From the Age of Apocalypse to the end of the X-Men…and the dawn of the AGE OF X-MAN???

After the last issue detour which took us to the Age of Apocalypse, things are explained a bit better in Uncanny X-Men #8. The previous issue was a bit disjointed missing some key information and it’s this issue that lays things out a bit better putting the previous into better context. It’s an example where comics need to be judged by single issues as well as complete arcs.

Writers Matthew Rosenberg, Kelly Thompson, and Ed Brisson return us to Earth Prime where the debate that raged last issue continues with the rest of the X-Men. With the younger X-Men trapped with X-Man, is it worth sacrificing them to stop the greater threat? It’s an interesting debate, just like last issue and it’s a bit surprising who does what to resolve the issue.

The issue is a good mix of that moral debate along with the crazy you can expect in an X-Men comic, along with action… like a battle with Apocalypse!? Yeah, things are ramped up this issue leading us closer to the coming Age of X-Man. It’s a bit clearer by the end of this issue how that might come about.

The art too is improved. R.B. Silva delivers the pencils with Adriano Di Benedetto on ink, Rachelle Rosenberg on color, and Joe Caramagna handling the lettering. Silva, and the team’s, style really fits the issue and the action within. There’s a lot packed in with a lot to cover and different concepts and it all works really well. Apocalypse looks fantastic and Bishop too stands out as just looking like his old bad-ass self.

The issue is an improvement over last issue’s side quest and it gets the event back on track. Again, this is a prime example of having to judge the individual issue as well as the arc it’s a part of of. It lifts the previous issue and itself stands out as an action focused chapter of the event. Uncanny X-Men #8 feels like old-school X-Men and ups the excitement for what comes next.

Story: Matthew Rosenberg, Kelly Thompson, Ed Brisson
Art: R.B. Silva Ink: Andriano Di Benedetto
Color: Rachelle Rosenberg Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.35 Overall: 8.15 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review