Review: Uncanny X-Men: First Class #1-8 and Giant Size #1

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It’s not easy being an X-Fan. Not for me.

As a child, I loved the X-Men cartoon. The setups, the scenarios, the characters, the powers, the adrenaline-pumping theme song – all of it came together in a perfect fusion of Saturday morning bliss. But when I went to the comic store for the real thing, I ran into a frequent problem: never understanding what was going on.

There’s nothing wrong with a comic that has some history to it – in fact, now that I’ve been able to go back and dig through it more extensively, I’ve developed a fondness for some of the 90s  X-Men comics. But sometimes you just want to pick up a comic and read. No muss, no fuss, no tie-ins to some huge, overarching event. That’s why comics like Uncanny X-Men: First Class will always have a place in my coveted comic bin.

For those unfamiliar with the First Class concept, these are basically stories that fit in between the earlier X-Men comics, untold tales of the X-Men. It’s a great way to bone up on X-Men history, and the first eight issues of Uncanny take place around a coveted time – just before the Dark Phoenix saga. It even ties into the Saga well, highlighting the tension between Cyclops and Jean as she starts to give into the Phoenix more and more, and culminating when Cyclops unloads both his rage and his optic power straight into a very unlucky supervillain.

There are quite a few moments like that, interesting little interactions between characters from a simpler time.  Nightcrawler and Colossus rapping about the hardships of living with a physical mutation in a world that’s not even close to accepting it, Banshee fighting the ghosts of his past in both a figurative and literal sense, and Wolverine…being Wolverine.

Logan actually gets the least face time and development out of all the X-Men here, and that’s likely by design – this series is clearly made for the under-18 crowd. That’s not to say it’s immature or without a fair a share of violence, but it tends more towards a soft touch; deaths are generally presented in a way that acknowledges them, then quickly moves on. It strikes a good balance, in a way that doesn’t come off too mature or too kiddified.

The art style even reflects this – with only a few notable exceptions, the art stays bright and buoyant, full of bright colors that give things a cartoonish feel, perfectly in-sync with Uncanny’s lighthearted nature. Roger Cruz does a great job on the character designs as well, and it’s apparent right from the first issue. The very first page has Nightcrawler in all his glory, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with a smile on his face. His muscles stretch beneath the suit, hair whips in the wind, you can even see the claws through his gloves.

The attention to detail is spectacular, and it makes appreciated the storylines themselves all the easier. The first two issues deal with an X-Men visit to the Inhuman city of Attilan, and the two after that are standalone stories, but they all introduce character development that gets expanded on in issues five through seven, when the action ramps up with a three-parter. Without giving too much away, it’s the X-Men at their best, fighting against seemingly undefeatable foes with the fate of the planet resting on their shoulders. Easy to grasp, but entertaining all the way through. While I can’t say I cared too much for the final issue – a magical romp with Banshee’s that serves as a shattering change of pace and style – the rest made for great reading. It all caps off nicely with the Giant Size issue, an interesting look not only into the paths of each X-Man and how they came into their current role, but at how Scott is learning to deal with a newer and wilder team.

You can’t really compare it to the current stories in terms of complexity and story depth, but Uncanny X-Men: First Class is perfect for someone just trying to get their X-Men fix without all the weight. Or for someone who’s looking to get a little more mileage out of a classic era. Or someone who just enjoys a good story.