I was going to call this article “Two X-Men, One Wood,” but somehow that seemed like a bad idea.
So this week sees two different X-Men books in two different universes get one single author: Mr. Brian Wood. Author of such MC favorites as “DMZ,” “Local” and “Channel Zero” (to name a few), this week is basically Brian Wood week what with “Conan” #5 and “Massive” #1 also out today.
We’re going to assume you don’t need to be told to buy either of those titles (especially “The Massive”, which is fantastic), but what about those two big X-Books? That’s what this article is for: two titles, one review. I’m going to look at both books with the exact same criteria, and we’re going to figure out just which universe is better to visit and which universe you should make a home in.
So, to begin – an opening statement: Brian Wood is by far one of the best writer’s in comics today.
That sentence alone probably destroys the idea that there is no bias to this critique, but it is worth saying. There are very few writers out there who warrant a universal purchase when their name appears on the cover, and Wood is certainly one of them. Having more than proven himself the past few years with his creator-owned titles, Wood has shown time and time again that he is a writer that can bring nuanced characterization to even the most unlikely of heroes. In his hands, you can be sure that your dollars are safe, that you’re going to be given a book worth purchasing, perusing and enjoying, and that even if you’ve never attempted a read of a franchise, now is the good time to do so. (How many of you tried Conan just because Wood and Cloonan were the team? I know I did.)
That’s why betting on the X-Men while Wood is around is a pretty safe bet, all things considered. The X-Books are a cacophony of different flavors and styles; almost every title with X in it offers something different. “Legacy,” for example, has dipped into After-School Specials rather heavily as of late, and “Astonishing” – which used to be the place for random one-and-done stories – is now expanding to such an extent it’s become a headline maker. Even “Uncanny” has gone through it’s fair share of changes recently, and none of these books are really the same aside from that mutant factor. It’s a boon and a curse to the franchise, really, but one thing is clear: the X-Men kinda sorta provide something for everyone.
It’s safe to assume, then, that Wood taking on two titles with the X in them will yield interesting results of their own. Even aside from the fact that they take place in different universes, each book inherently offers two different versions of the X-Men: in “X-Men,” we have the team that interacts with the greater Marvel Universe, for better or for worse; in “Ultimate X-Men,” we are once again brought back to the old days of a persecuted and outnumbered metaphor, where there’s danger at every turn and barely anywhere to hide. The books are almost like looking at two different forms of fruit at this point, given all of the differences we have, and yet an X in the title provides that line that’s infinitely easy to bring together.
So. Two books with different teams and ideologies. What does Wood do with them?
Written by Brian Wood
Illustrated by David and Alvaro Lopez– Written by Brian Wood (WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN ALPHA AND OMEGA, DMZ, Demo, Northlanders) with art by David Lopez (MYSTIC, NEW MUTANTS, Catwoman)
-When a new race of mutants is discovered
In “X-Men,” we’re given the team of Storm, Psylocke, Pixie, Colossus and Domino, who are now being referred to as the “Security Team” and are apparently no longer just being put into situations where they’ll have run-ins with other characters of the Marvel universe. The team is essentially militarized, dealing with threats as quickly as possible that are ostensibly bad, but not as bad that the Extinction Team has to go and deal with them. It’s basically “the Activity” of the X-Book at the moment, with a group of character familiar with each other enough to get along and fight the baddies as they come, and it all begins with one little fight against a curious monster.
Continued belowPerhaps it’s the timing of it all, but “X-Men” feels awkward right now. Featuring a few characters who seem oddly teamed together due to certain events, it even seems out of place with the whole formally militarized X-thing going on with all of the Blue Team since “Schism.” “X-Men” was basically a fun side-canon title where anything could happen with anyone, but the strict focus it now has almost seems to pigeon hole it right off the bat, giving the title a sharp right turn thematically instead of just carrying on the same old song with a new turn. It’s not an even transition, at least not for someone whose read the past 29 (and some odd) issues, but it’s very much Wood putting a stamp on the book.
Even with continuity aside, the adjectiveless title does inherently lose something by giving it such a sharper focus. The X-World did benefit by putting mutants out there a bit more and isolating them less, and taking that aspect away seems potentially detrimental. This isn’t to doubt where Wood plans to take the book in the future, since it’s not too evident at the moment, and yet with heavy exposition and the loss of little character moments that peppered Gischler’s run, the book becomes less “the fun X-Book” and leans more towards “another X-Book.”
And yet, it’s still a book by Brian Wood. I’d put money on the book having a satisfying pay-off somewhere down the road, so it might be best to currently consider it an investment. The few character moments there are are well executed and we’re only seeing a piece of a larger tapestry, so it’s hard to lose faith yet. Personally, I can’t think of any time Wood has let me down with a story in the past, but as someone who enjoyed the generally zany quality of the previous run, it is a very striking change of pace. Either way, if you’ve ever been a Pixie fan, this is going to be a book for you.
However, all story elements aside, one thing is for certain: the art by the Lopez brothers is a very welcome addition to the book. Penciled by David and inked by Alvaro, the brothers Lopez deliver a striking visual element to the title with wonderfully rich backgrounds and settings and great character design. There tends to be a trend with a few comic artists to lose some of the definitive foibles that make up characters, based on some things like their country of origin, but with “X-Men” the Lopez’s give each character back their unique qualities that move them beyond comic caricatures and define them more as legitimate individual characters. Add to that wonderful colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, especially in the opening Pixie sequence, and you’ve got a yourself a pretty striking little book here.
And then there is “Ultimate X-Men.”
Written by Brian Wood
Illustrated by Paco Medina– Superstar writer Brian Wood takes over!
– Kitty Pryde must save the world!
“Ultimate X-Men” is almost the exact thematic opposite; if the Security Team are a military unit, the kids in the Ultimate book are the opposing underground rebels (obviously). It’s almost like a twisted version of “DMZ;” characters are still entering into a war zone, but instead of chronicling it and trying to re-stabilize a broken area of civilization, this is what would have happened if Matty Roth had started the book by putting together a band of DMZ citizens to fight against the government in issue #1. Led by Kitty Pryde and featuring a team made up of Pryde, Iceman, Rogue and Jimmy Hudson (Ultimate son of Wolverine), this is the book that is most in line with what one might expect from Brian Wood: politically charged and smart storytelling with fierce characterization, and it’s exactly what this book needs.
When Nick Spencer helmed the title, it was always apparent he was trying to open up a bigger mystery with the book. By returning old characters and switching up a few things here and there, the dynamic of the Ultimate X’ers were changed to a greater extent than the devastating graveyard “Ultimatum” left them in. Unfortunately, due to only having a year on the book before exiting, many of those threads are left open-ended and somewhat directionless. It was a lot of set-up before the eventual collapse and unleashing of the Nimrod sentinels upon the population, and it’s Spencer’s version of Empire Strikes Back, leaving everything impossibly dark for the next installment.
Continued belowAnd yet Wood picks it all up without a moment to lose. Focusing the entire story on the inner monologue of Kitty, it’s a shedding of skin in many ways. All of those other storylines with the Scarlet Witch, Apocalypse, Master Mold, Magneto, Xavier, etc? They’re gone. Now it’s all about rallying the troops and taking on the opposition, and maybe saving the world to boot. It’s Wood playing on older themes to a grander and more powerful scale, and while the similar action doesn’t flow as well in the 616 it does wonders for the Ultimate. This isn’t to say that there was anything wrong with Spencer’s run, and it’s too early to assume that all of the previous stories are being abandoned, but as we move to a great Ultimate crossover it is certainly worth noting that having a book open with Kitty literally throwing off the things that held her down is a great way to kick things off, and it would appear that Wood has the similar plans to invigorate the character to the same extent that Joss Whedon did when he wrote “Astonishing X-Men.”
Of course, a large part of what helps this book, an issue full of characterization, hit all the right marks is the continued work of Paco Medina (despite the original solicitation naming Carlo Barberi as the artist). It’s important to note that Medina was the artist the book had started with, and even though the writers have changed his continued involvement helps keep a certain level of stability on the title. That and he’s a killer artist, though that certainly doesn’t need any major reminding. Medina’s smooth lines give the characters a very youthful quality that helps to define the situation they’re in so vividly. If Wood’s words are what allow us to think like the character, it’s Medina’s art that really helps get into their skin (especially with the colors of Marte Garcia, which help a gloomy title just pop off the page). Better hands this issue could not have been in, all in all, and if you’re looking for a great story about Kitty Pryde you’ve got one of the best right here.
It’s interesting to see Wood’s similar entries to two titles having such wildly different effects on both, but I suppose that’s the nature of comics. Where “Ultimate” soars with Wood’s voice, the adjectiveless “X-Men” doesn’t go so high. And yet, with competent creative teams on both, they’re both ultimately worth taking a look at this week. As mentioned earlier, Wood is a name in comics that you can trust. If he has a plan for the X-Men, no matter the universe you can assume that the pay-off will be fairly grand. And with the Lopez brother’s and Medina at his side? Icing on the cake.
Final Verdict: 7.5 for “X-Men”, 9.0 for “Ultimate X-Men” – Buy
