation of the team. We get a nice “Noire” style of story with heavy monolog coming from Pip. Hardcore X-Factor fans will regale and feel right at home with Pip’s ramblings and inner thoughts. This story even comes complete with a “dame” in trouble and a tan trench coat.

Paul Davidson’s art doesn’t quite live up to what Ryan Sook and Pablo Raimondi gave us in those earlier X-Factor issues, but his work has a certain rawness that lends itself well to “Noire” storytelling. The traditional panel layouts also suck the reader right into the classic detective story feel. Davidson’s inks are exceptionally good too.

Some might say that this is a total filler issue where nothing really happens. Even the recap page is as generic as they come, but don’t be so quick to dismiss this book. It contains a highly entertaining story featuring a character most people are unfamiliar with. Do yourself a favor, pick this issue up, wait for a rainy night, settle yourself into your comfy reading chair with a single malt and enjoy. –SG

Cover: 7/10 Writing: 9/10 Art: 6/10 Relevance: 3/10 TOTAL: 25/40

“X-Men” #38
Writer: Seth Peck
Artist: Paul Azaceta

The X-Gods have heard our prayers and replaced the last creative team with a new one! I have to say that this was a pleasant surprise as I had no idea the change was taking place.

Seth Peck and Paul Azaceta nail this issue. This title has always had the status quo of being “X-Men Team-Up” but no issue as of yet has really capitalized on that. Peck brings together the unlikely team of Domino and Daredevil as they take out a host of C-list super-villains from Tiger Shark to the Wrecking Crew.

Peck handles the dialogue between these would-be partners effortlessly and Azaceta’s art has a simple but fluid style that makes me want to stand up and notice.

This is the type of story you would have seen in anthology books like “X-Men Unlimited” or “Marvel Comics Presents.” It’s good to see Marvel spend some time on a whole issue with these two characters who play off one another extremely well. This is what this book should have been like from the beginning. –JJ

Cover: 6/10 Writing: 8/10 Art: 7/10 Relevance: 5/10 TOTAL: 26/40

Most X-Cellent Pick of the Week:
Jeff: You can’t beat death-by-teleported-shark-into-your-stomach. Uncanny X-Force #33 was awesome!
Infinite Speech: Uncanny X-Force #33 continues to just knock it out of the park month after month!
SpidermanGeek: X-Factor #246 was a nice throwback to X-Factor’s more “Noire” days.

Jeff Jackson
jeff@comicattack.net
@FrJeffJackson

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net
@InfiniteSpeech

SpidermanGeek
spidermangeek@comicattack.net
@SpidermanGeek