New comics!
Swing vol 3
Swinging lifestyle aside, this is a surprisingly predictable look into a marriage between two people who clearly love each other but have some communication issues. Which isn’t a bad thing, it’s still a nice relationship comic with a not-so-predictable twist in the formula. Sexy and well drawn, but not salacious for fan service’s sake. Still enjoying the heck out of this.
Die 15
Things finally come to a head in this issue, and makes the slow build up of the arc totally worth it. The shit really hits the fan, and it’s super fun to read. Removes any doubts I had about waiting for the trade when the next arc starts up in a few months.
Rorschach 2
A well done murder mystery, solved by fine detective work by the protagonist. No idea how it ties in to the big picture, but that’s Tom King for you. (In a good way.)
Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity 6
Nothing new to say; this is still creepy and well done. Continuing to hope that it doesn’t fall into the stereotypical Joker/Harley dynamic.
Uncanny X-Men 239-243
X-Factor 37-39
Inferno. Madelyne Pryor’s swan song. (Though I’m pretty sure she comes back at some point.) The X-Men have always been a metaphor for how minorities have been discriminated against in society. Madelyne’s arc for the last seventy issues or so takes it a step further, and I can’t help but see a parallel to class stratification - Here’s someone born (created by Mr Sinister) into circumstances beyond her control. No matter how much she tries, she can’t break free of the downward spiral she’s caught in. There’s a longer essay in there somewhere, I wish I had the time to delve into this.
Anyway, this arc is pretty good on the X-Men side, way less good on the X-Factor side. I never warmed up to the run by Mr. and Mrs. Simonson. In issue 37, for example, Madelyne literally rants for an entire issue, it’s zero fun. Her death is also completely anti-climactic. She just...fizzles out.
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| That's it? A tiny panel in the middle of a page? |
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| Classic image. |
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| Regular check in on Tom Orzechowski's brilliance |
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| A sweet reunion that will be mirrored next post. |
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: Yes
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Pretty good (Fine for X-Factor)
Uncanny X-Men 246-247
The fight scene between the X-Men and Master Mold stands out as a really well done sequence.
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| She doesn't look unconscious, she looks like she's posing for SI. |
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| It's hard to take Nimrod seriously when he has mittens for hands. |
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| Early Jubilee speak is like totally painful. |
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: Yes
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Pretty good
Uncanny X-Men 248-255, 259
The Australia roster of X-Men never really clicked for me. Claremont never developed them the way he did for the Giant-Size X-Men team. Dazzler, Longshot, and Forge never gained that third dimension. Rogue and Psylocke didn’t blossom until Jim Lee started drawing them. Havok and Polaris needed Peter David to work his magic in X-Factor. These issues aren’t bad, but they don’t sing, either.
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| First Jim Lee X-Men! |
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| Great, great color. The purple and green is unorthodox, but effective. |
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| A tiny panel, but super creepy. |
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: No
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Nice to Fine.
Uncanny X-Men 256-258
Jim Lee and the introduction of Asian Psylocke! Another instance where Claremont makes an insane change to a character and it doesn’t get reversed. (Ignoring all the Kwannon nonsense.) A major improvement over Psylocke 1.0 in every way. And the art!
(I didn't do it for Rogue, but I'm totally keeping track of the focused totality of Psylocke's mental powers.)
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| 1. (LOVE this costume!!) |
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| 2. (Jim Lee fight scenes are so kinetic.) |
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: Yes
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Good
Uncanny X-Men 265, 267
Gambit! Now we’re really getting into my favorite era of X-Men. It unsurprisingly comes with the installment of Jim Lee as regular penciller. (Though he doesn’t draw either of these.) I like Storm-as-child, it made for some interesting storylines. I’m also glad it didn’t last for long. Gambit! (So sad I don’t have 266, his first appearance.)
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: Yes
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Pretty good
Uncanny X-Men 268-269
Jim Lee joins full time. It’s so glorious.
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| This original art recently sold for $300,000 |
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| Like I said earlier, Rogue didn't come into her own until Lee. |
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| Heh. Reminded me of... |
Regret buying: No
Would buy again: Yes
Would read again: Yes
Rating: Really good
End of X-Men Box 3!
Box summary
Time spent reading: 21 hours 7 minutes
Issues read: 164
Issues cut: 0
Highlights (Good or better): Uncanny X-Men 131-137 (Dark Phoenix Saga), New Mutants Special Edition 1, Uncanny X-Men Annual 9 (Asgardian Wars), Uncanny X-Men 205, Uncanny X-Men 256-258, 268-269
Project Summary:
Time spent reading: 31 days, 5 hours, 25 minutes
Issues read: 6405
Issues cut: 815
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