THIS IS IT!
The X-Men and Inhumans have been on a collision course since the link was proven between the Inhumans’ precious Terrigen Mist and the sickness and death of many mutants. When Beast discovers that the mutants have only two weeks before the planet is uninhabitable for them, an Inhuman/mutant war is unavoidable.
After the disappointment that was Death of X and a lot of Marvel’s recent events, I went into Inhumans vs. X-Men #1 with low expectations and figured the story would be just another drag out fight with little thought. Co-written by Charles Soule and Jeff Lemire I really should have known better.
Inhumans vs. X-Men is a solid mix of set-up for those who don’t know what’s going on but also creates tension leading up to the eventual cathartic release. Inhumans vs. X-Men #1 reminds me of a play where the characters debate a moral dilemma. In this case, what to do about the final Terrigen Mist cloud that threatens to make Earth uninhabitable for Mutants. Forge, Emma Frost, Magneto, Storm, Logan, Beast(s), and Rogue debate what they should do as Beast gives the dire news. It’s interesting and very adult in many ways. The comic is talky… until it isn’t. The last quarter of the comic is the action as the plan springs into action in a style that reminds me of scenes being interspersed in a movie as the characters reveal their plan. And it’s dramatic as all hell.
But, what I think surprises me most about what Soule and Lemire have done is that they in no terms paint the X-Men in a positive light. Yes, their situation is dire, but this is an attack. The X-Men might be fighting for their survival, but they are the bad guys in many ways here. This is a preemptive strike and it’s well thought out and cunning as all hell. It’s also exciting!
That excitement is helped by Leinil Yu who provides pencils along with Gerry Alangulan on inks and David Curiel on colors. It’s not just the depictions of the characters that are solid, but how Yu lays out the pages. The debate is staged like a careful plotted David Mamet play where every word and position is thought out in what it says. But when the action hits, it hits. The Karnak/Jean Grey scene alone is worth the price of admission.
As I said, I expected the worst, but this is the best “event” debut Marvel has released in decades. There’s actual thought, actual debate, the stakes are laid out, and there’s some great action in a comic that’s paced well and delivers. I can’t wait to see what comes next
IVX promises to shatter the Marvel Universe as you know it and judging by this first issue it’ll be one hell of a ride.
Story: Charles Soule, Jeff Lemire Art: Leinil Yu
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.70 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
