February 2013

• Title: Uncanny X-Men #1
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
• Artist: Chris Bachalo

The new volume of Uncanny X-Men quickly gets readers up to speed on the fallout of AvX and the current state of Cyclops and his team of renegade X-Men. Told entirely from the perspective of a member of Cyclops’ team to S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s Maria Hill, writer Brian Michael Bendis gives us an inside look at Scott’s new role and growing popularity to those outside the United States Government.

Cyclops has been busy rebuilding a new group of soldiers which already includes a healer, a sorcerer, and a woman who is learning to control time to go along with Emma Frost and Magneto. We also learn that the Phoenix was rather unkind to those who it took over. Cyclops has lost the ability to control his optic blast and Magneto’s powers are diminished.

Although I think most of the art of Chris Bachalo is fine, my only real complaint is with the redesign of so many classic characters’ costumes. Magneto’s is my least favorite. In terms of story Uncanny X-Men is all that you could hope in giving readers a new story, setting up the players, and then (in a relatively easy to figure out twist) see where Bendis plans to take the story. Best of the week.

[Marvel, $3.99]