Ultimate X-Men

Ultimate X-Men 61-65

Brian K Vaughan and Stuart Immonen’s last arc on the title.  Lorna Dane’s imprisoned with Magneto in the Triskelion.  The X-Men, Brotherhood of Mutants, Ultimates, and Emma Frost’s students all collide together as various rescue plans intersect.  It’s a delightful clusterfuck with great action.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Ultimate X-Men 66-82

Ultimate X-Men Annual 2

Robert Kirkman takes over for an extended run.  This is where I originally stopped buying the title, and now I remember why: It’s not fun.  At all.  Almost all of Kirkman’s ideas induce anger and frustration instead of joy and entertainment: Magician is the epitome of white entitlement whose power is literally wish fulfillment; Kurt’s become a homophobic, manipulative liar who kidnaps Dazzler because he knows she’ll love him if she’ll only get to know him; Professor X confesses that he’s in love with Jean Grey (the latest in a long line of students that he’s entertained romantic feelings for).  

Perhaps all of these storylines would work with more successful execution, and it’s not like Kirkman doesn’t have the chops; He’d already started writing both Walking Dead and Invincible by this point.  But this entire run is full of losses; the X-Men don’t really get a single win, and that gets really old after a while.  

Cutting all of these issues, as well as Annual 1 retroactively.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Nice to Didn’t suck