X-Men #2 Review

Writer: Gerry Duggan

Art: Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, Tom Muller, and Clayton Cowles

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 4th, 2021

The moment has finally arrived for the recently appointed X-MEN to safeguard the Earth. And might I add, in the nick of time! Why? Well, the benefactors from Cordyceps Jones’ Interstellar Casino are competing to wipe the human race from the planet. So, all bets are off as we dive into X-MEN #2 by Gerry Duggan and Pepe Larraz. Let’s see if the newly formed X-MEN team can fight off this persistent, deep space, tidal force of devastation on a collision course for Earth before it’s too late.

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THE DISPATCH

As superhero comic issues go, X-MEN #2 has all the bells and whistles of an action comic. Almost from page one, the X-MEN come right out of the gate, working together as a united team, not skipping a beat, and acting like they’ve worked together for years. Duggan begins with some cheeky banter and then basically rolls out the villain of the week to showcase what this iteration of the X-MEN can do.

Within X-MEN #2, the threat begins and ends with ease. Plus, readers can see how the mix of powers blends masterfully together. My favorite team member so far is Synch. Down the road, I can see Duggan playing at the events that transpired within the Vault, as well as uncovering the true potential of what Synch can do. Furthermore, Sunfire and Polaris get their respective moments to shine. Together, these abilities provide a severely deadly combination.

However, the Cordyceps Jones angle seems a bit silly and pointless at this juncture. It’s almost as if his main purpose is merely to throw a villain of the week at our X-MEN team while the true story is what’s dangled on the last few pages of this issue. That’s right X-fans, $&@$ has secretly hit the fan and Orchis knows more than mutants and readers initially thought. And that’s ultimately my biggest concern with the issue. The juicy story is what’s being slid in at the end instead of what’s packed in front of our faces. Now, I trust Duggan to have an amazing plan that will most certainly blend nicely. However, I found myself more eager and attracted to the information at the end of the issue than the main story surrounding Cordyceps Jones.

ART

Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia do a fantastic job delivering energy and movement throughout this action-packed issue of X-MEN. These two wizards provide dynamic depth and explosive color which bring this comic to life. Furthermore, Clayton Cowles adds a natural flow to X-MEN #2 causing the story to fly right by with ease. The nonstop excitement that readers will feel throughout this issue can be directly related to this art team and how well they work together with Duggan.

FINAL THOUGHTS

X-MEN #2 is quick, fast-paced, and packed with action. The linework and colors pop off the page causing readers to sink deep within the pages finding themselves practically finished before the issue even began. That said, the Cordyceps Jones aspect needs to be flushed out a bit more than the Head Bossman responsible for the villain of the week trope. However, even though I found myself shrugging off Mr. Jones, I understand Duggan’s goal which is merely to use him to get readers familiar with the new team. Nevertheless, my focus is more on the end of the issue, and want to know more about Orchis and what’s on the horizon there. I recommend hopping on board now while you still can. X-MEN has all the inner workings of what will make this a rock-solid series for the next year, if not longer. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God bless!

8.4/10

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