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.

Read more of this article »

X-Men #6 (Volume 3) arrived in late December concluding the Curse of the Mutants (X-Men versus Vampires) storyline, and this is a good point to discuss the new series by Victor Gischler and Paco Medina. I fell far behind in reading this series as it published and I had to catch up on nearly every issue today. Apparently, I didn’t even make it all the way through issue #2 when it first shipped! I’ve been a huge X-Men fan most of my life and have been reading for decades. Falling behind like that says a lot about this book and my feelings regarding it.

Spoilers ahead.

Read more of this article »

A Marvel press release on Friday provided an advance preview of Marvel’s X-Men #7 from the new series by Victor Gischler. I’m not sure why the preview was released now since #6 hasn’t shipped yet, but I have a pretty good guess as Spider-Man joins the X-Men for this story arc. Many fans have been critical of the current X-Men vs. Vampires story currently featured in the title (and let’s face it they’ve been critical of Amazing Spider-Man lately as well), but this might be a way to showcase the change in focus that’s to come.

Read more of this article »

No comics shipped this Wednesday due to the 4th of July holiday, so new books will be in stores tomorrow, July 8th. Tomorrow will be particularly special as Marvel has declared it “X-Men Day” since we’ll be seeing the launch of a new X-Men series with a number one issue. This is the first “X-Men #1” in 20 years, so it’s fairly momentous, but I find it more confusing than anything.

Read more of this article »