Ultimate X-men # 78 Review
This review was submitted by Spider-Ben
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Ben Oliver
OK, I admit I have enjoyed most of Kirkman’s work on Ultimate X-Men thus far. I thought “Date Night” was perfect, “Phoenix?” was very fun and intense (despite lackluster art), “Magical” really threw me for a loop with the revelation that Magician faked his parents death and turned on the team, and even the second annual was a shock with Nightcrawler going crazy. But this current arc, “Cable” has really been a let down.
First off, Cable being a future Wolverine is crazy and doesn’t make much sense. Ultimate Bishop was not interesting at all, and I think there have been way too many “Xaiver must die for what he has done” storylines in the past. (See: Age of Apocalypse, “One Man’s Worth” Animated series 2 parter, etc.) Now we learn that Xaiver is really in love with Jean after all this time (despite him and Lilandra getting close in a few storylines ago) and Scott gets all sucidal in his battle plans and methods in this issue. Sure, I know he wants to save Jean, but after Xaiver’s confession he just doesn’t act like himself.
The issue suffers All Star Batman and Robin Syndrome: not much happened in this issue. Cyclops and Xaiver arrive, they fight Ultimate Domino and her teammates, Xaiver says this is his fault, Cable blows Xaiver up, Jean rushes to grieve over Xaiver’s skeleton (with no signs of flesh or blood or clothing at all, just a perfectly clean skeleton!) and Wolverine is still not telling his friends that he will become Ultimate Cable. That’s about it, just one big fight and a lame death. Look, I like Kirkman. I love Marvel Zombies, I liked the first 14 issues of Marvel Team Up, hell, I even liked the Masters of the Universe Icons of Evil one shots he wrote. But Ultimate X-men seems to be going downhill. Plus, you can’t expect fans to actually believe Xaiver died. He probably was teleported away with Ultimate Cable, leading in some huge return or revelation as issue 100 approaches. I just don’t believe this death one bit whatsoever.
Another thing that hurts is the art. Good God people, get a regular artist for this book! What happened to Tom Raney? Why do we have Ben Oliver, and some dude called Yvette something doing the next two issues. My friends can draw, there styles are all great and they would actually produce the book on time! I’ve seen their work, and any of them would help this book come back on top. I’m not dropping the book, but I really hope it gets better. I have to give this issue a C. Yes, I gave a book a low grade. It just really let me down. Excuse me, I’m going to read Ultimate Spidey 104 again and get the bad taste of this issue out of my mind.
I read the first couple in this storyline, I didn't think it was bad but, then again I didn't think it was great.
I started with this title based solely on the fact that Kirkman was writing it, and from what I have seen starting with this storyline, I think Kirkman is better off when he writes his own created properties, with maybe Marvel Zombies being the exception (unless technically that is his creation).
I feel you on the whole switching artists vibe though, Teen Titans has been switching out artists like crazy and it's driving me nuts. Least they put the right artist on this book though, Teen Titans half the time it'll say Daniels on the front and be some completely different artist who does the content inside.
Your review seemed fair though maybe a little cynical, I don't know, like I said I started on this title with the last issue of the Magician arc so I kinda have a different viewpoint. I'd say at least a C+.
I found the review very fair, more so than I would have been, this has been the worst thing I've read by Kirkman. I dunno what the intent of all of this is.
If you just got on Ult.X-Man with Magician than you are missing out on FAR better story arcs than this one, go back to the beginning with the trades if you want to see this series at its top, for me it started going down hill after Return of Magneto and def after Beast...well ya know.
y'know beast is coming back right? well at leas mccoy is. check out the latest solicitations!
Yeah I know, thats why I never gave it much of a thought when he spoiler.....died. Or rather "died" because I knew they'd bring him back without a doubt, that was Bendis' run, man he loves killing characters.
yeah, i was reaaaally hoping they wouldn't bring him back just cuz he was the first person they really killed in the ultiverse that wasn't a ridiculously irrelevant character or someone who wasn't supposed to die (like captain stacy). it saddens me to see that not even the ultiverse can escape retconning.
I've read all the Arcs except "Magical" and I think this was a pretty decent Arc. I'm pissed they bringing Hank back, it's been so good without him y'know?