Advanced Review: Wolverine and the X-Men #4

The repercussions from Rick Remender’s current Age of Apocalypse storyline, in Uncanny X-Force, make their way into Jason Aaron’s phenomenal book.

Genesis has been enrolled as a student, Angel believes he is something more than a mutant, and Deathlok’s choice to be a guest speaker, has some startling effects! I have said it before, but it is worth repeating — this is Jason Aaron’s best series to date!

I have never had this much fun reading an X series before, and I have been reading them for over twenty years! Aaron’s wit is beyond brilliant; the subtle nuances he creates between all the characters is amazing! He pits new, crazy characters against the familiarity of classic ones, to create the perfect mesh of fun and nostalgia. But the Deathlok scenes in this book is what really makes this current issue! A cyborg from the future begins spewing statistics about the class he is lecturing, ones that include the percentage of how many of them will die. It helps bring a moment of clarity amidst the chaos, a slice of realism in a pie of insanity. But nothing brings you back to reality as quickly as the final page does! We have all heard rumors as to what will happen, but I gave up spoilers as a New Year’s resolution — so you will have to buy your own copy to find out!

My only complaint is that Chris Bachalo was not on art chores this issue. Nothing irks me more about a new book, as when the artist can’t make it through the first year of issues! But Nick Bradshaw, amazing artist as well, brings his own level to this book! He has so much going on in the foreground as well as the background, that you can barely fathom everything that is going on. You can peruse each panel for twenty minutes and still find something new when you read it through again. Oh, you will read it through again! It’s just that good!

Aaron gives us his all yet again, and all you need to do is pick it up and enjoy! I dare you to find something cooler on the shelves this week! I dare ya!

Copy of “Wolverine and the X-Men” #4 provided by friend of Cosmic Book News.