keeps the ball rolling This collects Ultimate X-Men issues 66-74, and Annual 2.
Kirkman doesn't miss a beat in the streamlined Ultimate Universe. Mixing in new characters and adding twists to the familiar characters and core storylines, this remains an accessible and fun series.
The whole backdrop of the mutant / human is ironically echoed in one of the more disturbing plots, dealing with homophobia.
Strict traditionalists of the Marvel Universe may not care for this or previous Ultimate collections, but I think they on the whole have been enjoyable, particular with how they make stories I have read multiple times in the original form fresh and often surprising.
Not what I had hoped for I've been a big fan of the Ultimate X-Men series, and to date have not been disappointed in one of the series' hardcover collections. I certainly wasn't expecting to be less than thrilled by Robert Kirkman's run on the title. I absolutely love his Invincible series, and had high expectations going into this volume.
The storyline essentially focuses on two major events - the advent of the Phoenix force in Jean Grey, and the arrival of the powerful new student called The Magician. Maybe it's a case of "been there, done that", but the Magician's abilities are a little too close to those of Xavier's wayward son Proteus, and this series has already covered that ground. As to the Jean Grey storyline; at this point I think I have Phoenix fatigue. Seriously, has any other story been told to death like the Phoenix saga?
I hate to knock such a talented writer, but this just isn't what I had hoped for from Robert Kirkman, whose Invincible totally sets the standard for the whole teenage superhero genre. His dialogue is fine, as is his understanding of the characters. It's just the major events in the story that fall flat, and that's hard to get over. I will say that his Nightcrawler sub-plot is absolutely compelling, and will no doubt infuriate long-time fans of the character.
The artwork in this volume, as in previous collections, is a bit uneven. Tom Raney handles most of the penciling, and he's as solid as expected. The Ben Oliver issues just don't fit the style of the book. Artistically, the highlight of the book is Salvador Larocca's work on the second Ultimate X-Men Annual, which brings the aforementioned Nightcrawler story to a climax.
Overall, this is a decent enough installment in the Ultimate X-Men saga. It just isn't up to the standard I expect both from the series and this particular writer. It is enough to keep me around for volume 8 though.
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