The Good
Two really positive plot developments come out of this issue, but aside from those two things, the issue itself is probably the weakest issue of all the WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN up to this point. One really positive thing to come out of this issue is the show of force by Kitty Pryde. With Wolverine out and about fighting against the Avengers, Kitty has taken over the role of really leading the school. She is both a leader and a teacher, struggling to keep things together and keep the young mutants in school under these very distressful circumstances. It's a great portrayal of her character as a leader and an example to all other young mutants.
The most important thing to come out of this issue, however, is the fact that the X-Men finally saw what Cyclops, Colossus and the other former X-Men who have been infected by the Phoenix force as having been manipulated and altered by their newfound power. This really comes to light in the scene where Kitty and Colossus are on a date, and when Colossus doesn't get his way he says that he can kill Kitty and bring her back if he wanted to -- that's how powerful he is. It's kind of a startling moment, and also a little bit sad; especially if you're a fan of Colossus and Kitty's romance. The issue progresses, however, and Kitty Pryde isn't the only one who takes notice of the fact that her friends have changed dramatically and that they are not who they used to be. I think this issue represents a shift in the Avengers Vs. X-Men story arc where readers will see the X-Men align with the Avengers and stop working against them. Think "the enemy of my enemy is my friend;" in this case, Cyclops and his Phoenix infected X-Men are the enemy of the Avengers, and in order to defeat them we may see the X-Men team up with the Avengers to achieve a common goal.
The Bad
Although we saw a lot of plot development in this issue (which is good) a lot of the dialogue and the scenes felt really forced. I also found it somewhat surprising that Kitty was so against Colossus, who she had professed her love for at one time. Regardless of where their relationship stands now, these two have a history. Kitty knows that he is not (and has not been) acting like himself lately, and she doesn't feel any kind of sympathy or affection for the man she loved (who is now gone). I thought that was a little bit out of character for her, especially considering the fact that she is such a seemingly compassionate character. This, instead, feels like it's all black and white. As though he's bad now and Kitty just sort of lets it roll off her back like it's no big deal. That was disappointing. In general, a lot of what happened here and the reactions and interactions of a lot of these characters felt a little bit forced and phoney and that was disappointing.
The Verdict
There was definitely something up with the tone and overall voice of this issue, which felt somewhat out of place; but there was definitely some good that did come out of it. I thought the art by Jorge Molina was good, although it was not my favorite. I thought Kitty looked a little bit strange in some of the panels. Overall, though, I enjoyed the art. I think the issue felt a little bit rushed and it just wasn't as good as previous issues; although I did really enjoy the fact that there was a lot of movement and push in this story. There's plenty of development here, I just wasn't a huge fan of the way it was written.