The Good
UNCANNY X-MEN is back. But it's not the same title you remember from before. The face of the X-Men has changed since AVENGERS VS X-MEN and Cyclops is now seen as a mutant terrorist. What sets this series apart from the others is seeing how he goes about on his mission to protect mutants. In the pages of ALL-NEW X-MEN, we've seen Cyclops mention setting up his own school. He's been seeking out new mutants as they're powers develop in order to add them to his ranks.
This issue starts off in a way different from what you'd expect. We're too assume that this is Cyclops and his team's book but we're seeing it through someone else's perspective. Because of accusations of being a terrorist and trying to start a revolution, S.H.I.E.L.D. is brought in to get an update on Scott's activities. So rather than start off with seeing their new set up for the school, we see Maria Hill take in everything that Cyclops is doing. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that a non-S.H.I.E.L.D. person is the one bringing Hill up to speed. In other words, get ready for an interesting and crazy twist at the end.
Chris Bachalo provides the art and his over-the-top action scenes are always fun to see. You may have seen the preview, there are some new looks for the members, new costumes. It's great to see this team of X-Men along with some of the new mutants go up against Sentinels.
I love that a certain character is finally not willing to blindly follow Cyclops. It's something I've questioned before.
Bendis is making it clear that this title will be completely different from ALL-NEW X-MEN.
The Bad
This is an interesting way to start the issue but it doesn't quite give a feel to what new readers might be able to expect. They get a glimpse of the team, from an outside perspective but it's almost like they don't get a direct connection with the 'stars' of the book in the first issue.
We also seem to jump forward a tiny bit from their last appearance in ALL-NEW X-MEN. Seeing the team with new costumes, it was a little odd. It almost felt as if I missed an issue or appearance in which Cyclops, Magneto and the others decide to get new costumes for some reason.
The Verdict
Brian Michael Bendis' second X-Men title is here and he's showing that he won't simply be repeating what he's doing on ALL-NEW X-MEN. With the current view of Cyclops and the way he's handling himself in public, this volume of UNCANNY X-MEN will definitely have a different flavor from the past ones. Bendis is showing that while it might be easy to simply release yet another X-title, there is a definite meaning and direction in this one. As the first issue of a new (Marvel NOW!) volume, it has a slightly odd start. We don't fully get a direct feel for the characters but instead are introduced to them through another person, giving a sort of narrated feel. There is a crazy twist that will ensure you run out to the comic shop when the second issue is out. Bachalo's art is fun and frantic, capturing the lively action scenes as well as the more subdued interrogation scenes.
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