X-Men Forever #12 Review, An X-Men Comic That's Easy To Follow

Posted by G-Man (25885 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

This series simply takes me back. When I first started reading X-Men comics "back in the day," I was immediately sucked into Chris Claremont's writing. I was just blown away. Uncanny X-Men #188 was the first issue I bought (along with the " God Loves, Man Kills" graphic novel). I was familiar with them from their appearances on "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends." Right away I started buying up all the back issues I could get my hands on. With X-Men Forever, Chris Claremont returns to the X-Men and is doing things his way. Is it still as good as it was back then?

This series has been surprising me. While I'm a fan of Chris Claremont and Tom Grummett, I'm normally not a fan of "alternate reality" stories. The idea that this series of X-Men branches out and has become a long running What If? series doesn't really matter. I think because at its heart, it's still Chris Claremont doing the writing. He's spent so much time with these characters that he clearly knows them inside and out. This almost seems like some sort of experiment. Sure there are lots of fans of the "old school" X-Men adventures but I'm sure there are loads of readers that haven't actually read those past issues.

I haven't really heard what others think about this series. In some ways, it's almost like an Ultimate comic. It has the whole "anything goes" attitude. That is part of what makes this exciting. I'm not one for pointless deaths but the idea that no one is safe keeps you on the edge of your seat. The other great thing is that it isn't tied to all the other X-titles. Yes I love a good crossover but I also love being able to read a single comic and not have to worry about what is happening in others series and what reading order I have to be aware of.

Simply put, if you enjoy the X-Men and what a semi-classic feel to your stories this is a title to pick up. There's also the fact that if you are on a budget, you won't have to worry about the massive "events" that so often seem to pop up. It's just a shame about Wolverine...

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#1 Posted by danhimself (18737 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

from what I've heard around here there aren't that many people who like it but I'm with you G-man....I like it

#2 Posted by UnsolvedParadox (262 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

I think this is the biggest problem with the X-titles today, how hard they are to enter and follow along with. I miss Ultimate X-Men and the Whedon//Cassaday run on Astonishing X-Men for this reason...

#3 Edited by Dr. Detfink (460 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

Chris Claremont had a great run but I got two words for you: The Goth.

The freedom might be a good thing but what makes this title so special from Ultimate X-men? Yea, we get it the man likes to keep the mutant man down but one of Claremont's writing crutches was the mutants never going any where with their persecution.

Again, Claremont had a brilliant run but try re-reading his stuff from the late 90s till he was booted off Uncanny, it was awful. Who remembers when he was SO PISSED at Grant Morrison for revealing Xorn as Magneto, he introduced the REAL Xorn. lol.

#4 Posted by Media_Master (2189 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

Sounds like a great single issue, without the need to pickup back issues.

#5 Posted by waruikumo (357 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

mehhh if i wana go back to 1985 ill buy a time machine.

#6 Posted by FoxxFireArt (3340 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

Doesn't all these twists in the story remind anyone of the Ultimate X-Men twists?

As an Emma fan, I'm not very interesting in the series. I do admire that once they kill someone they are staying that way. It's risky. I'll be interesting in seeing if they can stick to that theme. I've been a huge critic of the constant killing and revival of characters. You start to lose any emotional impact it could have. It's as the point now with Jean Grey that after she's dead the X-Men shouldn't mourn, but start a pool for how long it will take for her revival.

The Beast thing is a bit out of bounds. I don't mind the more animal appearance, but it's is pretty hit of miss depending on the artist. I like what Ramos and Bachalo always did with the design.

Oh lord, they literally named a villain, "The Cossack"? Why not just go the whole nine yards and call him the "Red Russian".

I think your Freudian Slip was showing there a bit with the Blackest Night/Necrosha bit.

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#7 Posted by goldenkey (2927 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

What was #188 about again? I don't know the issue number but my first uncanny single was Psylocks story when the Manderin made her Asian. I was so damn confused but Jim Lee's art got me. I bought that and the Dark Phoenx graphic.

#8 Posted by zombietag (1423 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

i hate how they draw beast now. like a stupid cat. its so dumb looking and not tough. i really like the 90s beast the best. maybe i just like jim lee's take on the xmen the best

#9 Posted by Illyana Rasputin (2770 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

I love that we are going to see Chris Claremont's original intentions for Illyana Rasputin "Magik". I can't wait to see what happens next!

#10 Posted by Stormultt (5293 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

i read it. current x-men suck.

#11 Posted by G-Man (25885 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

@Dr. Detfink: What makes this different from Ultimate X-Men, in my opinion, is that it branched off from the "real" X-Men. As much as I enjoyed Ultimate X-Men, there were just too many differences that seemed like they were there just to make things different (like Peter and Northstar, Professor X and Psylocke, etc). This has the 'feel' of the actual X-Men from the 90s. Good or bad, I enjoyed it. Maybe it's a nostalgia thing for me.

@goldenkey: Issue #188 (12/84) had the Adversary and was just shortly after Rachel Summers 'joined' the team.

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#12 Posted by rouju (159 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

Logan dead? I'll think I read it just for knowing that this overrated guy FINALLY DIED (hope 4 last) ^_^

#13 Posted by KJPPPimp (77 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

Wasn't concept of this series " What would the X-Men series be like if Claremont stayed on after x-men 3 or 4 or whenever he started disagreeing with Jim Lee?" Sounded interesting to me. If its as good as G-Man says I might have to look out for the trades

#14 Posted by Dr. Detfink (460 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

@G-Man: I agree. I tend to think the Ultimate universe sometimes tries to reinvent the wheel just for the sake of shock factor. I think most recent you saw that with Tony's older brother and James Rhodes which pretty much undoes every thing Orson Scott did with Tony's origin.

I'm glad to hear Claremont is back to being at the top of his game. I was worried that he was getting as bitter as John Byrne.

It's hard for me to imagine expanding yet another title to accomidate this and that writer. Its unfortunate Marvel and Claremont couldn't be on the same page to continue writing in the 616 universe but for old hands from the 90s, this is a suitable solution.

It is an interesting solution killing Wolverine off. At this point, if Marvel killed Wolverine I don't think it'd have a ripple as it would 5-10 years ago. He's been so watered down, his origin so convoluted, that I think a younger generation does not have the same reference for him as some of us would have been if they remembers the 80s X-men. Just a a thought.

#15 Posted by victorvndoom (82 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

if you missed them get the tradepaperback for the 1-6. loved it sofar

#16 Posted by goldenkey (2927 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

@victorvndoom said:

"if you missed them get the tradepaperback for the 1-6. loved it sofar "

that's good news, gotta do that. Is the there a take off point. What was the last story arch suppossed to be where issue #1 started from and why is Gambit's last name Picard.

#17 Posted by drawme (423 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

I´m always thinking of picking up some X-titles but then I don´t. Which series is the best?

#18 Posted by jedd (71 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

i dropped this after issue 5. biggest mistake ever. well ive decided i will have to do some issue hunting on ebay. I hope theres a mystique appearance coming soon

#19 Posted by 244 (483 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

@rouju:
I wouldn't say Wolverine is overrated more like he's misused and some writers can't grasp his characterization well enough. It would do us a favor if Marvel would stop putting him front and center in comics and make him a backround character how he was in his first appearance in X-men comics. When I heard about his death in X-men forever, I was thinking to myself "FINALLY! Let the ol' canucklehed head die at last! He wants to die after all the crap he's been through." It irks me a bit when Marvel uses him as a marvel icon and places him everywhere in the comics. There's a friggin' shampoo bottle of him from the early 90's!

#20 Posted by xerox_kitty (15758 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

@Illyana Rasputin said:

" I love that we are going to see Chris Claremont's original intentions for Illyana Rasputin "Magik". I can't wait to see what happens next!

"

I don't believe that any of these 'Forever' stories are what Claremont originally intended for any of his characters. It's more like he got bored one afternoon while in the pub, and scrawled a few ideas on the back of a beer mat.

Even with his so-called New Mutants: Forever that's going to come out next year; if he wanted to continue telling the stories of what happened to the New Mutants after issue 53, then he wouldn't have left. He wouldn't have taken nearly 20 years to tell the story. It seems as if the whole concept of the title is to under-mine current writers, and keep Claremont out of retirement for a couple more years.

I don't like these Forever stories. They aren't really geared at luring new readers in. They're more like a con, to fool die-hard fans out of their cash. I also have problems with reading Claremont's own style of story-telling, which hasn't matured or developed since the peak of his talent in the mid-to-late 80's. It's as if his current work tarnishes my memory of the great work he used to do.

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#21 Posted by crazywolf (652 posts) - 3 years, 5 months ago - Show Bio

Hm might have to get the back issues for X-Men Forever.

X-Men

The Uncanny X-Men are a superhero team of mutants that were founded by fellow mutant Professor Charles Xavier. They are dedicated to helping fellow mutants and sworn to protect a world that fears and hates them.

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