Tag Archives: rachel grey

Review: X-Men #26

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xmen026The introduction of an all female X-Men caught many fans off guard when it was announced over two years ago.  It is not that the fans were not prepared for an all female team, because the new team was as a response of fan requests, but rather because the all-female team was taking over the mantle of the team’s masculine name which did not accurately respresent their gender.  Regardless the fans got what they wanted even if the fit of the characters to the title was never as strong, as some of them debated over the use of the name in story.  What was noteworthy about this title was how effective the series was, in that while there were occasionally some lighter moments, that the femininity which was displayed was not of the trivial kind but instead allowed all of these powerful characters to interact with one another.  With the advent of Secret Wars, X-Men is due to be canceled.  This might come as a surpirse for a series which has been doing well enough both in sales and in its critical reception, but then again a lot of other series are being canceled to coincide with Secret Wars.

The story here wraps up the last story arc of this series.  After journeying to the desert and finding the semi-intelligent version of Krakoa, the team was trapped underground and forced to struggle for their lives.  Both Storm and Rachel Grey managed a way to the surface and the battle continued, but not before a moment was taken to reflect on the actual meaning of their actions, especially so that their own Krakoa was sick back at the X-Mansion.

The resolution to this story is as good as the series could give, given its feminine focus, but at the same time this story arc marks the end of what was a project that never really was.  Although the quality of this X-Men title was never in doubt, it never really either broke through either.  Most of the stories were interesting and engaging enough, but most also never really rose above what one might consider an average story line from any other comic.  Such was the case here again with this story arc and this issue, and while the run has been strong enough over the past couple of years, it still feels as though more could have been done.

Story: G. Willow Wilson Art: Roland Boschi
Story:  8.3 Art: 8.3  Overall: 8.3  Recommendation: Read

Review: X-Men #22

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x-men 22As a group, the X-Men fare better when their stories are based on Earth, not in other settings, including outer space.  Part of what makes the characters so interesting and compelling is that they are a reflection of humanity, the same but different, which can really be said of anybody in one sense or another.  When they leave Earth, they lose a bit of this touch with humanity and they become somewhat more like super-powered anybodies.  This five-part story arc called Exogenous has faced this problem throughout, telling a fun enough story, but losing bit of what makes the characters special in the process.  As the final chapter in this story arc, this story includes an adequate wrap-up to the plot, focusing mostly on action sequences, but it is by getting its focus back that this issue succeed.

Throughout the story arc so far, a common theme has been Rachel and her acceptance of the events around her, mostly out of her control as Madeline Pryor is being used against the team, but so too are others interested in the outcome, including the X-Men.  While the story in this final issue of the story arc focuses mostly on action, especially with the attack of the hybrid aliens, it is the moments with Rachel that give this a stronger center, and focuses the series back to where it is best, focusing on the personal aspects of the characters as opposed to the action and intrigue.

This story arc managed to pull back into what the strength is for the series in this last issue before starting something new.  So far the story arc has been far more concept driven, with the hybrid aliens, the return of Madeline Pryor, the betrayal of S.W.O.R.D. from within, but by mixing the focus on characters back into the mix it redeems what has been a fun but lackluster story arc so far.  The moments with Rachel are not dominant here, but they are touching enough to make up for their brevity.  While this has never been a weak series, it did stumble a little bit with this story arc, but by the end finds itself back on the same solid ground where it has mostly been throughout.

Story: Marc Guggenheim  Art: Harvey Tolibao and Dexter Soy
Story:  8.6 Art: 8.6  Overall: 8.6  Recommendation: Buy