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 Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men.
the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion!
The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules.
First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle.
As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale.
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men.
the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion!
The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules.
First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle.
As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale.
Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler.
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men.
the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion!
The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules.
First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle.
As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale.
Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler.
A must-have book., 11 Aug 2008
Having repeatedly read the Astonishing X-men trades, I can strongly recommend this. Cassaday shows us how good comic book art can be and Whedon demonstrates that he is one of the most talented contemporary writers.
The second best astonishing x-men story., 17 Sep 2007
After gifted this is the best of Joss Whedons astonishing x-men. The various villians and plot threads that have been set up during JWs run come to a head as the X-men go to outer space and head to Breakworld to face thier destiny. Where Colossus is destined to commit genocide.
The humour is excellent, the story is suitably OTT and melodramatic.
The Art by John Cassaday is sublime as always. A fine farewell to on of the all time great creative teams on x-men.
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men.
the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion!
The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules.
First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle.
As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale.
Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler.
A must-have book., 11 Aug 2008
Having repeatedly read the Astonishing X-men trades, I can strongly recommend this. Cassaday shows us how good comic book art can be and Whedon demonstrates that he is one of the most talented contemporary writers.
The second best astonishing x-men story., 17 Sep 2007
After gifted this is the best of Joss Whedons astonishing x-men. The various villians and plot threads that have been set up during JWs run come to a head as the X-men go to outer space and head to Breakworld to face thier destiny. Where Colossus is destined to commit genocide.
The humour is excellent, the story is suitably OTT and melodramatic.
The Art by John Cassaday is sublime as always. A fine farewell to on of the all time great creative teams on x-men.
Morrison's Concluding New X-Men Hardcover, 27 Oct 2004
This oversized hardcover collects the paperback editions of Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X and Here Comes Tomorrow. (New X-Men Issues #142 - #154). These are the last issues of the title (well ignoring #155 and 156 which were written by Chuck Austen and thankfully are collected with the rest of his dross in the Uncanny X-Men trades, Bright New Mourning I think. Seriously, you won't be missing much) and allow Morrison to provide nice closure to his entire X run. He establishes himself as a true master plotter, revealing two good surprises which really do make such sense and will make you go back and look previous volumes as if your eyes were open for the first time. Of course, I won't reveal those here. Unfortunately, the artwork brings down the side a bit, not because it's particularly bad, but because it's once again a hodgepodge of contrasting styles. The, ahem, "stylised" Chris Bachelo is followed by artists of a more realistic approach (one that I personally much prefer), such as Jimenez and Image founder Marc Silvestri (not seen on an X-book since the "80's Outback era" of Uncanny X-Men).
Anyone who considers themself to be a real X-Fan shoud own this book (or the paperback versions) and probably already does. Readers returning after a hiatus from the X-universe and especially new readers would do well to get the first two New X-Men hardcovers before this, as well as Joe Casey's Poptopia tpb from Uncanny X-Men that runs concurrent with the first NXM hardcover (If only because it's a very under-appreciated book.)
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men. the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion! The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules. First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle. As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale. Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler. A must-have book., 11 Aug 2008
Having repeatedly read the Astonishing X-men trades, I can strongly recommend this. Cassaday shows us how good comic book art can be and Whedon demonstrates that he is one of the most talented contemporary writers. The second best astonishing x-men story., 17 Sep 2007
After gifted this is the best of Joss Whedons astonishing x-men. The various villians and plot threads that have been set up during JWs run come to a head as the X-men go to outer space and head to Breakworld to face thier destiny. Where Colossus is destined to commit genocide.
The humour is excellent, the story is suitably OTT and melodramatic.
The Art by John Cassaday is sublime as always. A fine farewell to on of the all time great creative teams on x-men.
Morrison's Concluding New X-Men Hardcover, 27 Oct 2004
This oversized hardcover collects the paperback editions of Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X and Here Comes Tomorrow. (New X-Men Issues #142 - #154). These are the last issues of the title (well ignoring #155 and 156 which were written by Chuck Austen and thankfully are collected with the rest of his dross in the Uncanny X-Men trades, Bright New Mourning I think. Seriously, you won't be missing much) and allow Morrison to provide nice closure to his entire X run. He establishes himself as a true master plotter, revealing two good surprises which really do make such sense and will make you go back and look previous volumes as if your eyes were open for the first time. Of course, I won't reveal those here. Unfortunately, the artwork brings down the side a bit, not because it's particularly bad, but because it's once again a hodgepodge of contrasting styles. The, ahem, "stylised" Chris Bachelo is followed by artists of a more realistic approach (one that I personally much prefer), such as Jimenez and Image founder Marc Silvestri (not seen on an X-book since the "80's Outback era" of Uncanny X-Men). Anyone who considers themself to be a real X-Fan shoud own this book (or the paperback versions) and probably already does. Readers returning after a hiatus from the X-universe and especially new readers would do well to get the first two New X-Men hardcovers before this, as well as Joe Casey's Poptopia tpb from Uncanny X-Men that runs concurrent with the first NXM hardcover (If only because it's a very under-appreciated book.) Highly recommended., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted. I'm astonished!!!, 28 May 2007
Joss Whedon, the genius behind Firefly, doing X-Men? Sounds like a winning combination! And it so is! The story is believable and fun and the characters are spot on. Bringing the X-Men down to five members was a stroke of genius as it allows every character (including two of the students) a chance to shine and makes the story easier to follow. John Cassaday's artwork is superb as it is realistic and believable. He also has a fantastic talent for catching expressions, eliminating the need for all those stupid narrative thought bubbles that some comics have. All in all, this comic is astonishing! The new boss, same as the old boss, 03 May 2007
Which was why I stopped buying comics several years ago, too much violence, too many people back from the dead and too many tie-ins.
However, I have to say that despite the Marvel standards committee Wheedon has done a pretty good job and Cassadays artwork is kinetic, smooth and detailed and the flow from cel to cel is natural. It really does have something of a retro feel, and is IMO none the worse for it.
This first is a hail hail the gangs all here introduction and has the obligatory Marvel character resurrection because, as we know, in the Marvel universe no-one ever really dies.
The next installment is something of a disappointment story wise (for the most part) and has one of those deus ex machina moments that really should be illegal. The artwork is beyond reproach.
The third installment (as far as I've got) is much better all round, with story threads heading off in all directions and some nice twists which have an air of plausibility given the overall story.
I don't know how much Marvel are prepared to give Wheedon his head, but perhaps we might be in for something of a treat. Feel that tingle?, 06 Oct 2006
That's the tingle of proximity to greatness.
if you've ever loved Superheroes, the silly, four colour splendour of it all, the over the top action and scenery chewing villains, this will set your pulse racing. I speak as someone who enjoyed Morrissons take on the X-posse (and worships morrisson generally), but this right here feels more authentically like the X-men, like the glory days of the X-men (where they jetted off into the depths of space and overthrew intergalactic tyrants before returning to earth in time to fight for peace and justice over tea) than anything morrison created in his tenure.
It feels modern, though. It's much more restrained than back in the old days (despite what i just said). Cassiday's art is slick and clean, and packed with a kinetic buzzzzz that vibrates off the page and up your arms.
If i had to describe it, I'd say it feels like whedon and cassiday are taking the old claremont/byrne glory days and almost retelling them with a modern sense of irony and cinematic pacing. Written down, that almost sounds like a criticism, and i suppose to really survive the test of time, the team will have to try and find a distinctness and identity of their own, but give them time. This is an impressive, impressive start.
Morrison's gone, and X-men are superheroes again. the king is dead, long live the king... Astonishing?... Average X-men, more like, 15 Sep 2005
When i first read that Joss Whedon was taking over writing New X-Men when Grant Morrison decided to call it a day i thought this may not be so bad after all. I was wrong. Firstly, for some reason, some clown at Marvel thought it would be a good idea to ignore what Morrison had said about the rather idiotic looking "spandex" silly suits and dress the X-men once again like a bunch of sugar-high hippy children off to a fancy dress party. Why?! Although Whedon makes a bland attempt to explain this, it just sounds forced and silly. This whole book, like the rubbish costumes, is very dated. I dont know if Whedon is attempting to go for a "retro" feel for the book, but it just feels dull and old fasioned. Even Cassidays usually excellent designs feel dated, i.e. the Blackbird jet, Shield , Ord (although his charaters faces are perfect!). Maybe this is why they went for the "Astonishing" title over "New". But to be perfectly honest, its neither.
There doesnt seem to be one new or astonishing thing about the whole book. It just seems to be one big cover version of something Chris Claremont did twenty or so years ago, but with a bit of Whedon's, i must admit, nice and natural feeling, banter. But thats all it is. By the end of the book not much has happened other than a few arguments and the odd one liner. This is a terrible follow on to Morrison's whitty, fast-paced and thought-provoking New X-men. By Morrison's third issue he had flipped the X-world on its head, created a classic new Baddie (Cassie Nova), come up with an entirely original take on an old favourite (Wild Sentinal), destroyed the island nation of Genosha, "killed" Magneto and had Xavier pointing a loaded hand-gun at his temples to blow his brains out if anyone should try to take over his mind. Not to mention coming up with a ton of ingenious concepts for the charaters never before thought of (Ruby-Quartz contact lenses, the school actually having students in it and Xavier's staff meeting, in arm-chairs in his mind)... Im not saying Astonishing is terrible. Its nowhere near as bad as Claremonts current run on Uncanny X-men. But its nowhere near as astonishing as Morrisons 'New X-men' in "E is for Extinction".
Save your money and buy THAT instead.
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men. the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion! The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules. First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle. As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale. Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler. A must-have book., 11 Aug 2008
Having repeatedly read the Astonishing X-men trades, I can strongly recommend this. Cassaday shows us how good comic book art can be and Whedon demonstrates that he is one of the most talented contemporary writers. The second best astonishing x-men story., 17 Sep 2007
After gifted this is the best of Joss Whedons astonishing x-men. The various villians and plot threads that have been set up during JWs run come to a head as the X-men go to outer space and head to Breakworld to face thier destiny. Where Colossus is destined to commit genocide.
The humour is excellent, the story is suitably OTT and melodramatic.
The Art by John Cassaday is sublime as always. A fine farewell to on of the all time great creative teams on x-men.
Morrison's Concluding New X-Men Hardcover, 27 Oct 2004
This oversized hardcover collects the paperback editions of Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X and Here Comes Tomorrow. (New X-Men Issues #142 - #154). These are the last issues of the title (well ignoring #155 and 156 which were written by Chuck Austen and thankfully are collected with the rest of his dross in the Uncanny X-Men trades, Bright New Mourning I think. Seriously, you won't be missing much) and allow Morrison to provide nice closure to his entire X run. He establishes himself as a true master plotter, revealing two good surprises which really do make such sense and will make you go back and look previous volumes as if your eyes were open for the first time. Of course, I won't reveal those here. Unfortunately, the artwork brings down the side a bit, not because it's particularly bad, but because it's once again a hodgepodge of contrasting styles. The, ahem, "stylised" Chris Bachelo is followed by artists of a more realistic approach (one that I personally much prefer), such as Jimenez and Image founder Marc Silvestri (not seen on an X-book since the "80's Outback era" of Uncanny X-Men). Anyone who considers themself to be a real X-Fan shoud own this book (or the paperback versions) and probably already does. Readers returning after a hiatus from the X-universe and especially new readers would do well to get the first two New X-Men hardcovers before this, as well as Joe Casey's Poptopia tpb from Uncanny X-Men that runs concurrent with the first NXM hardcover (If only because it's a very under-appreciated book.) Highly recommended., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted. I'm astonished!!!, 28 May 2007
Joss Whedon, the genius behind Firefly, doing X-Men? Sounds like a winning combination! And it so is! The story is believable and fun and the characters are spot on. Bringing the X-Men down to five members was a stroke of genius as it allows every character (including two of the students) a chance to shine and makes the story easier to follow. John Cassaday's artwork is superb as it is realistic and believable. He also has a fantastic talent for catching expressions, eliminating the need for all those stupid narrative thought bubbles that some comics have. All in all, this comic is astonishing! The new boss, same as the old boss, 03 May 2007
Which was why I stopped buying comics several years ago, too much violence, too many people back from the dead and too many tie-ins.
However, I have to say that despite the Marvel standards committee Wheedon has done a pretty good job and Cassadays artwork is kinetic, smooth and detailed and the flow from cel to cel is natural. It really does have something of a retro feel, and is IMO none the worse for it.
This first is a hail hail the gangs all here introduction and has the obligatory Marvel character resurrection because, as we know, in the Marvel universe no-one ever really dies.
The next installment is something of a disappointment story wise (for the most part) and has one of those deus ex machina moments that really should be illegal. The artwork is beyond reproach.
The third installment (as far as I've got) is much better all round, with story threads heading off in all directions and some nice twists which have an air of plausibility given the overall story.
I don't know how much Marvel are prepared to give Wheedon his head, but perhaps we might be in for something of a treat. Feel that tingle?, 06 Oct 2006
That's the tingle of proximity to greatness.
if you've ever loved Superheroes, the silly, four colour splendour of it all, the over the top action and scenery chewing villains, this will set your pulse racing. I speak as someone who enjoyed Morrissons take on the X-posse (and worships morrisson generally), but this right here feels more authentically like the X-men, like the glory days of the X-men (where they jetted off into the depths of space and overthrew intergalactic tyrants before returning to earth in time to fight for peace and justice over tea) than anything morrison created in his tenure.
It feels modern, though. It's much more restrained than back in the old days (despite what i just said). Cassiday's art is slick and clean, and packed with a kinetic buzzzzz that vibrates off the page and up your arms.
If i had to describe it, I'd say it feels like whedon and cassiday are taking the old claremont/byrne glory days and almost retelling them with a modern sense of irony and cinematic pacing. Written down, that almost sounds like a criticism, and i suppose to really survive the test of time, the team will have to try and find a distinctness and identity of their own, but give them time. This is an impressive, impressive start.
Morrison's gone, and X-men are superheroes again. the king is dead, long live the king... Astonishing?... Average X-men, more like, 15 Sep 2005
When i first read that Joss Whedon was taking over writing New X-Men when Grant Morrison decided to call it a day i thought this may not be so bad after all. I was wrong. Firstly, for some reason, some clown at Marvel thought it would be a good idea to ignore what Morrison had said about the rather idiotic looking "spandex" silly suits and dress the X-men once again like a bunch of sugar-high hippy children off to a fancy dress party. Why?! Although Whedon makes a bland attempt to explain this, it just sounds forced and silly. This whole book, like the rubbish costumes, is very dated. I dont know if Whedon is attempting to go for a "retro" feel for the book, but it just feels dull and old fasioned. Even Cassidays usually excellent designs feel dated, i.e. the Blackbird jet, Shield , Ord (although his charaters faces are perfect!). Maybe this is why they went for the "Astonishing" title over "New". But to be perfectly honest, its neither.
There doesnt seem to be one new or astonishing thing about the whole book. It just seems to be one big cover version of something Chris Claremont did twenty or so years ago, but with a bit of Whedon's, i must admit, nice and natural feeling, banter. But thats all it is. By the end of the book not much has happened other than a few arguments and the odd one liner. This is a terrible follow on to Morrison's whitty, fast-paced and thought-provoking New X-men. By Morrison's third issue he had flipped the X-world on its head, created a classic new Baddie (Cassie Nova), come up with an entirely original take on an old favourite (Wild Sentinal), destroyed the island nation of Genosha, "killed" Magneto and had Xavier pointing a loaded hand-gun at his temples to blow his brains out if anyone should try to take over his mind. Not to mention coming up with a ton of ingenious concepts for the charaters never before thought of (Ruby-Quartz contact lenses, the school actually having students in it and Xavier's staff meeting, in arm-chairs in his mind)... Im not saying Astonishing is terrible. Its nowhere near as bad as Claremonts current run on Uncanny X-men. But its nowhere near as astonishing as Morrisons 'New X-men' in "E is for Extinction".
Save your money and buy THAT instead.
Absorbing tale., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.
Very good, but no gifted., 21 May 2007
I liked this a lot, however I was not really taken with Danger as a villain. The art is excellent, john Cassaday is great at capturing expression and thus removes the need for too much narrative that plagues many comics. Joss Whedon seems intent on taking his time with his x-men comics, the pace is ponderous at times, and many writers would have a story like this finished in twenty pages not a hundred and twenty. That said he does a great job of fleshing out the story without making it over complicated.
Lightweight, 23 Aug 2006
I agree with S Bentley, below. This is a well-written and superbly-drawn story that nevertheless feels as though Josh Whendon is still feeling his way as a comics writer. The pacing is just a bit too slow and he doesn't really do enough with the characters.
Buffy writer does the X-Men., 01 Oct 2005
And does them well. Joss Whedon handles the voices and viewpoints of the characters very well, all the while offering an intriguing threat and moral dilemma. The X-Men are presented as individuals, with failings. If there is anything that you can fault this on, it's that the story is a little light plotwise and the intriguing subplot involving reformed villain Emma Frost is not resolved. As a 45 minute episode of a TV show it would work well, but as a hundred plus page story one could be forgiven for expecting a little more meat. John Cassidy's artwork is beyond reproach, although it would be nice if there was more work on the backgrounds, but when you look at some of the pages your breath is taken away (though this may explain the lightness of the story to accomodate the art). It's good but could do with being a little more dense.
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men. the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion! The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules. First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle. As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale. Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler. A must-have book., 11 Aug 2008
Having repeatedly read the Astonishing X-men trades, I can strongly recommend this. Cassaday shows us how good comic book art can be and Whedon demonstrates that he is one of the most talented contemporary writers. The second best astonishing x-men story., 17 Sep 2007
After gifted this is the best of Joss Whedons astonishing x-men. The various villians and plot threads that have been set up during JWs run come to a head as the X-men go to outer space and head to Breakworld to face thier destiny. Where Colossus is destined to commit genocide.
The humour is excellent, the story is suitably OTT and melodramatic.
The Art by John Cassaday is sublime as always. A fine farewell to on of the all time great creative teams on x-men.
Morrison's Concluding New X-Men Hardcover, 27 Oct 2004
This oversized hardcover collects the paperback editions of Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X and Here Comes Tomorrow. (New X-Men Issues #142 - #154). These are the last issues of the title (well ignoring #155 and 156 which were written by Chuck Austen and thankfully are collected with the rest of his dross in the Uncanny X-Men trades, Bright New Mourning I think. Seriously, you won't be missing much) and allow Morrison to provide nice closure to his entire X run. He establishes himself as a true master plotter, revealing two good surprises which really do make such sense and will make you go back and look previous volumes as if your eyes were open for the first time. Of course, I won't reveal those here. Unfortunately, the artwork brings down the side a bit, not because it's particularly bad, but because it's once again a hodgepodge of contrasting styles. The, ahem, "stylised" Chris Bachelo is followed by artists of a more realistic approach (one that I personally much prefer), such as Jimenez and Image founder Marc Silvestri (not seen on an X-book since the "80's Outback era" of Uncanny X-Men). Anyone who considers themself to be a real X-Fan shoud own this book (or the paperback versions) and probably already does. Readers returning after a hiatus from the X-universe and especially new readers would do well to get the first two New X-Men hardcovers before this, as well as Joe Casey's Poptopia tpb from Uncanny X-Men that runs concurrent with the first NXM hardcover (If only because it's a very under-appreciated book.) Highly recommended., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted. I'm astonished!!!, 28 May 2007
Joss Whedon, the genius behind Firefly, doing X-Men? Sounds like a winning combination! And it so is! The story is believable and fun and the characters are spot on. Bringing the X-Men down to five members was a stroke of genius as it allows every character (including two of the students) a chance to shine and makes the story easier to follow. John Cassaday's artwork is superb as it is realistic and believable. He also has a fantastic talent for catching expressions, eliminating the need for all those stupid narrative thought bubbles that some comics have. All in all, this comic is astonishing! The new boss, same as the old boss, 03 May 2007
Which was why I stopped buying comics several years ago, too much violence, too many people back from the dead and too many tie-ins.
However, I have to say that despite the Marvel standards committee Wheedon has done a pretty good job and Cassadays artwork is kinetic, smooth and detailed and the flow from cel to cel is natural. It really does have something of a retro feel, and is IMO none the worse for it.
This first is a hail hail the gangs all here introduction and has the obligatory Marvel character resurrection because, as we know, in the Marvel universe no-one ever really dies.
The next installment is something of a disappointment story wise (for the most part) and has one of those deus ex machina moments that really should be illegal. The artwork is beyond reproach.
The third installment (as far as I've got) is much better all round, with story threads heading off in all directions and some nice twists which have an air of plausibility given the overall story.
I don't know how much Marvel are prepared to give Wheedon his head, but perhaps we might be in for something of a treat. Feel that tingle?, 06 Oct 2006
That's the tingle of proximity to greatness.
if you've ever loved Superheroes, the silly, four colour splendour of it all, the over the top action and scenery chewing villains, this will set your pulse racing. I speak as someone who enjoyed Morrissons take on the X-posse (and worships morrisson generally), but this right here feels more authentically like the X-men, like the glory days of the X-men (where they jetted off into the depths of space and overthrew intergalactic tyrants before returning to earth in time to fight for peace and justice over tea) than anything morrison created in his tenure.
It feels modern, though. It's much more restrained than back in the old days (despite what i just said). Cassiday's art is slick and clean, and packed with a kinetic buzzzzz that vibrates off the page and up your arms.
If i had to describe it, I'd say it feels like whedon and cassiday are taking the old claremont/byrne glory days and almost retelling them with a modern sense of irony and cinematic pacing. Written down, that almost sounds like a criticism, and i suppose to really survive the test of time, the team will have to try and find a distinctness and identity of their own, but give them time. This is an impressive, impressive start.
Morrison's gone, and X-men are superheroes again. the king is dead, long live the king... Astonishing?... Average X-men, more like, 15 Sep 2005
When i first read that Joss Whedon was taking over writing New X-Men when Grant Morrison decided to call it a day i thought this may not be so bad after all. I was wrong. Firstly, for some reason, some clown at Marvel thought it would be a good idea to ignore what Morrison had said about the rather idiotic looking "spandex" silly suits and dress the X-men once again like a bunch of sugar-high hippy children off to a fancy dress party. Why?! Although Whedon makes a bland attempt to explain this, it just sounds forced and silly. This whole book, like the rubbish costumes, is very dated. I dont know if Whedon is attempting to go for a "retro" feel for the book, but it just feels dull and old fasioned. Even Cassidays usually excellent designs feel dated, i.e. the Blackbird jet, Shield , Ord (although his charaters faces are perfect!). Maybe this is why they went for the "Astonishing" title over "New". But to be perfectly honest, its neither.
There doesnt seem to be one new or astonishing thing about the whole book. It just seems to be one big cover version of something Chris Claremont did twenty or so years ago, but with a bit of Whedon's, i must admit, nice and natural feeling, banter. But thats all it is. By the end of the book not much has happened other than a few arguments and the odd one liner. This is a terrible follow on to Morrison's whitty, fast-paced and thought-provoking New X-men. By Morrison's third issue he had flipped the X-world on its head, created a classic new Baddie (Cassie Nova), come up with an entirely original take on an old favourite (Wild Sentinal), destroyed the island nation of Genosha, "killed" Magneto and had Xavier pointing a loaded hand-gun at his temples to blow his brains out if anyone should try to take over his mind. Not to mention coming up with a ton of ingenious concepts for the charaters never before thought of (Ruby-Quartz contact lenses, the school actually having students in it and Xavier's staff meeting, in arm-chairs in his mind)... Im not saying Astonishing is terrible. Its nowhere near as bad as Claremonts current run on Uncanny X-men. But its nowhere near as astonishing as Morrisons 'New X-men' in "E is for Extinction".
Save your money and buy THAT instead.
Absorbing tale., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.
Very good, but no gifted., 21 May 2007
I liked this a lot, however I was not really taken with Danger as a villain. The art is excellent, john Cassaday is great at capturing expression and thus removes the need for too much narrative that plagues many comics. Joss Whedon seems intent on taking his time with his x-men comics, the pace is ponderous at times, and many writers would have a story like this finished in twenty pages not a hundred and twenty. That said he does a great job of fleshing out the story without making it over complicated.
Lightweight, 23 Aug 2006
I agree with S Bentley, below. This is a well-written and superbly-drawn story that nevertheless feels as though Josh Whendon is still feeling his way as a comics writer. The pacing is just a bit too slow and he doesn't really do enough with the characters.
Buffy writer does the X-Men., 01 Oct 2005
And does them well. Joss Whedon handles the voices and viewpoints of the characters very well, all the while offering an intriguing threat and moral dilemma. The X-Men are presented as individuals, with failings. If there is anything that you can fault this on, it's that the story is a little light plotwise and the intriguing subplot involving reformed villain Emma Frost is not resolved. As a 45 minute episode of a TV show it would work well, but as a hundred plus page story one could be forgiven for expecting a little more meat. John Cassidy's artwork is beyond reproach, although it would be nice if there was more work on the backgrounds, but when you look at some of the pages your breath is taken away (though this may explain the lightness of the story to accomodate the art). It's good but could do with being a little more dense.
just fantastic, 06 Sep 2008
Ok, this is only my second review so im not promising that it will be well written or anything but here goes...
My first thoughts on starting ultimate X-men was, finally a new start for the X-men because i always wanted to start reading the X-men books however when i started to look at them they were already well established and i wanted to start from the beginning, so i saw this as a perfect oppertunityto make a start on the X-men.
Anyway on to the comics themselves I think that how the writers introduce the new team was great giving the reader a small insight into the character, my favorite being Icemans intro just because it has everything a reader of an X title would want action a great X men team plus sentinals, further to this icemans intro exhibits all the characters abiliteis very well this first volume is just great.
Mark Millar has done a great job at writing volume 1 however he did leave out how jean and scott came to join the team which was disopointing really. i also think that Adam Kubert did a superb job at drawing the book making the x-men more contempory and bringing them forward to the new millenium, my favorite pannel in volume 1 is parge 16 where the team are all stood together or maybe the introduction of wolverine at the very end.
to conclude this is a must read for any new or existing x men fan
ICE MAN!!!, 15 Sep 2007
i thouroughly enjoyed this peice of good writing and average but none the less good art work, more than any other x-men comic i have ever read 9although house of m does feature the x-men) i didn't enjoy it as much as i thought i would but i'm sure the second volume will be alot better than the 1st!
p.s ICE MAN RULES IN THIS COMIC!!!!! and you find out why xaviers in a wheel chair.
Fantastic, but prior knowledge required, 18 Apr 2007
I love the Ultimate universe. I've been a huge Marvel fan for some years, but living in the UK and only being 20, reading the comics is very difficult indeed. The Ultimate series fixes all of this, allowing fans to start all over again with new reimagined story lines. I love the X-Men, but the storylines were getting ridiculous, with characters being aliens and time travellers and future versions of themselves etc etc. Ultimate X-Men starts afresh, and its a very good book. Its well written and brilliantly drawn. The only thing stopping it getting a 5 star rating however, is the fact you need prior knowledge of the X-Men. The characters are introduced in about 3 pages! If you don't know Scott Summers, you'll spend half the book wondering who the hell this "Cyclops" guy is, and why red beams are coming out of his eyes. I don't know, this might be addressed in later issues, but it's just something to be wary of.
Highly recommended, as is Ultimate Spider-Man, and The Ultimates
Breathtaking, 18 Jul 2005
This is a truly stunning book. It has an original take on the original story and shows the great potential these new ultimate series have on breathing new life into the stories they represent. The artwork is also stunning and compliments Millar's amazing work. The only problem is that it shows very clearly how writer's are forced to compact there stories to fit into these trade paperbacks as all the members are recruited with no fuss after about two pages! It is also not quite as amazing as Millar's work on the ultimates but it is still a classic.
The X-Men for a new generation, 19 Nov 2003
The X-Men, one of comic's longest running teams and a Marvel heavy hitter. Over the last four decades the X-Men have been through so much a new reader could be lost in the plethora of information and back-story. So why not re-write the series in a contemporary setting? The X-Men as of the new millennia?
Well that’s what they did here, and not only with the X-Men but also our friendly neighbourhood web-slinger Spiderman, the Earth's greatest heroes The Avengers and the Man Without Fear Daredevil; but all of that is off point... Meet the X-Men. Students of Professor Charles Xavier at his Institute for Gifted Children. But these are more than your typical teens, these individuals are mutants. Gifted with an active X-gene that gives them extraordinary powers beyond any Homo Sapiens. Their purpose? To bring coexistence between 'normal' human and mutant kinds... but that's not going to be easy when humanity despises their kind and a group known as the Brotherhood of Mutants is going around being genetic terrorists. Thus the story begins... and the readers of today have their own X-Men to grow with.
The retelling of such a classic title could not have been handled much better; from the writing, to the artwork this is a worthy series to bear the X-Men title. A brilliant beginning to what has shaped up to be one of the greatest selling titles of the present day, a must for old and new collectors alike. It deserves the full 5 Stars rating.
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Customer Reviews
The Rebirth of the X-men, 20 Nov 2008
If you are a fan of the X-men comic book then this is truly required reading. First off, make sure you are reasonably up to date with the main X story arcs of the last few years, namely House of M, Decimation, Deadly Genesis and Endangered Species otherwise you are going to have a real problem in following most of the action. While I readily admit that Messiah Complex is by no means perfect, it is most definately the best Marvel crossover in a long time, with most story arcs fitting together quite neatly. This book is also important as it marks the moment when the X-groups are no longer Xaviers responsibility and become Cyclop's X-men. the AWESOME compleX, 08 Aug 2008
i decided to read this on th basis tht it shud be quite gd!
hwever this is probably one of the best comic collections ive ever read!
fantastic, great artwork and a great story!!
this story really tied up a lot of loose ends and opened a hell of a lot more too!
this is an essential read for ne, xmen, marvel, comic fan...but this is such an exciting read that it allows even a general reader into the world of the xmen!
the truly gr8 story and def the best since M-Day! in my opinion! The Best of the Best, 06 Aug 2008
This is the best X-men story in a long time am not going to give anything away but with all the x-men teams X-Factor and various villains and certain betrayal's within the teams this is well worth the read. I recomend this to any new fan or old. Messiah Complex rules. First big X-men crossover in ages and it's great., 11 Jul 2008
What can I say about this, the art is a mixed bag aside from a few chapters it is pretty consistant in style. It ties up many loose ends from the various x-men comics it also sets about changing everything. Which is good as there have been a number of long term problems with the x-men books. It is a pretty epic story and in someways could have been longer to fully show the scale of events. A minor niggle. As a big sceptic when it comes to "epic" events, this has brought my hope back, 16 Jun 2008
Okay, I collected house of M and every other title with it, I bought Civil was and every other title with it and these two really made me sceptical about marvel's epic stories, I read World War Hulk which I wasnt expecting much from anyway but this story right here is brilliant. Firstly, when I was reading it, I didnt have to wait a month for the next story but more importantly secondly, it was a great story, some good twists and some great battles. Okay, People do die, though they arn't significant (and some have died before, lol).
I would definitly advise people to read it as it threads loads of different stories together to create an epic tale. Pretty and light hearted but not essential., 02 Nov 2008
Mike Choi's art is very pretty and suits the story perfectly. As for the story it is a bit filler. Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler are in russia and get waylaid by omega red while in san francisco a mutants start becoming hippy folk in a mass illusion. I am sure that plot synopsis will give you a slightly negative view on this collection, perhaps rightly so. It IS filler and just as disposable, its just well written filler. A must-have book., 11 Aug 2008
Having repeatedly read the Astonishing X-men trades, I can strongly recommend this. Cassaday shows us how good comic book art can be and Whedon demonstrates that he is one of the most talented contemporary writers. The second best astonishing x-men story., 17 Sep 2007
After gifted this is the best of Joss Whedons astonishing x-men. The various villians and plot threads that have been set up during JWs run come to a head as the X-men go to outer space and head to Breakworld to face thier destiny. Where Colossus is destined to commit genocide.
The humour is excellent, the story is suitably OTT and melodramatic.
The Art by John Cassaday is sublime as always. A fine farewell to on of the all time great creative teams on x-men.
Morrison's Concluding New X-Men Hardcover, 27 Oct 2004
This oversized hardcover collects the paperback editions of Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X and Here Comes Tomorrow. (New X-Men Issues #142 - #154). These are the last issues of the title (well ignoring #155 and 156 which were written by Chuck Austen and thankfully are collected with the rest of his dross in the Uncanny X-Men trades, Bright New Mourning I think. Seriously, you won't be missing much) and allow Morrison to provide nice closure to his entire X run. He establishes himself as a true master plotter, revealing two good surprises which really do make such sense and will make you go back and look previous volumes as if your eyes were open for the first time. Of course, I won't reveal those here. Unfortunately, the artwork brings down the side a bit, not because it's particularly bad, but because it's once again a hodgepodge of contrasting styles. The, ahem, "stylised" Chris Bachelo is followed by artists of a more realistic approach (one that I personally much prefer), such as Jimenez and Image founder Marc Silvestri (not seen on an X-book since the "80's Outback era" of Uncanny X-Men). Anyone who considers themself to be a real X-Fan shoud own this book (or the paperback versions) and probably already does. Readers returning after a hiatus from the X-universe and especially new readers would do well to get the first two New X-Men hardcovers before this, as well as Joe Casey's Poptopia tpb from Uncanny X-Men that runs concurrent with the first NXM hardcover (If only because it's a very under-appreciated book.) Highly recommended., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted. I'm astonished!!!, 28 May 2007
Joss Whedon, the genius behind Firefly, doing X-Men? Sounds like a winning combination! And it so is! The story is believable and fun and the characters are spot on. Bringing the X-Men down to five members was a stroke of genius as it allows every character (including two of the students) a chance to shine and makes the story easier to follow. John Cassaday's artwork is superb as it is realistic and believable. He also has a fantastic talent for catching expressions, eliminating the need for all those stupid narrative thought bubbles that some comics have. All in all, this comic is astonishing! The new boss, same as the old boss, 03 May 2007
Which was why I stopped buying comics several years ago, too much violence, too many people back from the dead and too many tie-ins.
However, I have to say that despite the Marvel standards committee Wheedon has done a pretty good job and Cassadays artwork is kinetic, smooth and detailed and the flow from cel to cel is natural. It really does have something of a retro feel, and is IMO none the worse for it.
This first is a hail hail the gangs all here introduction and has the obligatory Marvel character resurrection because, as we know, in the Marvel universe no-one ever really dies.
The next installment is something of a disappointment story wise (for the most part) and has one of those deus ex machina moments that really should be illegal. The artwork is beyond reproach.
The third installment (as far as I've got) is much better all round, with story threads heading off in all directions and some nice twists which have an air of plausibility given the overall story.
I don't know how much Marvel are prepared to give Wheedon his head, but perhaps we might be in for something of a treat. Feel that tingle?, 06 Oct 2006
That's the tingle of proximity to greatness.
if you've ever loved Superheroes, the silly, four colour splendour of it all, the over the top action and scenery chewing villains, this will set your pulse racing. I speak as someone who enjoyed Morrissons take on the X-posse (and worships morrisson generally), but this right here feels more authentically like the X-men, like the glory days of the X-men (where they jetted off into the depths of space and overthrew intergalactic tyrants before returning to earth in time to fight for peace and justice over tea) than anything morrison created in his tenure.
It feels modern, though. It's much more restrained than back in the old days (despite what i just said). Cassiday's art is slick and clean, and packed with a kinetic buzzzzz that vibrates off the page and up your arms.
If i had to describe it, I'd say it feels like whedon and cassiday are taking the old claremont/byrne glory days and almost retelling them with a modern sense of irony and cinematic pacing. Written down, that almost sounds like a criticism, and i suppose to really survive the test of time, the team will have to try and find a distinctness and identity of their own, but give them time. This is an impressive, impressive start.
Morrison's gone, and X-men are superheroes again. the king is dead, long live the king... Astonishing?... Average X-men, more like, 15 Sep 2005
When i first read that Joss Whedon was taking over writing New X-Men when Grant Morrison decided to call it a day i thought this may not be so bad after all. I was wrong. Firstly, for some reason, some clown at Marvel thought it would be a good idea to ignore what Morrison had said about the rather idiotic looking "spandex" silly suits and dress the X-men once again like a bunch of sugar-high hippy children off to a fancy dress party. Why?! Although Whedon makes a bland attempt to explain this, it just sounds forced and silly. This whole book, like the rubbish costumes, is very dated. I dont know if Whedon is attempting to go for a "retro" feel for the book, but it just feels dull and old fasioned. Even Cassidays usually excellent designs feel dated, i.e. the Blackbird jet, Shield , Ord (although his charaters faces are perfect!). Maybe this is why they went for the "Astonishing" title over "New". But to be perfectly honest, its neither.
There doesnt seem to be one new or astonishing thing about the whole book. It just seems to be one big cover version of something Chris Claremont did twenty or so years ago, but with a bit of Whedon's, i must admit, nice and natural feeling, banter. But thats all it is. By the end of the book not much has happened other than a few arguments and the odd one liner. This is a terrible follow on to Morrison's whitty, fast-paced and thought-provoking New X-men. By Morrison's third issue he had flipped the X-world on its head, created a classic new Baddie (Cassie Nova), come up with an entirely original take on an old favourite (Wild Sentinal), destroyed the island nation of Genosha, "killed" Magneto and had Xavier pointing a loaded hand-gun at his temples to blow his brains out if anyone should try to take over his mind. Not to mention coming up with a ton of ingenious concepts for the charaters never before thought of (Ruby-Quartz contact lenses, the school actually having students in it and Xavier's staff meeting, in arm-chairs in his mind)... Im not saying Astonishing is terrible. Its nowhere near as bad as Claremonts current run on Uncanny X-men. But its nowhere near as astonishing as Morrisons 'New X-men' in "E is for Extinction".
Save your money and buy THAT instead.
Absorbing tale., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.
Very good, but no gifted., 21 May 2007
I liked this a lot, however I was not really taken with Danger as a villain. The art is excellent, john Cassaday is great at capturing expression and thus removes the need for too much narrative that plagues many comics. Joss Whedon seems intent on taking his time with his x-men comics, the pace is ponderous at times, and many writers would have a story like this finished in twenty pages not a hundred and twenty. That said he does a great job of fleshing out the story without making it over complicated.
Lightweight, 23 Aug 2006
I agree with S Bentley, below. This is a well-written and superbly-drawn story that nevertheless feels as though Josh Whendon is still feeling his way as a comics writer. The pacing is just a bit too slow and he doesn't really do enough with the characters.
Buffy writer does the X-Men., 01 Oct 2005
And does them well. Joss Whedon handles the voices and viewpoints of the characters very well, all the while offering an intriguing threat and moral dilemma. The X-Men are presented as individuals, with failings. If there is anything that you can fault this on, it's that the story is a little light plotwise and the intriguing subplot involving reformed villain Emma Frost is not resolved. As a 45 minute episode of a TV show it would work well, but as a hundred plus page story one could be forgiven for expecting a little more meat. John Cassidy's artwork is beyond reproach, although it would be nice if there was more work on the backgrounds, but when you look at some of the pages your breath is taken away (though this may explain the lightness of the story to accomodate the art). It's good but could do with being a little more dense.
just fantastic, 06 Sep 2008
Ok, this is only my second review so im not promising that it will be well written or anything but here goes...
My first thoughts on starting ultimate X-men was, finally a new start for the X-men because i always wanted to start reading the X-men books however when i started to look at them they were already well established and i wanted to start from the beginning, so i saw this as a perfect oppertunityto make a start on the X-men.
Anyway on to the comics themselves I think that how the writers introduce the new team was great giving the reader a small insight into the character, my favorite being Icemans intro just because it has everything a reader of an X title would want action a great X men team plus sentinals, further to this icemans intro exhibits all the characters abiliteis very well this first volume is just great.
Mark Millar has done a great job at writing volume 1 however he did leave out how jean and scott came to join the team which was disopointing really. i also think that Adam Kubert did a superb job at drawing the book making the x-men more contempory and bringing them forward to the new millenium, my favorite pannel in volume 1 is parge 16 where the team are all stood together or maybe the introduction of wolverine at the very end.
to conclude this is a must read for any new or existing x men fan
ICE MAN!!!, 15 Sep 2007
i thouroughly enjoyed this peice of good writing and average but none the less good art work, more than any other x-men comic i have ever read 9although house of m does feature the x-men) i didn't enjoy it as much as i thought i would but i'm sure the second volume will be alot better than the 1st!
p.s ICE MAN RULES IN THIS COMIC!!!!! and you find out why xaviers in a wheel chair.
Fantastic, but prior knowledge required, 18 Apr 2007
I love the Ultimate universe. I've been a huge Marvel fan for some years, but living in the UK and only being 20, reading the comics is very difficult indeed. The Ultimate series fixes all of this, allowing fans to start all over again with new reimagined story lines. I love the X-Men, but the storylines were getting ridiculous, with characters being aliens and time travellers and future versions of themselves etc etc. Ultimate X-Men starts afresh, and its a very good book. Its well written and brilliantly drawn. The only thing stopping it getting a 5 star rating however, is the fact you need prior knowledge of the X-Men. The characters are introduced in about 3 pages! If you don't know Scott Summers, you'll spend half the book wondering who the hell this "Cyclops" guy is, and why red beams are coming out of his eyes. I don't know, this might be addressed in later issues, but it's just something to be wary of.
Highly recommended, as is Ultimate Spider-Man, and The Ultimates
Breathtaking, 18 Jul 2005
This is a truly stunning book. It has an original take on the original story and shows the great potential these new ultimate series have on breathing new life into the stories they represent. The artwork is also stunning and compliments Millar's amazing work. The only problem is that it shows very clearly how writer's are forced to compact there stories to fit into these trade paperbacks as all the members are recruited with no fuss after about two pages! It is also not quite as amazing as Millar's work on the ultimates but it is still a classic.
The X-Men for a new generation, 19 Nov 2003
The X-Men, one of comic's longest running teams and a Marvel heavy hitter. Over the last four decades the X-Men have been through so much a new reader could be lost in the plethora of information and back-story. So why not re-write the series in a contemporary setting? The X-Men as of the new millennia?
Well that’s what they did here, and not only with the X-Men but also our friendly neighbourhood web-slinger Spiderman, the Earth's greatest heroes The Avengers and the Man Without Fear Daredevil; but all of that is off point... Meet the X-Men. Students of Professor Charles Xavier at his Institute for Gifted Children. But these are more than your typical teens, these individuals are mutants. Gifted with an active X-gene that gives them extraordinary powers beyond any Homo Sapiens. Their purpose? To bring coexistence between 'normal' human and mutant kinds... but that's not going to be easy when humanity despises their kind and a group known as the Brotherhood of Mutants is going around being genetic terrorists. Thus the story begins... and the readers of today have their own X-Men to grow with.
The retelling of such a classic title could not have been handled much better; from the writing, to the artwork this is a worthy series to bear the X-Men title. A brilliant beginning to what has shaped up to be one of the greatest selling titles of the present day, a must for old and new collectors alike. It deserves the full 5 Stars rating.
Highly Recommended., 11 May 2008
If you appreciate a story with skillfully crafted characters, relationships and plotting you will love Astonishing X-men.
Astonishing X-Men is masterfully written by Whedon. The outstanding text is complimented by Cassaday's fine artwork.
Even if, like me, you are new to American comic books, I strongly encourage you to buy the Astonishing X-Men trade paper backs, starting with the first volume, Gifted.
Weakest of Joss whedens run, 21 May 2007
When first published monthly this story caught a bit of flack, The title is constantly months late and when issues did come along people complained nothing happened. Well in hindsight such comment are unjustified. Torn is a solid story, if a little lacking in action. In the hands of a lesser writer it would be very dull, however Joss Whedon is a master of his craft and works in many subtle jokes.
As always John Cassadays art is brilliant, without a talented artist this story would fall flat on its face, the facial expressions really tell the story.
The story itself is pretty simple, someone is trying to tear the x-men apart from the inside etc. the story is not original, the genius is all in the weave.
Very funny, very gripping, 18 May 2007
Wolverine acting like a nancy. Beast going insane. Kitty going through mental torture. Scott losing his powers. Everyone looking AMAZING! It's all here. Although, yes, there is less action, plotting is still deft and the characters are spot on. This is just the best X-Men out there.
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