Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Uncanny X-Men #23
Marvel Comics
Bendis & Anka
The cover boasts that this is the "Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier" as well as being part of the Original Sin event. I am struggling to figure out how this is in any way connected to Original Sin and it barely mentions Xavier, let alone reveals his will. The issue is very difficult for a new reader to jump on to and catch up to speed quickly. This comic book is for the reader that has been following along for some time now and even then, the book doesn't really do too much more than set up things that are to come. This is a very ordinary comic book that misses delivering on the cover's wording in a big way.
The comic book has a bunch of plot threads that get a little action here and there and they mostly collide by the end. Dazzler is in search of Mystique with some of the other X-Men and she is looking for revenge. A human being watches his wife die during the Skrull invasion from a year or so ago (a flashback). Cyclops is forced to face a former X-Man that he kicked out of the group that has returned on his own and played a big role in previous issues. Finally, the comic has She-Hulk (who is also a lawyer) walk into the mansion to gather some people together to listen to the will of Xavier.
Some of these plots have little or no context if you are a new reader. The Dazzler plot thread results in not finding Mystique and returning back to the X-Men's headquarters angry and isolated. The plot thread is really difficult to gain any traction here. The returning X-Man seems to be an epilogue from a previous arc and is okay to include here but seems like the real estate would have been better served on the primary plot.
We have to assume that the wife dying because of the Skrulls will have meaning in the next issue as will the actual reading of Xavier's will. When there are only two issues that seem to deal with this reading of the will it seems strange that no actual reading of the will occurs. This first one seems to be a waste of an opportunity that might bring in new readers.
The artwork is good. There is a cartoon or even a Manga feel to the characters and it works okay for this issue. There is a bit of action but for the most part the characters are standing around giving each other attitude with their arms crossed and the art is a good match for that type of story.
Perhaps the reading of the will is in some way related to the memory-bomb that was unleashed in the main Original Sin storyline. I think that is a reach but there must be some connection to the event. In any case, this comic book has a couple of interesting ideas but doesn't get down to the reading of the will. Based on this issue's flub in terms of what the cover has on it versus what is in the comic book I can't see myself taking a chance on this comic a second time. Proceed with caution. I am sure there are much better X-Men books out there.
2 out of 5 Geek Goggles
