Uncanny X-Men #29

Avatar image for undeadpool
undeadpool

726

Forum Posts

704

Wiki Points

76152

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By undeadpool

The Good

After learning Eva Bell’s shocking journey through time, her actions since this particular team’s first outing have become a great deal more contextualized and calcified, which is good because a large, large piece of this issue is focused on her and her newly realized powers. Brian Bendis plays catch-up, dealing with four different groups of heroes in this one, normal sized issue. He by-and-large pulls it off, with an especially funny interlude between Magik and Dr. Strange in the past, but we also check in with the mutants stranded at the Jean Gray School and catch up with Magneto’s run-in with Cyclops and the newly awakened Matthew Malloy (Mighty Marvel alliteration lives on!) and, of course, the students still at the New Charles Xavier School. It’s all quite a bit to take in, but most of it actually flows organically from one section to the next, with only the Jean Gray section feeling a bit out of place and random, and even then it’s good to see those characters not forgotten. The dialog itself is the usual, snappy Bendis fare, though much less ping-pongy than we’ve seen previously and it generally works to bring out even characters who get relatively little actual dialog.

Chris Bachalo’s on pencils and looking great. The cartoonish, ultra-stylized looks that he brings to this diverse cast is well served, giving each character their own look and lending the issue a great sense of clarity. It’s mostly talking this time around, with some world-shattering action to close out, and it all looks good, if not great. The inks brought to us by Tim Townsend, Mark Irwin, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba and Al Vey help to bring a greater sense of definition and impact, both literal and figurative, though there are two sides to the inking that I’ll discuss lower. Antonio Fabela and José Villarrubia provide the colors, and those have always, always been a huge part of the artistic choices on this book for me overall, and these two do not disappoint. The issue is bright, bombastic and given a great sense of place and wild energy by the palette.

The Bad

Time travel. Again. More. Time travel...maybe I’m naive, but I truly thought that Age of Ultron and the horrible side effects it wrought upon the Marvel U along with the unknowable consequences of ALL-NEW X-MEN’s opening choice made it so that time travel was kinda sorta becoming more taboo, or at least to be saved only for the direst of circumstances, especially to the X-titles. But here we are. Though I’m still interested in seeing what happens next, it’s truly difficult to get emotionally invested in the last few pages of this issue.

The inking is generally good across this issue, but here and there it becomes less distinct and that makes the characters and their actions feel less visually defined over the pages it happens on. It’s very minor, but also very noticeable, mostly due to how good everything else looks.

The Verdict

After the UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL (the second half of which came out today as the ALL-NEW X-MEN ANNUAL), I think Eva Bell has the potential to be a serious contender for one of the best new characters of the year, regardless of where this issue or even storyline takes her. We get more great developments from the other characters, as well as some pretty shocking plot points to go with them that a weak last few pages don’t even come close to eclipsing. There’s a reason this book consistently rates as my favorite X-title on the shelf, and this issue is a great example of that: even when it’s not perfect, it’s still a great read.

Avatar image for mark_stephen
Mark_Stephen

2638

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

This story is never going to end is it?

Avatar image for awesomeperson
AwesomePerson

2767

Forum Posts

246

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

When will this end?????!!!!!

Avatar image for wizendsage
WizendSage

10

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

This damn story just keeps going, and going, and going!!! JUST END!

Avatar image for spacemanspiff85
spacemanspiff85

152

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I like this storyline, but there's been way too much of people talking to Matthew. Over and over and over. It's not really adding much to the story, for me, and just kind of seems more like filler than anything substantial.

Avatar image for victorcheenoanleu
victorcheenoanleu

330

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Oh that last page really makes me want to drop this book. X-Men have trouble listening, & learning from their **** ups!

Avatar image for dotwilson
dotwilson

334

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I personally love this series and I absolutely loved the annuals explaining Eva Bells story but I really agree with what @undeadpool is saying about the time travel aspect. Besides that, i really don't mind this story being dragged out a bit.. it seems the ramifications will be really big for most X-characters/titles.

Avatar image for wurzel
Wurzel

23

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Great book, great arc. Did Avengers just killed Scott and Illyana?

Avatar image for comicbookfan93
comicbookfan93

516

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I dropped this series because nothing much was happening and money issues is it worth picking up again?

Avatar image for johnnygat
JohnnyGat

1592

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I dropped this series because nothing much was happening and money issues is it worth picking up again?

This arc is still moving at a slow pace so I suggest not yet, still minimal payoffs in the plot but it seems like it's starting to get somewhere though.

Avatar image for munkiekong
munkieKONG

156

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

"Chris Bachalo’s on pencils and looking great. The cartoonish, ultra-stylized looks"

....are what i hate most. Bachalo has been crapping up my x-men for way too long. Go away and draw some subject matter that fits your goofy simplistic style.

Avatar image for mideonnviscera
MideonNViscera

408

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Talk about the story that never ends. I really liked Bendis' Cyclops at first, but he just seems so damn full of sh*t and delusional now. I get where he's coming from completely, and sympathize with what he's been through, but he's also clearly insane at this point.

Avatar image for dotwilson
dotwilson

334

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@mideonnviscera: i dont view him as insane/delusional at all. If anything.. hes the only one seeing things how they are and he keeps it real with his group of xmen

Avatar image for starbrand1
StarBrand1

661

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@comicbookfan93:

il keep it short, no. If money is tight, this isn't where you want to spend the money you do have.

Avatar image for mideonnviscera
MideonNViscera

408

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@mideonnviscera: i dont view him as insane/delusional at all. If anything.. hes the only one seeing things how they are and he keeps it real with his group of xmen

Fair enough.

This seems like a good place to ask this. Are Cyke's X-Men fugitives or not? Or more specifically, are Emma, Illyana, and Cyclops still fugitives? Since I never read that version of X-Force, how about Colossus as well?

Avatar image for rickbarry
Rickbarry

2005

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@mideonnviscera: I don't know if Colossus is still a fugitive, but they're keeping him on a tight leash at the JGS. Maybe Brand did him a favor?

Avatar image for bl00dwerk
Bl00dwerK

958

Forum Posts

24

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Love the art, this team, and especially Illyana. She's worth the price of admission...

Avatar image for maddpanda531
Maddpanda531

1635

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#25  Edited By Maddpanda531

Wait a second. The story still isn't over, but the next issue is billed as "Axis aftermath". Imagine if they just skipped over the conclusion to this super long story

Avatar image for cdw101
cdw101

474

Forum Posts

234

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Question-- Why is adam- x hated so much?????

Avatar image for starbrand1
StarBrand1

661

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

people still care?

Avatar image for illyanarasputin
IllyanaRasputin

1179

Forum Posts

5472

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 1

I've pretty much stopped reading Marvel in general because of the Avengers & GOTG fanboys and the total BS the X-Men have been getting. That being said, I'm really glad I picked up the last few issues of Uncanny X-Men. This is probably the only book I'm sticking with.

I'm not a fan of Bendis more or less because he's doing nothing with my main girl Emma. But I do like what he's been doing with Cyclops for the most part... Love that he's been using Magik and really like the character development with my new favourite mutant Eva. Happy that Celeste is sticking to being a blonde, she's always been most like Emma and I think that's why she's my favourite... The other two can scram.

Overall this issue was a good read, looking forward to the next one.

Avatar image for indianabones
IndianaBones

5

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

This issue reminds me of why i stopped reading this crap. Bendis is a one trick pony who is in love with his mediocre dialogue. He thinks that snappy patter can excuse poor pacing and dumb characterisation. His X-Men make consistently poor decisions (time travel!), the new mutants he created are piss poor ideas. This new omega mutant is just another example of wishy washy, boring character.