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| AMAZING X-MEN No. 8, August 2014 |
Featuring “the return of fan-favourite writing team Chris
Yost and Craig Kyle to the X-Men universe” and containing a “big blockbuster movie” of a narrative that “doesn’t rely on what’s going on in the… vast tapestry of the Marvel Universe”, this opening instalment of the five-part
“World War Wendigo!” story-arc must surely have reassured this comic book’s 41,613
readers that the title was firmly in the hands of a creative collaboration who simply “love these characters.” Indeed, with a script that consistently provides some unobtrusive exposition as to just who the characters involved are and what motivates them, Issue Eight of “Amazing X-Men” could arguably be seen as “an evergreen story” for those bibliophiles unfamiliar with the shenanigans of the
Jean Grey School mutants; “So! I heard you were a
wanted murderer and fugitive! How exciting! Are you still painting, too?”
Such accessibility does however, sadly result in the frequent co-workers’ initial storyline being contrivingly based upon Logan inexplicably taking “a few days” off and co-incidentally visiting Heather McDonald in Ottawa, Canada, just as her husband goes missing whilst “…on a run for Department H.” Roy Thomas’ co-creation even propitiously “brought his [yellow and blue spandex] party dress” with him so the super-powered couple can investigate Guardian’s disappearance together ‘fully suited-up.’
Such accessibility does however, sadly result in the frequent co-workers’ initial storyline being contrivingly based upon Logan inexplicably taking “a few days” off and co-incidentally visiting Heather McDonald in Ottawa, Canada, just as her husband goes missing whilst “…on a run for Department H.” Roy Thomas’ co-creation even propitiously “brought his [yellow and blue spandex] party dress” with him so the super-powered couple can investigate Guardian’s disappearance together ‘fully suited-up.’
These manufactured misgivings are though soon
forgiven and forgotten once Wolverine and Vindicator uncover “a bare-bones
natural disaster” involving a sleepy township infested with Wendigos, and
desperately attempt to ensure that Alpha Flight and “the X-Men [are] right in
the heat of it.” In fact the duo’s tentative investigation of the Forrest hamlet’s
deserted streets and subsequent full-blown panicky flight for their lives
through its nearby dense woodland, makes the second half of this twenty-page
periodical absolutely fly by.
Adding to this “high profile project['s]” undoubted
quality is “talented artist” Ed McGuinness and his “real clean [drawings],
tight characters and action.” The Massachusetts-born penciller certainly seems
to have been “determined to change” this publication from a “mid-tier” title
with his terrific rendering of Heather, Guardian and the white-furred Canadian
cannibals. Yet somewhat frustratingly proves slightly off-track with his
sketching for Logan, when Weapon X is bare-headed.
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| Writers: Craig Kyle & Chris Yost, Penciler: Ed McGuinness and Inker: Mark Farmer |
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