Advance Review: X-Men Legend #1

So, just in case you thought that there wasn’t enough X-books out at the moment, Marvel have decided to revisit the merry mutants of yesteryear in this new series X-Men Legends, which harks back to the glory days of the 90’s. But can you really put lightning back in the bottle?

I loved the X-Men back in the day. At one point, I had every issue, in some form or another, going back all the way to X-Men #94. Somewhere along the line though, in the weight of all that continuity and big crossover events, I kind of dropped off the wagon. Here, the step back in time, is as sharp as a slap in the face. Cyclops and Havok’s grandparents have been kidnapped, leading Cable to look for help further a field to help his father and uncle. Of course when it comes to the Shi’ar things can get a little complicated.

X-Fans may well remember that Fabian Nicieza had the unenviable task of being one of the writers to follow Chris Claremont’s departure. This then should feel like putting on a comfy pair of slippers. Regardless of how talented Nicieza is, and I loved his Nomad run by the way, the contrast between then and now is startling. Where Hickman and the X-books tend to plot for a long haul, back then there had to be at least three explosions! This book also has the task of bringing everyone back up to speed, so there are flashbacks to either confuse or slow down the plot dependent on your point of view. Nicieza manages to deliver a Cyclops character that is confident and comfortable, which is a far cry from how he was handled in the recent X-book. The dialogue is great; good to see the “body slide by one”, though I wonder why the eye beans have changed from ZZAP!

If there was any artist who could recapture the 90’s it would be Brett Booth. His work has that hyper-extended style that fits that era well. It may also be one of the reasons why Booth doesn’t have more books; his style is possibly too different for todays market. Here, the art is as strong as you would expect, long firm lines and action frames in nearly all the body frames. One of the strengths of Booth’s work is that everyone looks like they are supposed to without exception. Booth is helped out by the inks of Adelso Corona, though I would prefer a less heavy line. Colors are provided by Guru-eFX who brilliantly captures the look and feel of era. Finally, VC’s Joe Caramagna gets a breather from the current style, delivering a font that works well not to interfere with the art.

This isn’t the first time that Marvel have looked back; at one point John Byrne had a similar book a few years back. As a means to give old school fans a chance to get back into their favourite team, especially if they feel disenfranchised with the current books. For my personal taste, I would have preferred to start somewhere else other than with the Shi’ar. I am sure that Nicieza and Booth have even more familiar beats to hit.

Writing – 3.5 Stars

Art – 4 Stars

Colors – 4 Stars

Overall – 3.5 Stars

Written by; Fabian Nicieza
Art by; Brett Booth
Inks by; Adelso Corona
Colors by; Guru-eFX
Letters by; VC’s Joe Caramagna
Published by; Marvel Worldwide Inc.

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network