Let's start with the cons, as we can cover that fast. In previous reviews of books in this series as well as Uncanny X-Men, I've been eagerly anticipating the team-up between the original X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Already, I've read Uncanny X-Men volume 3 where the team has been whisked away to the furthest reaches of the universe and then volume 4 where the team has returned. So, I thought this volume of All-New X-Men would tell me that missing story.
(HEAD SLAP) I forgot, I hadn't got to the point when the original X-Men joined up with old Cyclops' team. Issues 16 and 17 are reprinted in the Battle of the Atom trades, so, the conflict that leads the original X-Men to leave the Jean Grey school isn't covered in these books.
No worries, the Guardians are coming.
Now let's get to the good stuff.
2013 was the 50th Anniversary of Uncanny X-Men #1, so this volume is jammed pack with anniversary special events. First, the time stranded mutants face an enemy heir of their eventual replacements- The Giant-sized X-Men. When the clone of Wolverine, X-23 is rescued by a group religious zealots with hi-tech armor by the original team, they all come face to face with the son of William Stryker and learn who is the mysterious benefactors of his legacy of hate.
God Loves, Man Kills was a ground-breaking graphic novel published in the 1980s. It introduced William Stryker to the Marvel Universe and changed the scope of mutant persecution from people who were different from to branded them spawns of Satan. It's a philosophy that's carried over in such X-Men storylines such as Age of Apocalypse, Onslaught, and more.
Then, it's a reprint of X-Men: Gold. Many of the writers, artists, and inkers from the 50-year history of the X-Men join forces to pay homage to some of the most popular incarnations of the team. The main story is written by the man who literally brought the team back from the dead, Chris Claremont, in a story that pits the 80s X-Men up against a Sentinel android factory. X-Men co-creator, and comics legend Stan Lee (along with the late Jack Kirby) crafts a lighthearted tale starring the original team. The Simonson's craft a prequel to Giant-Sized X-Men #1 starring Banshee and Starfire on the streets of Memphis.
All of these stories were really well crafted. But it was the final story that bummed me out a little bit. In the short story closer by Fabian Nicieza, Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr are about to celebrate a new day in mutant- human relations when Magneto begins to claim he's having trouble remembering little details. We soon find out that this utopia is actually a psychically induced rouse by Professor X to neutralize his longtime foe. I didn't like this story because 1) I'm not sure if it's canon or an imaginary tale and 2) it just seems out of character for Prof. X.
Aside from this lousy tale, volume 4 was excellent. I loved the story. The addition of X-23 was clever and throws a nice twist into the Cyclops- Jean Grey- Beast love triangle. And the art was fantastic with an uncanny cover gallery that included some 50th anniversary cover variants.
So, I didn't get my X-Men Guardians team-up. But what I did receive was another great volume by Brian Michael Bendis full of 50 years of the mutant legacy not of a professor but of a Man and a King.
Worth Consuming.
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