Fanboys Anonymous

Bendis' take opening issue of volume three of Uncanny X-Men was, in most respects a strong one. Several elements of the plot immediately stood out: the broken mutant powers, the betrayal, and the start of a new "anti" X-Men team. Starring Cyclops, one of the most hated characters in current continuity, Uncanny X-Men walks a fine line between intrigue and distaste.

Unfortunately, Uncanny X-Men #2 falls into the latter category. I had noted in the previous review that Bendis' portrayal of Emma Frost is far from adequate. In the opening scene, Emma comes off as a whiny sixteen year old teenager, which, as many of us X-fans know, is the complete opposite of what the infamous White Queen actually is. The teen drama continues as Scott and Emma begin to discuss their "feelings." It's like a deleted scene taken out from Mean Girls 2, and nobody wants to see that.

From there, we are introduced to several of the other new recruits. What is an attempt to give each character more depth and characterization turns out to be an utterly annoying and confusing exchange. There is no sense of urgency or real concern in any of these characters. In fact, it's almost comical at points, which is not really the vibe I think Bendis was going for. The whole thing just feels very compressed and rushed.

Perhaps the the only stand-out moments in this issue were the look into the manifestation of Emma's new powers, though it was overshadowed by the fact that her dialogue was utter hogwash. The end of the issue provides a promising beginning for the next book, which leads me to believe that these new Uncanny X-Men should do a lot less talking and a lot more fighting. It would just be better for all parties involved, because what Bendis is currently doing with this particular set of characters is painful to read.


Score: 4/10