REVIEW: X-Men #20 (X-Men Regenesis)
The currently “adjectiveless” X-Men series is among the newest of the X-titles and has had what many consider a dubious publication history in it’s short lifetime. The book has focused on the team facing vampires and teaming with both Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four under the pen of writer Victor Gischler, with a brief interlude for Chris Yost’s X-Men: First to Last. Most of these stories seem a bit outside the narrative of the other monthlies and the series even launched seemingly out of nowhere, particularly when compared to the recent launches of the new Uncanny and Wolverine and the X-Men. After weathering a haphazard first year, I like the way this title has started utilizing a smaller cast and tightened its focus entering the X-Men: Regenesis era.
Spoilers for X-Men #20 will follow.
Gischler’s inclusion of War Machine in the international incident the X-Men find themselves in is a nice touch, and in line with this title’s theme of interacting with other characters in the Marvel Universe. The meeting descends into a typical battle between posturing heroes, but War Machine has had some strained history with Marvel’s mutants and the Sentinels since the days immediately following House of M‘s Decimation. A throwdown between him and Colossus could be an epic battle of metal men, but the scene highlights an aspect of Colossus’ recent acquisition of the Juggernaut’s powers that I don’t care for at all. Based on this issue and Uncanny X-Men #1, accessing his unstoppability includes an at will physical transformation for the character that’s similar in many ways to the Angel/Archangel dynamic that has been established in the current volume of Uncanny X-Force. While I’ve come to accept and enjoy Angel’s transitions, this one is just too inconsistent with what we know of the Juggernaut from Cain Marko’s experience. The fact that he also acquires a helmet along with becoming unstoppable doesn’t make it any better. Will Conrad’s artwork here is consistent with his previous work on Secret Avengers and the Cyclops-centric issue of X-Men: Prelude to Schism. It’s well suited for the espionage nature of this story. This X-Men series has not had a regular art team and Conrad could be a good fit for the adventures of Cyclops’ “Security Team.” Adi Granov’s cover art is beautiful and having that grace the book each month is also a real asset.
X-Men: Regenesis has led to some positive changes here, but it’s not yet a book I’d consider required reading. It does address the resurgence in Sentinel traffic coming directly out of Schism, but unless you’re attached to Jubilee, Domino or Warpath this one seems peripheral. The rest of the cast is featured elsewhere in the X-Men line and given this title’s history I’m not sure where it’s headed.
Read more about X-Men: Regenesis on MyLatestDistraction.
and keep up with our reviews as each of the X-titles enter this new era.
New Mutants #33 / Generation Hope #13 (coming soon)
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