It seems like X-Men Legacy has definitely been the bastard red-headed of the X-Men titles. When it was X-Men and Grant Morrison’s New X-Men, it was the primary premiere and most prestigious title. Then Astonishing X-Men bumped it to 2nd and perhaps 3rd. And by the time that the most recent X-Men title was launched, it was nestled somewhere between the X-Forces, New Mutants, and X-Factors.
That’s not talking about quality, just the overall view of the importance of the title. To be fair, I’ve never read a single issue of the book since it was renamed. I know it’s been a title where Rogue has been the leader of the group for a while, but other than that I know little to nothing about it.
So, it makes it the perfect title for a Dropped in Midstream Review. So come along everyone, and let’s see what Rogue and the gang have in store for us.
(Excuse the lack of pretty pictures this week, as I’m on a trip for work, and have little time)
X-Men Legacy #261: Lost Tribes
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Christos Cage
Artist: David Baldeon
Release Date: 01/25/2012
Cover Price: $3.99
Review: Digital Copy (From Comixology)
Okay, well as I understand it, just as Rogue and Magneto started to truly admit to each other that they had feelings for each other, Rogue decided to follow Wolverine back to West Chester, New York and Magneto stayed with Cyclops. And in the previous issue (from the headlines on Comic Nexus), I saw that Gambit and the girl Frenzy had a lip lock, almost in emotional response to Rogue’s declaration of her affections for Magneto. 1
The current roster for the book is: Rogue, Wolverine, Iceman, Beast, Gambit, Rachel, Cannonball, and Frenzy.
Synopsis
- Rogue and Rachel are talking about her decision to follow Wolverine and how it affects her relationship with Magneto.
- Conversely, Gambit and Frenzy are talking about their kiss, saying it was a one-time thing, leaving Frenzy emotionally hurt.
- Blindfold informs the X-Men of the coming of a menace who is their savior and destroyer. The menace turns out to be the mutant Exodus.
- Exodus has come to rejoin the mutant tribes, and if Wolverine’s group will not voluntarily comply, he will mentally force them to do so.
- Rogue and team battle Exodus, with Rogue taking the lead. She steals the teleportation powers from Exodus and the fighting powers of Kid Gladiator to take him down.
- Rogue allows Exodus to read her mind, where he learns that Cyclops put the mutant savior (Hope) into battle. This changes his opinion, and he leaves.
- The group wonders if Exodus is heading off to attack Scott’s group.
Analysis
This was a really good issue. I liked the story and found it easy to follow, even being a lapsed X-Men reader.
My major complaint is that this title did not establish a specific purpose for this title. It’s called X-Men Legacy, but I found the purpose of the title to be no different than Wolverine and the X-Men. It would help to establish a specific purpose or a unique team for this title.
The artwork was very good. I really found David Baldeon’s pencils to be really well done. The costume designs were interesting, but they definitely had a purpose and a style. But I definitely prefer crisp lines and non-cartoony like artwork.
It makes no sense for Wolverine to be in this title, and default to Rogue as the leader. It felt very artificial. Wolverine has to be in the book as he is the most popular X-Men, and Rogue has to be the leader because she is the main character of the book.
Frenzy is certainly more invested in a potential relationship with Gambit with the suggestion from Exodus that she is only with Wolverine’s due to her feelings. It is hard to know if Gambit pushes her away because of his love for Rogue or just his general nature.
I loved how Rachel calls out Rogue for not wanting to call Magneto after she left. I think Rogue is definitely a full-fledged adult character, but relationship wise she still acts like an emo dramatic teenager. And she has for 20 years.
I found it really lame to have the X-men students ostracize a student (aka Blindfold) due to her powers. Yes cliques form in any sort of environment, especially in a high school like environment, that’s understood. But for mutants who have dealt with ignorance and prejudice to then go ahead and find some reason to push Blindfold aside seems really limited.
Okay, this is a DIM (Dropped in Midstream) review, so of course there’s a learning curve for me as a new reader. But, from the artwork and the story I could not figure out what Frenzy’s powers are. I could easily figure out Blindfold’s powers 2, and even Kid Gladiator’s powers. But I really had no sense of Frenzy’s powers. She seems very powerful, especially as she can go toe-to-toe with Exodus, but I had no sense of what she was actually accomplishing.
I enjoy the X-Men in general, but it is very difficult to keep up with the universe if you lapse in the universe. It’s just so weighty, especially with 10-20 mutant titles per month. Case in point was Kid Gladiator and a guard that looks like a junior Princess Lilandra. I don’t even know where to begin with this and I’m really not even sure that I care.
I’ve always found Exodus to be a fascinating and under-valued villain. He is powerful and interesting. And yet, I really have never had a good sense of his powers and abilities. Maybe this title can use him more and really define what his character and powers are.
Gambit, Iceman and Beast are all on the roster, and yet they were very under-utilized in the action part of the title. Why is someone like Iceman and Beast (and even Wolverine) on a team roster when they already are in other books?
I’d say that this is the best introduction issue that I’ve read of the X-Men Regenesis3 introduction issues:
- Wolverine and the X-Men was kindof cheesy and had a magna influence (in both story and art) that turned me off a bit.
- Uncanny X-Men had some interesting moments, but I found the threat from Mister Sinister to be less than significant.
- Astonishing X-Men was a good story, but it’s playing in another alternative universe. So it seems less important. 4
The best thing about this issue is that you know why Exodus is choosing to attack now. The X-Men Schism event would cause Exodus to take action against the X-Men group(s). In the other titles, the writer conventions of why the threat waited until after the groups were settled were more obvious.
I am interested in seeing what happens next. I’m not compelled or on the edge of my seat, but I am interested in the action going forward. 5
Verdict
I liked this title. It was a real pleasure to read. If you haven’t read X-Men Legacy in a while or ever, you can easily follow the characters and the plot of this title. The motivations of the main characters were very clear. You probably need to know who Rogue and Gambit are, but the rest of the characters are explained rather well. It was a fun experience, and I could easily be pulled into the action next month. Lots of fun.
Overall Grade: 8.0 (Solid and really good beginning title)
Footnotes
1 – My God, it’s 2012 and the Rogue/Gambit relationship is still an unresolved emotional issue in the X-Men Universe. I think it’s been 21 YEARS!
2 – I knew Blindfold from the Astonishing X-Men title, but I had forgotten who she was and what her powers are.
3 – I know that there was a 260.1, but that seemed more like a transition issue. Especially as it was given a gimmicked number.
4 – I didn’t read the X-Men title
5 – Main reason I won’t is because this week is packed full of good titles.
