By: Brian Michael Bendis (writer); Chris Bachalo (pencils and colors); Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza, Al Vey, Mark Irwin, Victor Olazaba (inks)
The Story: Ms. Frost you’re trying to seduce me, aren’t you?
The Review: I don’t think that I’ve hidden the fact that I’ve felt that Uncanny X-Men was always the Loki to All-New’s Thor; younger, less likable, more radical, and defined by inferiority. At times the series has shown great promise, but it’s never fully come into its own.
Especially with the incorporation of the original X-Men into the New Xavier School, this is an uneasy time for this title and there’s not much time to right the ship before its caught on the waves of another event. So how does Mr. Bendis deal with all this? He says ‘screw it’ and heads to Atlantic City.
Indeed, while the confusion at the school is alluded to, Bendis decides to sidestep the issue and focus on one of the institution’s quieter students: Benjamin Deeds. Just how quiet is Benjamin? Well I’ve been reading this series essentially since it began and I had completely forgotten that he existed. I’m glad of the reminder, too.
Benjamin’s tale can seem as far away from plot as you can get and it can easily seem like between-event filler, but if you’d call this filler, I’m not sure I want to hear your opinions on comics. Actually, no I totally do, but you know what I mean.
This is a classic character piece, the sort of stuff that the X-Men thrive on. The scope is small and the dialogue witty.
Benjamin is a fine protagonist with some interesting powers, but it’s much more interesting to see what others would have him do with those powers. Bendis opens with a moody scene straight out of a movie and lulls you into a false sense of security before unleashing an amazing scene that will have the hair on your neck standing up one way or another.
The tension is thick in this issue, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t funny. Indeed, Kitty Pryde’s return seems to have triggered a transformation in Illyana and I, for one, like it. She’s quickly becoming the comedic heart of this team. Where Rasputin and Frost were my least favorite members of the team at the book’s inception, this issue takes another long step in rehabilitating them.
There are some leaps of logic here and there and not a lot of traditional action, but it doesn’t faze me all too much. I’m too busy thinking about the role of morality and authority in this story or pondering what Bendis is saying about human nature with the unique use of Benjamin’s partial shape-shifting.
Though it all, Chris Bachalo delivers one of his best issues in a long while. The two early scenes I mentioned above are particular standouts, but it’s all very nice. The characters look sharper, the colors remain expertly chosen, and body language is given particular attention. Though panels are often sparse, Bachalo uses the energy he would have spent on backdrops perfecting each image and knocks the settings he does draw out of the park. Bachalo can have a sketchy quality to his work that doesn’t always feel substantial, but this issue is as real as it gets.
The Conclusion: As I said, Uncanny X-Men has had trouble defining itself. How appropriate then, that this issue doesn’t solve the problem but does offer a look at one way that the book could be. I kind of hope it follows that path; it’s given us by far the best issue this series has had.
Grade: B
Some thoughts
- Seriously, the whole second sequence is one of the creepiest that I can remember. Emma isn’t terribly out of character, but she never tips her hand as to what her endgame is. Bendis deftly walks the line between committing to a choice and supporting it. It’s undoubtedly effective writing, but its power dynamics are deeply unsettling.
- I also have to wonder how much of this issue’s events Cyclops had a role in. Was this all scripted? No matter the answer, this issue will likely prove divisive depending on your view of Scott. I’ve been trying to put into words why I’m uncomfortable with Scott’s position in the ongoing disagreement between he and Wolverine. This is a prime example of Bendis’ ability to write Scott without clearly defining his stance on the mutant tactician’s decisions. Does he really believe Scott as firmly as he seems to, or is he merely writing from Scott’s point of view? I may not love Scott’s politics, but let it never be said that old Slim Summers isn’t more interesting this way.