X-Men #40 Review
X-Men #40 Review
Overview:
A new team line-up deals with a new mutant in Arizona.
The Good:
The story was good; there was a good balance of explanation and action. Seeing Chamber take on a new role was definitely a plus as he is a fairly unused character. This issue is a good jumping on point for anyone as it talks a lot about the ramifications of AvX without being a part of Marvel Now and that is a good and bad thing, it is good if you are a new reader or somehow missed the end of AvX but it is a bit redundant if you are up to date with your Marvel series. Overall though, there was a good bout of action and seriousness in this issue; it also provided a lot of set up for the next issue as it is the start of a new arc.
Seth Peck did pretty good with the writing here. The story overall is fairly standard but it works as there is a new line up that is acknowledged by the team, which is good as the title has been off in its own little world for most large events.
Jefte Palo and Guillermo Mogorron draw the issue and it is a bit of a shift from the last issue but it works nicely with the story, especially with Andres Mossa’s colors. One nice touch that stood out was a panel where it showed a profile view of the team and they were all noticeably different heights, especially Pixie as she is a bit younger than the rest of the team.
The Bad:
While there were a few humorous parts, the issue as a whole wasn’t as funny as it could have been. This is mostly because Iceman and Chamber have dry and sarcastic senses of humor that really aren’t utilized here and most of the humor comes from Angel. This made Iceman seem a little out of character, especially in the roster presented; I understand that this was a serious issue but before the team knew what was going on, he still wasn’t cracking jokes or anything.
The only problem I had with the art was Angel looked jacked, and so did Iceman but to a lesser degree. In other series, both are always drawn as the taller and skinnier type so it was a little odd.
The first half of the issue can be a little redundant if you are up to date with current events in the Marvel Universe.
Verdict:
Overall a solid issue that spends a lot of time catching the reader upon current events. There is nothing groundbreaking here but it is nice to see a more unconventional team help new mutants. This more traditional issue is a fun one, if not entrancing; fans of the series can enjoy the issue even if it is geared more towards new readers.
3.5 out of 5
