Bendis’ Uncanny run

[sungila]

Good or Bad doesn't apply to Bendis' UXM. Good or Bad doesn't apply to Morrison's run. Good or Bad is mostly just useful for runs that are kinda just 'bad' and therefore easily split into such simplistic categorization.

Good runs are sometimes necessarily bad.

Art that 'means' something doesn't mean much to me.


Bendis' UXM was a character driven soap opera that focused its attention deliberately on condensed episodic damage and in the soot and confusion of aftermath. Knowingly or unknowingly it grounded itself in the uncomfortable nothing place of after the End. Xavier is dead. The Phoenix infused hyper idealism of who the X-Men were and strived to be has tragically and utterly come to a permeant conclusion.

IMO, Bendis attempted and succeeded in expressing grief, trauma, brokenness and real life relatable humanity. It's something so rare in X-books since, well, it's rare in super hero comics in general and it's something Bendis does so well. I take for granted how his storytelling permeates, I often don't notice how he manages to instill in me a deeper empathy and appreciation for characters and stories and ideas I think I know...he actually makes me laugh, brings tears to my eyes.

UXM made me feel things. I didn't have to work at it. I didn't have to think about it.

Also, the art by Anka and Bachalo is incredible.

I really treasure Bendis' UXM and even appreciate the 'difficulty' and honest failure of ANXM which somehow managed to hold onto to this harsh enduring idealism as a living youthful presence reminding and viscerally keeping the broken immediate from collapse with the pressure of a hope precariously there in the midst a wreckage their future selves not only come to see as separate from themselves, but as the very new beginnings from which they must take in order to grow. It's difficult. It's just life. And that's difficult, imperfect...it finds no resolutions, it revolts, it contradicts, it fights impossible odds, and those odds are sometimes itself...life is response it just responds and strives and occasionally stops doing anything or saying anything...it simply takes a breath and then back into the ordinary uncanny gutter of stars through the drainage bars.

And that's Bendis' UXM to me.

[pandafarmer]

I've heard it said that it largely depends on your personal nostalgic X-Men history. Those who prefer the 80's Claremont runs tend to like this quite a bit, those who were more into the 90's AoA style tend to dislike it.

Personally I'm one of the 80's types and I really loved this run (like others said though, it sputters towards the end). One of the reasons is that you have a smallish team of anti-heroes instead of the typical large groups where everyone struggles with screen time and eventually turn into a "monster of the week" book. In this I feel like the four leads all see interesting development dealing with power problems, personal issues, and trying to lead a revolution all along the drama. Also like how the "teens" in the book aren't your typical lot, and they all have cool backstories. Tempus in particular has a fantastic side story.

Is it perfect, nope... but I think it's one of the best runs over the last 10 years simply because of the uniqueness of it. As someone whose been re-reading the entire catalog this year, I feel like there are times when so many X-titles either inconsistent plots running along side each other (Prof X is in space AND at the mansion this month?) or are too focused on chasing some big bad that has a simple resolution in the end... I really felt it was a breath of fresh air.

[thechronic92]

It was uneven, some arcs were good, some were downright terrible. The art was good, Bendis always gets the best artists.

[AbnormallyNormal]

Bendis' Uncanny and ANXM books are better than almost everything since, put it that way. (Only really Uncanny by Bunn, parts of BLUE by Bunn, Generation X by Strain, and parts of Weapon X have been better)

I think as time has passed they look better and better while during their release issue by issue, his notoriously slow pacing and then throwing in strange storylines towards the endings bothered many fans

But I still am fond of how he treated Cyclops as a sort of "wounded hero looking awkwardly for redemption" and all that. it was good

It was also in a sort of more mild form, kind of what I would want from a NewHellfire book with Emma Frost

[Strong Girl Daken]

This run has some absolute gems in it.

[pandafarmer]

It was also in a sort of more mild form, kind of what I would want from a NewHellfire book with Emma Frost

Agreed. I can absolutely see her opening a competing school to whatever becomes of Xavier's. Kind of like the old days, but instead of her being a straight up baddie she'd be more of a thorn in their side. Her past with Scott wouldn't allow her to be a complete villain I don't think... but just enough of a pest to poach teachers and beat them to the punch on a few things.

[cranger]

If one ignores the premise of each book (ANXM: past versions brought to future to stop a revolution / UXM: mutant revolution) they probably read better.

I kind of think that UXM should launch first. The Phoenix 5 are on the run but there is no mutant revolution in the works, but maybe some other threat considering mutantkind just came back from extinction. There is enough drama between this group to drive the soap opera. The revolution was never going to happen and so none of the development means anything.

ANXM should follow starring the Bendis kid mutants with Kitty reluctantly joining as their teacher similar to the way she does for the O5. The O5 were never going to go back to 616 past with any memories of this and so none of the development means anything.

[Strong Girl Daken]

It would be cool to see Emma bring in some of her former students into whatever she's planning with the Hellfire Club. She could bring in Surge, Hellion, Tempus, Triage, M, and Jubilee under the idea that they are providing some kind of public good (outreach, education, rebranding the Hellfire Club), but actually dupe them into being her body guards to maintain her position as Black King amongst deadly competitors.

[AbnormallyNormal]

It would be cool to see Emma bring in some of her former students into whatever she's planning with the Hellfire Club. She could bring in Surge, Hellion, Tempus, Triage, M, and Jubilee under the idea that they are providing some kind of public good (outreach, education, rebranding the Hellfire Club), but actually dupe them into being her body guards to maintain her position as Black King amongst deadly competitors.

If she gets Tempus, Triage, and M as allies she's good to go vs almost any opponent I would wager. overpowered af

I actually think M wouldn't need to be duped though

[Strong Girl Daken]

I actually don't know what Emma's status quo is with these particular characters. Things with Surge and Hellion were frosty so to speak at the end of Academy X. I never got the end of Generation X so I don't know what her dynamic is with that squad. Has she interacted with Generation X since?

[Bl00dwerK]

Is it any good? Thought I’d as some opinions before I blind buy. Thanks!

I hope you're talking about the trade(s). It moves kinda slow, at times, but I enjoyed it overall.

[Maestroneto]

I'm willing to forgive the horrible Matthew Malloy garbarge arc since it was pretty clear this was a result of Bendis being pulled from the X-books as part of the CompleX and Marts ditching one of the least enviable jobs in comics (being in charge of sinking a popular franchise) to create his own comics company.

[TheDeadSpace]

I feel that the run is a mixed bag. It does have some pretty good moments and others that fall flat. If you're really interested in the era after AvX, then I'd say go for it.

[Snoop Dogg]

I'm willing to forgive the horrible Matthew Malloy garbarge arc since it was pretty clear this was a result of Bendis being pulled from the X-books as part of the CompleX and Marts ditching one of the least enviable jobs in comics (being in charge of sinking a popular franchise) to create his own comics company.

The 2020 X-Event is like AXIS but the the AXIS is between Vulcan and Matthew. Quesada just told me.

[2nd line g]

Yes, the trades. Thanks for all the replies guys. Pretty divided opinions so far.