November 2007
Yowza, is this column late! I apologize to my reader.
I’ve been “writing” this column in my noggin for the past month, I just haven’t had time for the clickety-clack of getting it into the computer. Even though we’re well into the month, I’m recommending something that is still timely, something that will be stretching well into the new year. It’s...you guessed it...X-Men: Messiah CompleX!
For starters, you’ll need to buy four X-titles a month to get the full story, Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, X-Factor, and New X-Men. Now I know what you’re thinking: “I've had it with secret, silent, and civil wars. I don’t care what your “counting down” to. I’m burned out from World War Three and World War Hulk. Enough already with this editorially driven crossover/mega-event/tie-in hooey!”
However, Messiah CompleX is quite different, here’s why: If you’ve ever read this column before, you know writers are the most important people in the comic biz to me. A book with gorgeous art and a terrible story annoys me to no end (All Star Batman!), but a book with a great writer and average artwork can easily win me over (Ant-Man!). I’ll start with the big kahuna of this X-ellent X-over, Ed “Cap Killer” Brubaker (Uncanny X-Men).
When I came back to comics as as adult, a friend recommended that I try Bru’s work on Gotham Central. It was right up my alley, an adult crime book with a touch of super-hero/villain shenanigans to keep the story from getting too heavy. Then I got into Sleeper, his edgy noir book from Wildstorm (imagine NBC’s Heroes, but there are no good guys and it’s rated NC-17). Then Marvel yoinked him away from DC and signed him to an exclusive contract, killing all of his current work for the competition. I remember Brubaker saying something like, “DC was making a lot of big plans and I just wasn’t a part of them.” I assumed that he was either uninterested in the upcoming Infinite Crisis, or he was shut out of the process because his style didn’t fit the DC mold at the time. Fast forward to now and Brubaker is arguably the biggest writer in comics. He’s got Eisner awards coming out of his ears and he’s writing an armload of flagship titles for Marvel. When he landed the Uncanny X-men gig, I wasn’t reading a single X-book. Bru’s name compelled me to pick up the opening arc, “The Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire” (now available in hardcover from Pulp Fiction!), an ambitious twelve part space opera that had me reading Uncanny X-Men for the first time since junior high. One book down, three to go!
I first bought the adjective-less X-Men by mistake at the San Diego Comic-Con. Brubaker was signing at the Marvel booth and I had forgotten to bring anything for him to sign, so I quickly purchased what I thought was Uncanny X-Men. Well it wasn’t, and I was pissed. I read it after the convention to see if there was any hope of getting my five bucks’ worth (Yes, FIVE bucks for an issue that was less than a month old. Don’t you love convention prices?). To my surprise, I enjoyed X-Men. Mike Carey’s quick-paced writing style and clever characterizations were a breath of fresh air. I’m currently reading Carey’s clever Twilight Zone-esque run on Faker for Vertigo. Two down!
Peter David has been a Marvel heavyweight for decades, with stellar writing runs on Hulk, Spider-Man, and MadroX. When he turned the old X-Factor concept on its ear and made it into a detective series, comic aficionados couldn’t resist giving the series a look. His current work on the book reminds of Brubaker’s run on Gotham Central, noir with capes. It’s a strange literary cocktail, but somehow it works. David uses his trademark emphasis on character development so the reader really cares what happens when the team gets caught in dangerous situations. He also manages to include relationship drama without making it feel like Dawson’s Creek. Three down.
I wasn’t sure about the final book, New X-Men, written by the tag team of Chris Yost and Craig Kyle. The characters are a bunch of Z-listers, and do I really want to add another title to my long pull list? After enjoying a couple issues of Yost’s X-Men: Emperor Vulcan, the sequel to Brubaker’s space opera, I’m optimistic about this final piece of the Messiah CompleX falling into place. In terms of writing, it’s probably the weakest book, but it’s good to know that these young guys will have Brubaker, Carey, and David looking over their shoulders the whole time. That makes four!
So for me to fully participate in this big event, I just need to buy the one-shot prelude issue, pick up three issues of a wildcard series, and I need to keep buying three titles that I already enjoy. Even though I have “event fatigue” as most comic readers do, I’m looking forward to this X-travaganza. After all, it’s the first X-over in a decade so it should be worth the wait. I’m sure Joe Quesada will give you a full refund if you aren’t completely satisfied. Everyone knows he’s not in it for the money.
So what’s the story about? The mutant species is on the brink of extinction. Is there any hope? Pick up the X-books and find out! Check out Marvel’s official XM:MC site, complete with a video trailer and an issue checklist: http://www.marvel.com/comics/Messiah_CompleX
ThanX for reading!Cory Johnson
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