Review: Planet-Size X-Men #1

Nearly two years ago the X-Men franchise was effectively rebooted. Due to their on screen capers being held by Fox, Marvel has seemingly spat out its pacifier and toss the mutant babies out with the mutant bath water. Since 2019, Jonathan Hickman and his X- crew of writers and artists have looked to bring the world of X back to the top of the comic book charts. Why then, does it still feel we are in world building, ironically, rather than world living mode?

With worries that the island of Krakoa is getting too big for the rest of the worlds boots, Magneto and Forge come up with a plan for Mars that puts Doctor Manhattan’s little vacation spot to shame. Of course the timing of this is highlight of the Hellfire Gala. As with most issues of the X-books under Hickman’s stewardship, their are ramification that will came to fruition down the line………hopefully!

Gerry Duggan is writer charged with holding the line and he does so well. That said, there is not a lot going on to be honest. There is very little characterisation throughout the book to be honest, though the Jamie Braddock bit was fun. With no real characterisation on show, everyone seems to effectively be a cipher. It is a shame as along with the Jamie moment, there are a couple of nicer moments between Cyclops and Captain America. After reading the book, I got a serious case of the “so whats”

Art is supplied by Pepe Larraz who maintains the look and feel of this not so new X-world. Larraz’s art is well-formed for the most part, though some body lines go a little wonky; Jean, for example, loses some shapes during the book. By now, if you’re a fan of X-Men then you will certainly know what to expect. This consistency is further embedded via the colors of Marte Garcia who does a fantastic job bring the grandeur and spectacle of giving a dead planet life! Talking about consistency, VC’s Clayton Cowles brings the X-font into play.

If you are reading the various X- books, then this may well be a killer issue for you. For the rest of us; it’s a complicated mess of storylines that fail to conclude and are further extended, almost past the point of me not caring.

Writing – 3 Stars
Art – 3 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 3.5 Stars

Written by; Gerry Duggan
Art by; Pepe Larraz
Colors by; Marte Garcia
Letters by; VC’s Clayton Cowles
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