About Heroes

Author: Mike Carey
Pencils: John Romita Jr. & Scot Eaton
Inkers: Klaus Janson & John Dell
Cover: David Finch

For the second time in its lifespan X-men has changed titles again. When Morrison took the book over the title changed to New X-men. Now, after the rushed events in the last four pages of Messiah Complex, the book has had another name change. Although this time it’s not because a “hot and happening” writer is taking over, there is an actual purpose to the name change.

The issue is divided into two different stories. One depicts the reality in which Exodus and a handful of Acolytes are watching over Xavier’s comatose body and the other is a dream world where Xavier seems to be experiencing his past. We are reintroduced to Amelia Vought, an Acolyte who shared a past with Xavier and it’s because of her love for Xavier that Exodus decided to keep Xavier alive (it doesn’t seem like it was an art fluke, his body was really missing)! After scenes of dreamlike flashbacks Exodus doesn’t think there is anything left for him to do, so he calls on the one man that can help them. His old leader of the Acolytes, Magneto himself comes to the rescue.

This new series seems be another take on a formula that has been ran into the ground. How many times are we going to explore the X-men’s past? How many secrets can Xavier really hold? Everyone from Chris Claremont, John Byrne, Jeff Parker, Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, and Ed Brubaker has explored the past to tell more stories for the future. But in the end these stories of retelling a hidden past or trying to change a thing here and there to suit your story really doesn’t add much to the X-men mythos. You want past stories? Go buy some Essentials or trades. I can’t imagine this story going on for more than five issues, unless every five issues it spotlights on a different character. They want to impress me with a secret past….write the secret past of Maggot or the hidden agenda of Cecilia Reyes.

Now that I am done with a small gripe I guess I can talk about the story in this issue. I really like how Moira Mactaggert plays Charles conscience in the flashbacks and how Amelia seems to be playing Exodus’ conscience. I think the use of the five Acolytes is a fantastic idea. These five individuals I speak of stand out, because at one time or another they have fought on the side of the angels and given up their evil ways. I think that makes Carey shine; using C-list characters for purposes to move a big story forward. My main gripe with the story mainly comes from the fact that none of the X-men know that Xavier’s body was taken by the enemy and why they don’t seem to care enough to try and retrieve it. I hope they bring this up sometime in the near future.

Eaton’s art is great, he will be missed on X-factor and for some reason more and more his style is starting to look like Finch’s art. JRJR on the other hand reminded me how much I didn’t enjoy his return to the X-books in the mid 90’s. Where everyone was shaped like a box and had oversized bodies. Overall, it was an interesting book with a couple of shining moments. I hope the quality of the book continues and they spotlight other characters that haven’t had a shining moment in years…..Cough cough Gambit…Nightcrawler. If they do explore their past I hope that not everyone has an evil hidden secret. B