X-Men #1 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

1991's X-Men #1 by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee holds the Guinness World Record for the best selling single issue of all-time. The total number of copies sold is around the 8 million mark. However, I don't think it's a fair attribute. 8 million people didn't buy this book. There were 4 different variant covers that revealed a massive battle scene between the X-Men and Magneto. Add the fervor of speculators who gobbled up first issues by the long box full, and in reality, X-Men #1 was probably only purchased by 2-3 million individuals. 

The new series was a restructuring of the X-Men franchise. Seeing that there were just too many mutants to keep track of,  first, Marvel killed off a few fan favorite characters with a massacre in Genosha. Then they split the roster in half and blue some of the all-time greats together in a sister series. Then, Magneto, who had become an ally of the Xavier's School for Gifted Children, renounced his membership and fled to the ruins of his asteroid compound to create a refuge for mutants. In return, Charles Xavier returned to lead the X-Men after years away. 

Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Beast, Storm, Gambit, and Rogue. Plus support from the mechanic genius Forge. If this sounds like the lineup for Fox's classic X-Men: The Animated Series, you're almost right. Only Jubilee is missing. But over time, she'll be recruited by Cyclops to join what will soon be dubbed 'the blue team.'

As Claremont was winding down his lengthy run as the X-Men's scribe, co-plotter and artist Jim Lee's star was rising. In just a couple of issues, Lee would also become the new writer of the series. But his tenure would be short. Feeling undervalued by Marvel, Lee and about a half dozen other writers and artists from the bullpen broke free from the publisher and founded Image Comics. 

A rotating lineup of talent would write on the new X-Men title, including Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza, and Grant Morrison. After a brief 2-issue fill-in by Art Thibert, before eventually setting on Andy Kubert as the regular penciler from issue #14-59. As for the series itself, beginning with the Morrison run, issue #114, it was retitled New X-Men. Issue #157 lost the 'New' moniker before another change at issue #208. Becoming X-Men: Legacy, the title went back to just X-Men in 2012 for the milestone 300th issue. Never cancelled due to dwindling sales, X-Men #300 concluded many storylines and paved the way to seasonal relaunches in hopes of streamlined numbering of titles.

 However, if you have ever read any of my reviews of the more recent Deadpool series with a nearly annual reset back to issue #1, you'll know that I hate this new way Marvel numbers it's books. It's a leading reason that I have stayed away from most Marvel series of the past decade. But I don't seem to be the only one who hates this new method of doing business. However, despite how much we hate it, it doesn't seem like Marvel will be ceasing this way of conducting business any time soon.

Completing this review completes Task #36 ( Work by Jim Lee, Fiona Staples or Alex Ross) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

And with this review, my 2026 Reading Challenge is COMPLETE!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Hush, Vol. 2 (A Madman Re-Read)

Volume 2 opens with a night at the opera. Only this isn't the stuff of the Marx Brothers or Queen. What starts as a refined charity event for a community hospital ends in bloodshed when Harley Quinn and the Joker robs the event and murder Bruce Wayne's best friend from his childhood. Only the Clown Prince of Crime claims that he didn't pull the trigger. That doesn't stop Batman from almost killing his most hated foe!

As the story progresses, Loeb's storytelling gets much more complex. So much, that I'm still not 100% sure what one of Batman's allies did wrong. Did they do wrong at all? I've researched for an answer and I am still not all that sure. 

Jim Lee's artwork continues to evolve. Batman looks resplendent by the end of Hush. So do Catwoman and Robin. 

The biggest disappointment is how it feels that by the end of this book, every criminal in Gotham City should know that Bruce Wayne is Batman. They really can't all be that ignorant. Or does the criminal element in Gotham just choose to ignore the truth. New villain Hush, enlists several baddies to make Batman believe that Jason Todd is actually Hush. I find it unbelievable that none of these hired goons went snooping and put two and two together that Bruce Wayne's deceased ward, Jason Todd was the second Robin who died at the hands of the Joker! I don't buy it!

A good story with great art, that just finishes in a way I find implausible. Batman's Rogue's Gallery cannot be that blind!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Hush, Vol. 1 (A Madman Re-read)

After reading almost the entire gambit of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's The Long Halloween storyline, I decided to give Batman: Hush another go. I had heard that a lot of the storyline from The Long Halloween made it into canon within the pages of Hush and I wanted to see for myself.

The story begins with Killer Croc kidnapping the son of a wealthy businessman and holding the lad for ransom. It's definitely not the villain's normal MO. Even worse, Croc has mutated into something more reptilian. Catwoman ends up stealing the ransom and then Batman's heart and this is where everything goes to hell.

As Batman is trans-versing the Gotham skyline, someone cuts the rope he uses to swing from building to building with. The Dark Knight crashes onto the streets below and nearly dies from a severe skull fracture. When a blast from Bruce Wayne's past returns and performs the live saving surgery, it looks like the billionaire has an old friend back in his life. However, as more villain's start acting in ways that is completely unusual for them, Batman is faced with a villain unlike one he's ever encountered before- the bandaged faced mystery man known as Hush!

I've experienced the artwork of Jim Lee many times before. I've never fully appreciated it until now. As much as Tim Sale is Jeph Loeb's quintessential partner, Jim Lee does a darn fine job. Batman never looks more stern. Catwoman is a vision in her black catsuit. Gotham never looked more frightening with it's dingy back alleys and vertigo inducing heights.

The story is excellent. I've said many times, I prefer Batman when he's playing the Detective. He's got a great Rogue's Gallery. But I like it when the Caped Crusader has to match wits with them as opposed as duking it out in fisticuffs as a standard superhero crime fighter. There's a ton of Batman baddies in this story. But the Dark Knight has to figure who is behind his foes recent quantum leaps in prowess, cunning and deceit instead of just beat them all up and that's the way I prefer it.

Sure, I know who Hush really is. Like I said, I've read the entire storyline before. Only this time, I'm re-reading the book while on a mission. I'm searching for the nods to The Long Halloween and I'm paying attention to every panel searching for hints and clues I might have overlooked the first time I read this modern Batman classic! A classic I might add, that would be perfect if not for how close Batman comes to death and yet not 10 minutes into his recovery, the fool is risking his life again to find out who was behind the Killer Croc kidnapping scheme. I find that completely implausible and worthy of a loss of a couple of stars.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools Special One-Shot

It's April 1st and I had been looking forward to a couple of holiday themed comics to celebrate April Fools. I hadn't bought anything for Easter, so I was thrilled to have this book to read. However, I had set it aside and forgot where I put it. After spending 2 straight days searching, I finally located it in time for a holiday read. But now that it's over, I really wish I didn't spend all that time looking for it.

Harley Quinn is invited to head up a support group for super-villains. A former psychiatrist and current villain in her own right, Harley is more than qualified for the job. Her first client is Man-Bat. Only, the former Kirk Langstrom doesn't know that. Harley's attempts to cure the villain in the middle of an assault on Gotham City is rather funny. It's only when Harley gives up on house calls and puts up her shingle does things go downhill and fast!

For one thing, the art changes from the hyper-realistic style of Jim Lee to an uber-cartoony look from Sean Galloway; AKA Cheeks. The story itself goes from funny to absurd to the point that the reader is never sure if Harley really is counseling some of the lower tiered villains of the DC Universe or if it's all in her head. In fact, when the artwork reverted back to Jim Lee's, even Harley is unsure as we find her undergoing some sort of mind control at the hands of that heartless b*tch, Amanda Waller.

The title of this 2016 one-shot is Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools Special. For 90% of this book, I was wondering 'where is the Suicide Squad in all this?' Once I got my answer, I really wasn't happy. Poor Harleen Quinzel, alias Harley Quinn, has gone through such a gauntlet of crap in her life story. Abused as a child, mistreated and manipulated by the Joker and now tortured by Waller, man, things just keep getting worse for one of my all-time favorite characters. And it kept making me mad!

Really, this shouldn't have even been labeled an 'April Fools Special'. There is really nothing about the holiday in this book. During the Silver Age, DC would do these occasional April Fools stories where readers were encouraged to find all the erroneous stuff artists hid in the artwork. I was expecting the same with this book. Instead I got to see poor Harley get mistreated again and have to sit through an ending that was essentially a 4-page advertisement for a Suicide Squad series that I have very little interest in reading. 

I guess the joke was on me...

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 2 out of 10 stars.

Even More Fund Comics

If you ever wanted a primer to Indy comics, creators and artists for the early 2000s, this is it! Dozens upon dozens of comic book talent came together to make this 2004 anthology benefiting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Batton Lash's lawyers of Supernatural Law, The Cryptozoo Crew from Jerry Carr and Allan Gross, Mark McKenna's Banana Tail are just a few of the properties I've read and reviewed before. It was a lot of fun to get an all-new revisit to these characters that might not have gotten their due respect. 

There's also a slew of well known artists who contributed to the sketch book section of this book. Steve Rude, George Perez and Al Milgrom, along with Jim Lee, who drew to the Spider-Man/Green Goblin cover all make small donations of their time and God given gifts in this book. I'm thinking heavy hitters Marvel and DC weren't willing to let their superstars provide more than a single work of art least it interferes with their bottom line. But at least they were allowed to support the CBLDF!

There's at least one other volume out there similar to this. More Fund Comics, also by Sky Dog, benefits my favorite comic book charity. I'd assume with the title that there'd be a 'Fund Comics' out there too. Only, I can't find evidence of it. I'd like to read MFC. But if it's like this book, I'd probably sell it for something I really want. Thus, the first primer is something I will keep an eye out for but I'm not going to add it to my wish list.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

The Kindred

If you are not familiar with the earliest properties created by Image Comics, then you'll probably be like me when reading The Kindred- LOST! 

The loose cannon Grifter and no-nonsense Marc Slayton must join forces in order to save a pair of high-ranking government officials who have been kidnapped. Both have their own reasons. One is begrudgingly doing this mission in return for information. The other has motives of revenge, redemption and romance. 

Together Grifter and Slayton and a team of special operatives head down to an undisclosed South America island to a defunct research station. It's here that the sins of the US government have reared their ugly head. It seems that the whole facility is full of human-animal hybrids. It's like a hi-tech Island of Dr. Moreau and the head of this group of freaks, known as the Kindred, is someone thought long dead from Grifter and Slayton's days with Team 7.

I think that's a fairly decent recollection of the 4-issue miniseries from 1994. I don't really understand a lot of the backstory or insider jokes and Easter eggs that float around in this story. But I'm not really sure I want to either.

For the life of my, I don't remember where or how I got my hands on this book. It just ended up in my collection somehow. My collection has been known as the spot where other's old collections come to find new life. So, I probably got this as part of a donation from someone looking to unload their collection. Being a book that contained a whole story in just one volume, I probably decided to hold on to this until I felt like reading it. And recently, that day arrived.

With a slew of talent behind this miniseries, I'm really disappointed. Jim Lee (X-Men), Brandon Choi (Deathblow) and Sean Ruffner (Backlash) wrote the script. Pencils were by Brett Booth (Teen Titans) and Chris Eilopoulos (Cosmic Commandos) was the letterer. And yet this whole thing stunk!

I'm going to try really hard to be fair to this book as it's my first encounter with the vintage Image universe and almost all of these characters. But, my gracefulness can only go so far...

I think 3 writers was 2 too many. The dialogue was full of action movie cliches (and bad action movies at that!) and a lot of the plot didn't make sense. I still don't understand how nobody knew who kidnapped those government officials but managed to go to the correct island. Aren't there like there's hundreds or even thousands of islands off the Atlantic coast of South America?

The artwork was hideous. Brett Booth must have just graduated from the Rob Liefeld school of art before tackling this book. Body proportions are exaggerated. Everybody has the same face with a widow's peak and really scrunched up faces and those beady eyes. I hated it!

At least the lettering was decent. 

I don't think it needs saying but The Kindred will not stay a part of my comics collection. It's heading to a used book story for some trade credit. Hopefully, I can get something decent out of this stinker.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #33

This issue's Excalibur focus is on Captain Britain. I don't mean to offend the people of the UK, but Brian Braddock is the worst member of England's mutant superhero team. Captain Britain is so powerful and yet he's completely insecure. His got a woman who is head over heels in love with him and he treats her like crap. Why did they make him the leader of the team???

So when the Loonies have older incarnations of the hero beat the crap out of him, I kinda cheered. I lie. I really did cheer!

With it comes to the Black Panther story, I hate it! First they killed off a friendly little dog. Then they killed off an innocent child. Now the best character in the whole story gets gunned down. And no, it's not Black Panther! Don McGregor and Gene Colan (Daredevil) have better not have made another poor decision and kill off this guy! 

The 8-page single story stars Namor, The Sub-Mariner. It's a poignant tale about the mass pollution and destruction of our oceans. Unlike other relevant comics stories that have been a part of this series, this story was actually good despite being preachy. I think artwork by a young Jim Lee (X-Men) has something to do with this! Don McGregor redeems himself. Well until I find out what happens in the next Black Panther segment.

Worth Consuming! But just barely!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Dark Days: The Road to Metal

DC Comics and the Previews solicits tried to warn me. In order to fully understand Dark Nights: Metal, you had to have read the Dark Days one-shots The Casting and The Forge. But I didn't listen.

If you are reading Metal, STOP! Even if you are only the last page- just stop! You will miss out of so much detail. Things like why is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX all of a sudden appearing in Gotham City? And why is the reappearance of  XXXXXXXXXXXXX such a big deal? Plus, you will fully understand why Batman has been preparing for a war against unimaginable evil!

After reading this volume, if one is still in the dark about the Dark Knight's crusade, then you've got several back issues reprinted here that delves ever so much more deeper into the roots leading to Metal. Going all the wa back to 2008 and Grant Morrison's Final Crisis. Yes, that means DC Comics has been planning out the foundations of this epic miniseries for over 10 years- maybe even longer!

A slew of talent worked on this very much required reading. Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert and many more! While I love the work these guys have done, I will say that I am looking for some other great DC superstars to be given a chance to steer the ship. And NO- I am not talking about Bendis! I wanna see what Joshua Williamson, Mitch Gerads, Scott Lobdell and Jason Fabok have to offer the world's best superheroes on a much grander scale! 

DC has been getting raked over the coals for some very poor sales decisions that have resulted in cancellations, delays, firings, and controversial restructures. Well, no matter how badly the business side of my favorite comic book publisher has been run lately, I cannot fault DC's dedication to crafting the ultimate comic book universe mosaic. Metal and it's component parts has been fun to read. But let's face it, it's time for the DCU to be mapped out for more than just a select few who seemingly have a singular focus. 

It's time for the next great age of DC. Thankfully, this is the compass to get us there!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Just Imagine... Stan Lee Creating The DC Universe Omnibus

Right around 2001, this story took the comic book industry by storm.  Career Marvelite, Stan Lee was going over to DC Comics to create his take on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League of America!

I wasn't back into comics just yet. But even when I heard this story, I thought it was both awesome and strange. Turns out I wasn't the only one as some of DC's most legendary talents including Joe Kubert, Jim Lee, and Dan Jurgens thought that this was a bizarre pairing too. But every single one of these guys heartily said yes to being a part of this historic project. 

Stan Lee doesn't seek to fix the DC icons. No, he merely gets a chance to create them in the Marvel way he established in the 1960s. Thus, Stan would give his ideas to his artists, they would draw out the characters based on Stan's tutelage and then the Living Legend would fill in all the text bubbles and captions himself. 

The overall premise of this storyline was that the mystic tree of life Yggdrasil was threatened by a demonic menace lead by Reverend Dominic Darrk. So, the tree used it's green hued life force to craft a team of heroes to defend the earth. It would be up to these unlikely heroes to rise against growing threat in an entity known as Crisis...

This book is divided into 2 parts. The classic characters of Batman, Green Lantern and the Flash make up the first half with Robin, Shazam, and the Sandman starring in act two. I preferred the second act of characters a lot more than Stan's take on the founding members of his JLA. Their origins were just too similar to how Marvel legends such as Spider-Man, Thor, and Silver Surfer were laid out by Stan the Man in the early 60s. 

But the second string of heroes such as Aquaman and Catwoman were so different and unique to just about anything on the market. I really hate that Shazam was pretty much a one-and-done thing because that new take on the character was really that good! I want to see this as a live-action series on Syfy! 

My least favorite revamp was Superman. Maybe it's because I am biased as the Man of Steel is my all-time favorite character (though Captain America could reclaim that title at any moment...) But this version of Superman was too much of a butt-head instead of inspiration and he was made way too weak. 

Okay, weakness is a big flaw in most of these characters. DC's characters are known to be sources of limitless power and resolve. The Marvel characters fathered by Stan Lee had weaknesses to which endured to comic book readers. But Stan's DC Universe seems to have chronic fatigue syndrome. 

While I have picked up a couple of Just Imagine issues in my travels through the bargain bins of America, this miniseries wasn't really on my radar. But with Ollie's massive DC blowout, I found this massive 700 page plus edition for only $13 and I could not pass it up!

It was a good read both for entertainment and historical purposes. But it's not the greatest thing from either DC Comics or Stan Lee that I have ever read. The jury is still out on whether I will keep this omnibus or not. It takes up a lot of real estate. However, should you ever come across this collection like I did for such a dramatic discount- do not pass it up! It will keep you entertained for hours.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Hush - Volume One

WORTH CONSUMING!

A much better tale than the Superman: For Tomorrow Series. Loeb is a master at retelling the Batman. And Lee’s art is more suited for Batman. Plus, the array of villains that conspire against Bats is freakin’ cool. However, I have major problems with the Fact that Batman/ Bruce Wayne takes a major fall, gets a bone fragment stuck in his brain, has brain surgery, is photographed with his head all bandaged up and (according to dialogue) is seen in Metropolis with a full head of hair and no scars. Much less the fact, Batman manages to kick major butt without fail. There’s some serious suspension of disbelief here. Still, with great art, and well-structured characters, one can overlook this and enjoy one of the best Batman stories of All Time.