Review: X-MEN: MESSIAH COMPLEX

X-Men: Messiah Complex just wrapped up and left the X-Men world in stunned disbelief. If you didn’t read it, though, check out the review!

That being said, this 13 issue crossover event in the X-Men world was, for me, wonderful. It thankfully didn’t require a full knowledge of the X-Men universe, though there were some aspects in which I was lost in the wilderness. In addition, the consistent quality of the storyline helped – naturally – keep my interest the whole way through.

I had promised not to read or, subsequently, review this series until it was over. I’m a trade paperback man, and though this isn’t out yet in TPB, I like reading a whole story, instead of having to wait a month or, in this case, a week for the story to continue.

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From the get-go I was started, impressed and relieved to finally see Scott Summers as a real leader, not the whiny emo that he had been for so long. He was strong, led from the top and by example, and didn’t take any crap. Just like Emma Frost throughout the issues, he made my knees weak when he displayed those qualities that so many of us knew he already had in abundance.

But to back that up the way he was drawn so ably by Marc Silvestri and Billy Tan made me love his character even more. The writers not only gave him strength, but so did the pencilers. Sadly the 13 issue run was spoiled a little – art wise – by the inclusion of Humberto Ramos. This is purely a matter of style, granted, but in a series that carried so much gravitas and overall story depth was a little frustrating. I won’t dwell on the art any longer, except to say that Chris Bachalo’s art always seemed too busy and cluttered.

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As I mentioned, there were aspects of the story that I got lost in, especially when it came to the New X-Men. They seemed to me to be out of the blue, though I will reiterate my inability to follow closely over the past little while the X-verse. But the creative team of Craig Kyle and Chris Yost really know how to write the younguns, with angst, but not enough to entirely override common sense. Sadly, that trait is not known to the young ones at my church; mores the pity.

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I’m trying to stay away from divulging any of the story line; even more than usual. This is a story that you don’t want ruined for you. It has everything in it that makes a good comic book. And for someone returning to the X-verse, it was nice to see Cable, Madrox and Wolverine still in character.

I heard it mentioned on the iFanboy podcast that Wolverine has, of late, been in a bit of a funk. Apparently that funk was ended in his leap in to the mouth of Predator X which was entirely impressive.

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The story left a lot to be desired though in its ending, though how long that ‘ending’ will play out for is unsure. The previews of the following X-verse comics that you’ll have to read in order to continue this line-of-story presents some contradictions to Scott Summers’ last words in the issue, but that isn’t much of a surprise really; more of a sadness that the cliffhanger ending must be sometimes stretched so thin as to resemble a fat man’s y-fronts, with all the ugliness that is inevitably attached to such an image.

With the constraints of the EM rating system, I will relent and give X-Men Messiah Complex 4 out of 5, however, I would prefer to give it a 8 out of 10 (and no, just because I’m doubling up means it’s the same; notice the increase between score and ultimate score?). Either way, when this hits stores as a TPB, make sure you get your hands on it.

Ending side note for discussion at my blog; is the X-Men line continuing? Or …


4 fists: 4 Strong Fists
0 Yes
0 No
JHill
1/30/2008
Earth's Mightiest