{"id":141,"date":"2008-08-26T07:00:37","date_gmt":"2008-08-26T11:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onceuponageek.com\/?p=141"},"modified":"2011-04-20T22:07:52","modified_gmt":"2011-04-21T02:07:52","slug":"uncanny-x-men-500-a-lapsed-x-fans-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/onceuponageek.com\/wordpress\/2008\/08\/26\/uncanny-x-men-500-a-lapsed-x-fans-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Uncanny X-Men #500 – A Lapsed X-Fan’s Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Uncanny<\/a>I picked up the recent Uncanny X-Men #500.\u00a0 I used to be a major X-junkie.\u00a0 We’re talking MAJOR junkie.\u00a0 I’d read every single Uncanny X-Men story from Giant-Sized X-Men #1 (1975) through Uncanny X-Men #320 (January 1995).\u00a0 While I only started reading the series in 1983, I’d gone back and read all the earlier stories.\u00a0 This includes most of the spin-off series as well; New Mutants, X-Men Classic, X-Factor, X-Men (adjective-less), Excalibur, X-Force, Generation X, tons of mini-series, etc.\u00a0 So shortly after the Phalanx Covenant I’d just had enough and walked away from 20 years of continuity and over 400 comics.<\/p>\n

Every so often I’ll pick up an issue of X-Men just to see what is going on.\u00a0\u00a0 I picked up a handful in the 350s, 360s, 370s, and a couple others here and there.\u00a0 Issue #500 seemed like a good one to pick-up.\u00a0 It was billed as a “jumping on point” and I’m always a sucker for an anniversary issue.<\/p>\n

To start with, it had an awesome Alex Ross cover celebrating several eras of the book.\u00a0 Well, at least the version I got was an Alex Ross.\u00a0 The inside notes at least four different variant covers.\u00a0 Another example of why I walked away previously.\u00a0 The story was by Ed Brubaker & Matt Fraction.\u00a0 I hear these guys on the Word Balloon podcast<\/a> frequently, so I was hopeful this would be good.\u00a0 The art was by Greg Land and Terry Dodson; both well known for their gorgeous ladies.\u00a0 So far, so good.<\/p>\n

Warning.. SPOILERS ahead…<\/p>\n

As expected the art is great and the ladies are hot.\u00a0 By the third page, we get to see a Sentinel, so that’s cool.\u00a0 The early part of the story provides the reader with a tour of the new X-Men headquarters in San Francisco, along with an explanation of the X-Men’s new found popularity with the masses.\u00a0 Then the story moves to a swank San Francisco art opening featuring three decommissioned Mark One Sentinels.\u00a0 Suddenly Magneto attacks and reactivates the Sentinels.\u00a0 Our heroes are there to protect their new hometown.\u00a0 Lots of action in downtown San Francisco, ultimately leading to Magneto’s defeat.\u00a0 It’s discovered that Magneto (who lost his powers a while back) was simulating his powers with an exo-suit designed by the High Evolutionary.\u00a0 In fact, Magneto’s attack was merely a distraction, and he’s in cahoots with the High Evolutionary in a mysterious plot surrounding a stationary Celestial that’s chilling in San Francisco.\u00a0 The next day, Cyclops sends out a psychic broadcast (sent via Emma Frost) to all mutants on Earth inviting them to their new headquarters in San Francisco.\u00a0 The X-Men have turned their headquarters into a mutant sanctuary.\u00a0 And finally in an epilogue we see some anti-mutant hate crimes begin to appear in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Overall, I guess I pretty much enjoyed the issue.\u00a0 Nothing like a decisive opinion, eh?\u00a0 It was definitely a great “jumping on point” and the art was phenomenal.\u00a0 However, I had some concerns with the issue. First off, Magneto’s attack really seemed ridiculous.\u00a0 Even in hindsight with his attack simply being a distraction, it seemed forced.\u00a0 I had a hard time believing this was really the brilliant strategist he had been portrayed as in the past. I honestly expected him to be revealed as an impostor.\u00a0 I was shocked when it turned out to really be Magneto.<\/p>\n

I think my biggest issue with the story was the lack of change within the team.\u00a0 I stated that I gave up reading the series on a regular basis back in 1995.\u00a0 Well… not much has really changed since.\u00a0 In fact, it seems not much has really changed since the mid-80s either.\u00a0 I can quickly run down the changes to the X-Men that appeared in this book since the “classic” days:<\/p>\n