Uncanny X-Men #532 Review
Sunday, February 6th, 2011“Uncanny X-Men” #532 lacks the finesse of storytelling for old readers and feels like a jumping point for new readers. Read the review from last week’s issue by Anthony Couto.
UNCANNY X-MEN #532
Written by MATT FRACTION & KIERON GILLEN
Pencils & Cover by GREG LAND
“QUARANTINE”
When your very body is betraying you, and you see life leaking out of your friends drop by drop, what would you give up for the cure? Cyclops discovers what the Sublime Corporation wants. Can he afford to pay it? Meanwhile, Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw reminisce over old times VIA THE STRONG LANGUAGE OF PUGILISM. Part 3 (of 5)
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
[rating:2.5]
by Anthony Couto
Matt Fraction’s current and final arc, Quarantine, continues to focus around a mutant flu virus that ultimately traps the mutants of Utopia in lockdown, for risk of the virus spreading to the humans in San Francisco. The concept is interesting, but a couple of things keep this story from taking off: a weak plot mixed with a lingering one, and the snarky dialogue that disrupts the issue’s tone that comes off as annoying.
I do enjoy wit and cheeky dialogue in comics, but it gets bothersome when each issue feels like a jumping point for readers, instead of an enticing plot that builds in intensity from past issues. So, if this was the first issue I’ve ever read of Uncanny X-Men, I’d be impressed and probably encouraged to pick up the next installment, but reading the arc so far in one sitting leaves much to be desired.
A reason for this is the unthreatening villain that is a large portion of the story, whom creates a team of mutants to prove that he can provide mutant powers for humans. This “re-creation” of the X-Men feels all too familiar. Oh, right, that’s because Norman Osborn did this about 20 issues ago. Sure, this may be from a biological angle, as opposed to the political stance Norman took, but this situation doesn’t feel any more
threatening or intriguing.
Greg Land’s art, which usually looks fabricated and odd when it comes to characters’ faces, toned down on such this month (sans creepy smiles) and provided some really stellar action sequences. Land’s sharp interpretation of the super hero form, mixed with the capture of motion, made for some very pretty pages.
Particular stories like these make me appreciate Peter David’s “X-Factor” greatly because of his ability to feature quirky characters and witty dialogue that still manage to give emotional pull. It is clear that “Uncanny X-Men” can’t achieve this as of yet, so it certainly seems that the book needs to find its footing in the X-Universe in a way that doesn’t feel like a weaker “X-Factor.” It needs to be rewarding to long time readers and also feel fresh.
[rating:overall]
