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Anth Couto reviews Astonishing X-Men #32.

ASTONISHING X-MEN #32
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Pencils & Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
“EXOGENETIC,” PART 2 of 5
The X-Men have fought towering, mutant-slaying robot Sentinels before. But never one quite like this. Never a Sentinel made of meat and bone, wearing the skin of one of their own deceased teammates, every technological aspect given a biological solution. And as the X-Men fight for their lives, they’re left to wonder: What could this monstrosity have to do with THE BROOD?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

REVIEW: “In a family of dozens of x-books, Astonishing X-Men stands out as the awkward cousin that can’t be ignored because of the odd stance it takes in the storytelling cluster that is the X-Men at the moment.”
Rating:

In a family of dozens of x-books, Astonishing X-Men stands out as the awkward cousin that can’t be ignored because of the odd stance it takes in the storytelling cluster that is the X-Men at the moment. Though Ellis chooses to tell offbeat stories, I find myself drawn to the book because of flashy action sequences and an actual set, reliable roster, that reluctantly satisfies my desire for a classic and iconic team. This month’s issue leaves a rather bland taste for storytelling and takes a few steps back in terms of expectations for the remainder of the arc, potentially due to character dialogue that lacks merit.

Sure, Ellis’ dialogue may be appropriate for each character and carry a wit, but it feels far too scripted, making most characters seem fabricated and recycled, though evidently not Beast, who directs many odd sexual innuendoes towards Agent Brand that are interpreted as bizarre and out of character, instead of suiting the relationship that has been created between them so far.

It is as if the first two parts of this arc could have been contained in a single issue, and quite possibly, along with the third, if it continues the same pattern as the story progression so far. A Cyclops-Wolverine confrontation seems like part two in a series of character confrontations that Ellis plans to set up, similar to the Cyclops-Storm confrontation in part two of “Ghost Boxes”, though this confrontation is executed much better, even similarly hitting the same beats as previous Cyclops-Wolverine deep interactions from the past. Apparently the reanimation of corpses is popular amongst the comic industry this year, and though I am not overjoyed at the rebirth of several d-listers, I can’t help but look forward to the zings that Emma Frost will conjure about the zombified mutants that detest her. Similar to what’s going on in Necrosha, I have confidence that Ellis will deliver a unique approach to the situation in his own book.

Jimenez keeps up the beautiful pencils that have anchored my cash towards the comic at my LCS this month, definitely making this arc a step up from Bianchi’s work. The electricity, explosions and slashing deliver a visual treat that highlights each member of the X-Men, as they do what they do best in fantastically choreographed fight scenes. You can expect a bio-organic sentinel action figure on my Birthday list, just saying.

It’s not groundbreaking, but Astonishing X-Men serves its purpose every month as the boutique book of the X-Men line. If under a strict list of books to buy, Astonishing may not make it on there every month, but it keeps up as an enjoyable series that features stories that aren’t convoluted, and art that’s crisp and stunning consistently.

Average Rating:
-Anth

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