It’s on like Donkey Kong folks! The Inhumans and the X-Men are going to duke it out once and for all. “Inhumans vs. X-Men” is the second big heroes versus heroes event Marvel has launched this year and like “Civil War II,” we (Jess and Ken) are here to break it all down for you. In each installment of this column, we’re looking at the main book but along the way we’re sure that we’ll mention the tie-ins as well. When this is all said and done, two new columns will launch with all the new titles. Ken will be looking at the Inhuman side of things and Jess will look at the Mutant side of things. In this edition, we’re looking at “Inhumans vs. X-Men” #4 and not only does it feature the funniest scene in the series so far but it gives the Inhumans a chance to get the upper hand. As usual, there will be spoilers.
Written by Charles Soule and Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Javier Garron and David Curiel
• The young Inhumans devise a crazy plan to infiltrate Muir Island…The only thing standing in their way: the master of magnetism himself, MAGNETO.
• Meanwhile, Medusa and the other royals mount a desperate effort to escape from the mutants’ prison in Limbo…
• …and an X-Man changes sides!!
Ken Godberson III: So Jess. We are now officially over the hump. The backhalf of “IvX” begins with this issue and I have to say…imagine if we had reached this point at the beginning of the story. This issue finally brings that really major key detail – that the cloud reaches full saturation soon – and finally lets the other side know about this. Like, so much conflict could have been avoided if you started with that!
Jess Camacho: Can’t sell books and make headlines without an overblown conflict, Ken!
Ken: *drops the pile of books that prove you can make low-key conflict and sell well on the floor* Oh. Um…..Anywhoo…
So this issue begins with the younger Inhumans (I am not calling them “NuHumans” because that’s a very silly – and kind of pointless – word) going on the offensive, with the team of Mosaic and Reader infiltrating the X-Men base on Muir Island and initiating the most hilarious part of this crossover.
Jess: Oh my god, that was the best thing this “event” has given us so far. Yes, even better than Kamala Khan’s expert level texting. Mosaic, for those who don’t know, is a very new Inhuman character. He was a star basketball player (think LeBron James) who ends up exposed to the Terrigen Mists and becomes Mosaic. He gains the power to basically possess people and when he does this he can access memories, abilities and all that other good stuff. So in this issue he ends up taking over Magneto and specifically avoiding the blondes. It is really the little things like this and the Kamala Khan scene last issue that make this feel so much more different than some of the recent Marvel mega storylines. I feel like this one is trying to retain a sense of humor even if it’s small.
Ken: It is a load of fun in that “The Great Brain Robbery” kind of way imagining Ian McKellen saying these lines. I do admit, there’s some memories that Magneto has that makes me go: “How do you remember the parts you weren’t there for?” But still, it’s a nice bit of fun for a book that really has a shaky premise and lots of unfortunate implications.
But that’s not the only thing that happens. We also have the big Inhuman jailbreak. The team of Medusa, Crystal, Gorgon, Flint, McGee, Naja and Johnny Storm come up with a plan to break out of their jail in this literal hellhole (Remember, X-Men are Heroes). I got admit, I felt like there were some odd leaps of logic. Like, I get it: they need to escape to advance the story. Obviously. But I don’t know. Felt a bit too easy.
Jess: You know, I think it veers in that direction but it definitely helps that Medusa is kind of leading that scene. She’s always struck me as a highly intelligent and quick thinking leader so I got close to buying it.
Continued belowKen: I suppose. We did get a nice double page spread of the escape and ensuing battle. Speaking of, let’s talk about the art. Garron is joined by David Curiel (the colorist of issue #1-2) and I can appreciate that it does make the book more visually consistent even with the pencil change. However, like how we were talking about: the best part visually is still Mosaic possessing Magneto. The highlight for me is when Mosaic is trying to not look suspicious and Garron depicts Magnaic’s™ eyes bugging out from the shadows underneath his helmet. Just a delight.
Jess: I really enjoy Garron’s art and that was definitely the best part of this issue. Great comedic expression and timing on his part. I also liked the first couple of pages with Mosaic and Reader. Lots of great background work there brought to life by Curiel’s knack for capturing light. Overall, Garron’s great with character movement and emotion. The pages in Limbo really highlight a lot of the different personalities and abilities of the Inhumans in a kind of fun way. Here again is important attention to detail. The monster designs aren’t groundbreaking but they are right for this setting. A scene like the X-Men talking around a table can be really boring but even before Mosaic comes in, Garron adds tiny things in body language that keep this from becoming too posed or static.
Ken: The one thing I would have wished is that the overall product would have had one style. Yu and Garron are good in their own ways, but it has created a dissonance (esp with Yu coming back for the ending). Speaking of, we have two issues to go, so let me ask you, Jess. What do you hope to see as we wind down this story?
Jess: For the grand finale, I’d like to see this come to a fitting conclusion. Which I know sounds generic but in the past, we’ve seen these big stories end with an obligatory death or revelation that ultimately means nothing when new series launch. I want to see an ending that leaves both franchises in a good place for the relaunch. I want this to not waste what it has done so far because honestly, this has been decent and doesn’t feel like it exists for headlines.
Ken: Yeah, if it sounds like enthusiasm wanes it’s because -while this event is in no way as bad as “Civil War II”- it is starting to feel the stretch. It’s not horrible, but it is also not great. It feels like a tetanus shot, something you just have to do, it stings for a bit and then you forget it. It’s all competently put together, an okay execution of a tired “hero vs hero” story idea.
Jess: For me, it definitely feels like a lot more care was put into this one by the creative teams and I’m digging it so far. I’ve had to read a lot of these events for the various sites I’ve written for and this has felt the least like doing work.
Ken’s Final Verdict: 5.9
Jess’ Final Verdict: 6.5
