X-Men #188

Writer: Mike Carey
Pencils: Chris Bachalo
Inker: Tim Townsend with Jaime Mendoza
Colors: Antonio Fabela

The X-Men take down a hospital where mutants are being subjected to tortuous experiments. When they arrive back at the mansion Cyclops asks Rogue to form a new rapid response group specifically aimed at dealing with situations like the hospital. While they are discussing the details Sabretooth shows up at the mansion and demands asylum.

Wow… just, wow. I just read an X-Men comic that I really enjoyed. That’s few and far between folks. And Mike Carey’s first issue of X-Men is not only a good read but also, for once, an honest to God good jumping on point for new readers! Of course, there are some references to things that have come before but none of it is essential to understanding what this particular story is about or where it is going. Bravo.

This issue features a perfect blend of trademark X-Men action, drama and some really interesting plot twists that will leave you wanting more. Couple all that with a new and deadly threat to the team that has even the fearsome Sabretooth quaking in his boots and you've got one heck of an explosive opening for Carey and Bachalo’s first story arc. For a writer who is completely new to the franchise, Carey’s characterization is pretty spot-on. No whiny, depressing or overly superior mutants populate this book. Just the characters you know and love like Rogue, Iceman, Cannonball and Sabretooth, whom Carey plays as nasty as ever.

And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that Bachalo’s artwork in this issue completely bowled me over. I’ve gone back and forth on liking his work in the past, as it can range from gorgeous to messy and confusing. Here, though, he’s at the top of his game. His iconic renditions of the X-Men, his fast-paced and hard hitting action scenes and his beautifully intricate layouts all exist here creating one of the better looking X-books I’ve seen in quite some time.

But even after all that, what really sold me on the issue was the final page and the almost haunting last sentence, which may just leave the X-Men in the worst position of their lives. You all know that I’m not normally an X-Men fan, not in the slightest, but after reading this issue I think I’m at least ready to add one X-book to my pull list.
 

Special thanks go out to Jeremy Shorr, owner of Titan Comics for allowing us to use his advance preview books for review purposes.

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