In this epilogue to the latest arc of “Wolverine and the X-Men,” Wolverine gives a rousing speech, plays around with time, and shows us why this little title is still relevant in a post “Avengers vs. X-Men” world.
Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by Ramón Pérez• See the Jean Grey School of the future!
• The students of JGS put a time-capsule together that you can follow into the future and see what happened to all your favorite X-Men.
After a smash-hit debut and fantastic first year of stories, “Wolverine and the X-Men” established itself as a premiere X-title. However, the recent ‘Frankenstein Circus’ and ‘Dog Logan’ arcs left many fans feeling cold. The ever expanding cast of generic characters like Eye Boy and Shark Girl became hard to keep track of. Even with spectacular talent like Nick Bradshaw and Ramon Perez attached, “Wolverine and the X-Men” has struggled to remain relevant, especially with Brian Michael Bendis’ “All-New X-Men” and “Uncanny X-Men” taking over the headliner space. Fortunately, Aaron, the masterful writer he is, uses one of Bendis’ own tricks to reinvigorate the title, as well as build interest for upcoming stories.
After the trials encountered in the Savage Lands, Logan takes a moment to uplift the students and faculty of the Jean Grey School. Between this book, “All-New X-Men,” and “Uncanny X-Men,” he has to have given more motivational speeches in the past year than in his entire history as a fictional character. This dramatic push towards leadership is part of what has made the post-“Schism” status quo so interesting, and it’s even more so in a Xavier-less world. Logan (don’t call him that right now) admits that he would rather be fighting the Juggernaut than leading a school. It’s this truth, that he’s faced with doing something that he “isn’t the best there is” at, is the perfect evolution for character one defined by the sound “Snikt.”
As part of his spirit-lifting speech, Logan institutes a time-capsule for the student’s use, to be opened 25 years later, setting up the issue’s time-spanning plot. As the issue jumps to the future, we find the white haired “Old Man Logan” seen on the cover, still a professor at the school. His discovery of the capsule triggers a memory long buried, setting him on a mission with adamantium resolve.
Aaron uses the future setting to drop in countless nuggets of fan service, from a roll call of students bearing recognizable surnames, to future incarnations of threats like the Hellfire Club and the Akkaba Clan, to Elseworldian concepts like “Captain China” and the “Krakoa Corps.” Unfortunately, nearly all of these things are only mentioned, never seen. Although, if you look closely, you’ll catch a portrait, hidden in the background of a panel, of an aged bearded Iceman. The sheer creativity on display practically begs for Aaron to write an X-Men title set in this fantastic future. If nothing else, an “Eye Man in Space” mini-series is a must.
Ramón Pérez continues to bring his signature sense of wonder to the book. His work here is imaginative, even by the lofty standards set by artists like Nick Bradshaw and Chris Bachalo. Pérez gracefully juggles a cast of several dozen, from the opening spread depicting the diverse and eccentric members of the school to the bustling halls of the future Jean Grey School. If there’s one disappointment to level against the book, it’s that Pérez wasn’t allowed much room to flesh out all the ideas Aaron dishes out. Laura Martin deserves just as much credit for the book’s beauty, with bright and varied colors that perfectly suit the optimistic tone and youthful splendor.
After a few missteps, “Wolverine and the X-Men” is back on track, and perhaps more interesting than it has ever been. Many have noted that the series is at its best when it focuses on the school and its students, something that rings true in light of this issue. The series balances a fun and whimsical tone with deeply moving emotions and ideas. Full of heart and hope, Aaron’s writing and Pérez and Martin’s art exhibit the best of what “Marvel NOW” has to offer. With the upcoming “Hellfire Academy” and the even larger “Battle of the Atom,” the future of the Jean Grey School has never looked brighter.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy. This is a return to form for the Jean Grey School fans have come to love.
