The Good
Just when you think you know where the story is headed...
Battle of the Atom has been one of my favorite recent crossover. Seeing the different X-Men interact (and battle) is a treat. With the arrival of "Xorn" on the future X-Men team, we get a battle many have been waiting for. There are so many characters involved and it's great seeing who jumps into the action and who sits back and observes (with some interesting commentary).
As we usually see in this title, Jason Aaron throws in just the right amount of humor when the situation calls for it. This is pretty important in keeping up with the tone that Brian Michael Bendis has established in the earlier chapters of this arc as well as his X-titles.
There are some twists in this issue. This is one of those cases where readers need to see the events unfold for themselves rather than be spoiled. Even though we've had a pretty clear and straightforward story, it turns out there is still more going on. This issue should make you want to continue reader even more than before.
There are some moments where Giuseppe Camuncoli's art really shines. The battle between "Xorn" and the others on the psychic plane while with flashes back to the real world was cool, as was the arrival of a visitor when young Iceman and Beast were babysitting.
The Bad
Despite the two twists that unfold, something felt a little off in this chapter. It could be the shift in the story. There were also some moments Camuncoli's art felt off (Broo immediately comes to mind), despite the other moments it shined.
While it's nice that we get the shift in the story here, rather than drag it out, it almost felt as it came suddenly. There is some momentum building and then it veers in a different direction. Of course it may all make sense when we see the bigger picture.
The Verdict
We've had a lot of crossovers this year. Or at least it feels like it in the various different comics. Battle of the Atom is one I am deeply enjoying. It feels a little odd for the story to crossover into this title but given some of the characters involved, it does make sense rather than to have them strictly involved in a separate series. The overall story takes a bit of a turn here and you definitely will want to know what happens next.
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