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amypalmer's review against another edition
5.0
This is a classic. I love that this contains the beginning of the phoenix saga, the films have never done the phoenix justice. It is a slow burner and you see the corruption build and build. I cant wait for dark phoenix in volume 2. This also has the introduction of some beloved characters. Storm and nightcrawler in particular stand out to me as great first introductions, personalities and back stories. The art is also great and much better than other comics of the time.
True it may be outdated in parts but it is still an amazing collection of the x-men. It actually feels a lot more modern than some of the other marvel comics from this era.
True it may be outdated in parts but it is still an amazing collection of the x-men. It actually feels a lot more modern than some of the other marvel comics from this era.
ladyk2387's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lanternatomika's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The X-Men are, despite some of Marvel's past efforts, some of the most popular characters at the House of Ideas. While Chris Claremont didn't create the Children of the Atom, he's given most of the credit for making the X-Men what they are today. As a newer X-Men fan myself, I decided to take the trip down memory lane, and what I found will shock you.
Jk, this book is good, and I'm far from the first to say so.
This first volume (of many!) kicks off, naturally, with Giant Size X-Men. With the original X-Men team captured by the island of Krakoa, Professor X assembles a newer team of mutants to go rescue them. Now, I've heard a lot about Giant Size, and I do get why it holds a special place in the X-fandom, but can I be real with you? This story was just fine. There wasn't anything special about it, and Len Wein's skills as an editor don't seem to translate to being a writer. Pretty weak start, even if it won't make you put the omni down right away.
Claremont takes over the writing duties X-Men #94, and things get immediately better. I wouldn't say that he was ahead of his time as a writer - if you've never enjoyed Silver Age plotting and dialogue before, this won't be the book to change your mind. What I appreciate, though, is the way he manages to give the mutants a new adventure to go on every issue, while also building up longer term story arcs in the background. There are times when you may think that an issue isn't doing it for you, but it's worth sticking around because he might pay it off later down the line.
While this first omni has some cool storylines in it - including the beginnings of the Dark Phoenix Saga - it's Chris's character work that has made him the Professor X to this franchise. Yeah, the dialogue has a 60s cartoon vibe, but the characterizations are pretty strong overall - for the most part. Cyclops, Wolverine and Jean Grey are developed really well, and Storm, Colossus and Moira MacTaggert get a decent amount of love, too. Nightcrawler hasn't quite gotten the spotlight yet, and I don't see how to make Banshee a very interesting character.
Where the characterizations are lacking is in regard to the villains. The introductions of Proteus and the Hellfire Club are great, but they come towards the end of the omni. As for the rest, Claremont uses them up as two or three issue distractions before throwing them aside to maybe return to them later. Magneto's appearances in this omni are especially weak, though for all of Chris' rep, I have to assume that Magneto's big moments are coming.
The one thing I can praise without qualification is the art. From Giant Size to #131, the art is some of the best this era of comics has to offer, and it holds up incredibly today. Dave Cockrum and John Byrne both prove why they're among the best in the business, and with some poppy and exciting colors to boot, this is one of the best looking classic books you could check out.
And even as an omni, this is really nice. The black spines with white titles are boring, as is the art on board, but I love the paper quality and the binding. Also, why can't every omni have page numbers and a table of contents, hmmmmm Marvel?
So, is Claremont's Uncanny X-Men worth checking out? The fandom says yes, but while I enjoyed my time with this omni, I'm not quite sold on this being the best X-Men run ever yet. There's certainly nothing about this book that rises to HoX/PoX, but Claremont wrote this gang for decades, and he does have a knack for long term plotting. Waiting on that vol 2 reprint!
Jk, this book is good, and I'm far from the first to say so.
This first volume (of many!) kicks off, naturally, with Giant Size X-Men. With the original X-Men team captured by the island of Krakoa, Professor X assembles a newer team of mutants to go rescue them. Now, I've heard a lot about Giant Size, and I do get why it holds a special place in the X-fandom, but can I be real with you? This story was just fine. There wasn't anything special about it, and Len Wein's skills as an editor don't seem to translate to being a writer. Pretty weak start, even if it won't make you put the omni down right away.
Claremont takes over the writing duties X-Men #94, and things get immediately better. I wouldn't say that he was ahead of his time as a writer - if you've never enjoyed Silver Age plotting and dialogue before, this won't be the book to change your mind. What I appreciate, though, is the way he manages to give the mutants a new adventure to go on every issue, while also building up longer term story arcs in the background. There are times when you may think that an issue isn't doing it for you, but it's worth sticking around because he might pay it off later down the line.
While this first omni has some cool storylines in it - including the beginnings of the Dark Phoenix Saga - it's Chris's character work that has made him the Professor X to this franchise. Yeah, the dialogue has a 60s cartoon vibe, but the characterizations are pretty strong overall - for the most part. Cyclops, Wolverine and Jean Grey are developed really well, and Storm, Colossus and Moira MacTaggert get a decent amount of love, too. Nightcrawler hasn't quite gotten the spotlight yet, and I don't see how to make Banshee a very interesting character.
Where the characterizations are lacking is in regard to the villains. The introductions of Proteus and the Hellfire Club are great, but they come towards the end of the omni. As for the rest, Claremont uses them up as two or three issue distractions before throwing them aside to maybe return to them later. Magneto's appearances in this omni are especially weak, though for all of Chris' rep, I have to assume that Magneto's big moments are coming.
The one thing I can praise without qualification is the art. From Giant Size to #131, the art is some of the best this era of comics has to offer, and it holds up incredibly today. Dave Cockrum and John Byrne both prove why they're among the best in the business, and with some poppy and exciting colors to boot, this is one of the best looking classic books you could check out.
And even as an omni, this is really nice. The black spines with white titles are boring, as is the art on board, but I love the paper quality and the binding. Also, why can't every omni have page numbers and a table of contents, hmmmmm Marvel?
So, is Claremont's Uncanny X-Men worth checking out? The fandom says yes, but while I enjoyed my time with this omni, I'm not quite sold on this being the best X-Men run ever yet. There's certainly nothing about this book that rises to HoX/PoX, but Claremont wrote this gang for decades, and he does have a knack for long term plotting. Waiting on that vol 2 reprint!
lunchlander's review against another edition
5.0
It's hard to believe in these days of a dozen X-titles, but there was once a time when the X-Men weren't popular. Despite a well-liked run by Neal Adams revamping the original team with new costumes, the book fell into reprints and from there, cancellation. Almost. A young upstart named Chris Claremont, fresh off smaller Marvel books like Iron Fist, came in with artist Dave Cockrum and created a completely new team, ditching all but one member of the original team. They added minor, unknown characters like Banshee and Wolverine to a cast of brand new names like Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler. And thus, the world-spanning empire of the X-Men began, in Giant-Size X-Men #1. Cockrum left relatively early in the run to be replaced by an up-and-comer named John Byrne, and together, Claremont and Byrne created a legend that is still making money hand over fist for Marvel today. The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus collects the beginning of what is most likely the best the X-Men will ever be, and certainly the best that they have ever been (and yes, I'm taking into account Grant Morrison's generally excellent but flawed New X-Men run).
In the same ballpark in terms of importance to comics (or at least Marvel), this one contains the Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men Annual #3 and Uncanny X-Men #94-131. Within the almost 850 pages of this oversized hardcover volume are classic X-Men stories, including their first run-ins with Alpha Flight, Proteus, the Shi'ar and the Hellfire Club, as well as fights with classic foes like Magneto, Juggernaut and the Sentinels. The DNA for practically everything that the modern X-Men are, as well as the source material for the majority of the movies, is found in these stories.
The characters are much stronger in these early days, partly by virtue of being new but also because Claremont gives them more depth than their often two-dimensional characterization in modern comics. Wolverine is a cocky, competent scrapper willing to break the X-Men's laws against killing, but he's not the uber-badass that makes for such boring modern-day tales. This Wolverine is shaken when he faces the reality-warping Proteus, such that Cyclops has to snap him out of it. Cyclops is likewise not the milquetoast that most modern writers present him as, but a confident leader who breaks out of the head schoolboy mode he had been in when a battle strands him away from Professor Xavier's counsel, forcing him to truly lead the X-Men, in the field and off, for a good chunk of these stories. Storm is presented as one of the most powerful mutants on the planet, not an also-ran X-Man to be married off for stunt value. Colossus, while conflicted, isn't as whiny and mopey as the character who has now suffered the loss of his sister, his brother and his parents at the hands of unimaginative writers who could think of no better plotline than to kill off a supporting cast member for angst value. Nightcrawler is also not mired in angst, but rather has a healthy dose of rough times thanks to his socially-unwelcome appearance combined with a generally upbeat attitude that serves his swashbuckling persona well.
While the stories are solid from the start, there's a noticeable uptick in quality of story when John Byrne comes aboard as co-plotter. Perhaps Byrne and Claremont shored up each others' weaknesses, perhaps they were just both young and at the top of their game, but at any rate, this run on Uncanny X-Men is probably the best argument there is for the perfect synergy that can occur in comic-book creating. With innovative new villains, constant surprises and status quo changes, all without resorting to cheap shock tactics like crossovers, deaths and "everything you know is wrong" revelations, these comics read like a manual on how to write the superhero genre.
The plotting of these X-Men issues shows off Claremont's reputation for long-developing subplots. In later years, he was known for creating dangling stories that never resolved, but at this point in his career, these one- and two-page teasers sprinkled into current stories paid off, sometimes a year down the road, in stories that benefitted from the build-up. The Dark Phoenix saga, which just gets rolling as this book closes out, has its beginnings early on as Jason Wyngarde begins influencing Jean Grey's mind. The story of Proteus, Moira MacTaggert's powerful and evil mutant son, gets started in the return of Magneto issues and only comes to fruition almost two years later, with scenes sprinkled throughout to build up to the epic conflict. Even Claremont's scripts, now so easily mocked for their over-the-top style, are fresh and evocative. The first time you hear Wolverine's catch-phrase, it's a clever summing-up of who he is, not a cheesy cliche. The same goes for Claremont's description of the awesome power at Storm's command, the physical strength of Colossus or the scary cosmic energy that Phoenix wields.
Some, including the artist himself, would probably argue that Byrne's best work is to be found later in his career, and certainly he has some fine work to his name, but it's hard not to look at these issues and see an artist working at peak skill. Byrne depicts stunning vistas in Japan, the Savage Land, Scotland and a snowed-in Canadian airport, as well as plenty of believable New York scenery. Byrne's take on many of these characters, from Cyclops to Nightcrawler to Colossus, is the definitive one in my mind, and it takes only a glance at any of these pages to see why. He captures the savage danger barely restrained of Wolverine, the allure of Storm and Jean Grey and the anguish of Cyclops when he believes Jean to be dead (not once but twice during these tales). Byrne delivers any number of exceptional action scenes as well. In one particularly memorable example, the Alpha Flight/X-Men battle starts with Sasquatch, barely visible except for muscular arms, holding back a DC-10 as it tries to take off, followed by a full-on well-choreographed battle between two superteams that closes out with an infuriated Cyclops about to knock out Northstar's teeth. Dave Cockrum's work is solid and grows stronger with each issue, and George Perez's guest turn is some of his strongest art, with plenty of the detailed fantasy backgrounds to be expected, but artistically, Byrne steals the show.
Beyond its impressive contents, the Marvel Omnibus is a triumph of production values. It's the same oversized trim as Marvel's other hardcovers, and it's printed on a nice, thick paper that has just the right balance between flatness and glossy. The colors have been "reconstructed" in some places, but not "remastered," and the result is that this is like the original comics, presented on the best possible paper for their style of illustration and coloring. There are also a few nice extras, including a few pages of original art, text pieces by Chris Claremont and Stan Lee, Dave Cockrum's original sketches for some of the characters (with copious design notes), pinups and a puzzle page (!) by John Byrne and even the 37 covers from the '80s Classic X-Men that reprinted these issues. The inclusion of these covers was a big bonus for me, as I first read all of this material in Classic X-Men and those covers stimulate my memories of the stories in a nice, pleasant nostalgic way. They're also just plain terrific covers by guys like Art Adams and Steve Lightle. These extras give a strong indication of the attention to detail that the editors and designers put into this book. Mark Beazley, Cory Sedlmeier, Michael Short, Jennifer Grunwald and Jeof Vita should all take a well-deserved bow.
Another bonus that makes the Omnibus special is that it contains the letters pages from all the issues, which helps to put the issues in the context of their time. Many of the fans were in an uproar about this complete change of cast and new creators, and it was clear that the book was struggling in the marketplace. Ironically, most of the books that were selling well in this time period are either looked down upon or forgotten, while this is held up as the gold standard of superhero comics. This might provide a slightly bitter comforting thought to creators struggling with low sales and critical acclaim in today's market, although I suspect it's about as helpful as struggling artists hearing that most artists are only appreciated after their death. The letters pages were an interesting place for debate, though, as the editor ran not just positive buzz but several negative (often brutally so) letters, and responded thoughtfully to all of them. It's still not as stimulating as the fondly-remembered letters pages of Cerebus, Grimjack, Starman and other esoteric books, but it's much more interesting than most current letter columns and their modern equivalent, the message boards.
If you do check this one out and wind up digging it, you might want to know that this is the second such volume, the first one containing the first thirty issues of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby Fantastic Four. With any luck, we'll be seeing more in the future... at the very least, a volume two (and maybe even more?) of Uncanny X-Men would be nice to complete this well-regarded run.
In the same ballpark in terms of importance to comics (or at least Marvel), this one contains the Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men Annual #3 and Uncanny X-Men #94-131. Within the almost 850 pages of this oversized hardcover volume are classic X-Men stories, including their first run-ins with Alpha Flight, Proteus, the Shi'ar and the Hellfire Club, as well as fights with classic foes like Magneto, Juggernaut and the Sentinels. The DNA for practically everything that the modern X-Men are, as well as the source material for the majority of the movies, is found in these stories.
The characters are much stronger in these early days, partly by virtue of being new but also because Claremont gives them more depth than their often two-dimensional characterization in modern comics. Wolverine is a cocky, competent scrapper willing to break the X-Men's laws against killing, but he's not the uber-badass that makes for such boring modern-day tales. This Wolverine is shaken when he faces the reality-warping Proteus, such that Cyclops has to snap him out of it. Cyclops is likewise not the milquetoast that most modern writers present him as, but a confident leader who breaks out of the head schoolboy mode he had been in when a battle strands him away from Professor Xavier's counsel, forcing him to truly lead the X-Men, in the field and off, for a good chunk of these stories. Storm is presented as one of the most powerful mutants on the planet, not an also-ran X-Man to be married off for stunt value. Colossus, while conflicted, isn't as whiny and mopey as the character who has now suffered the loss of his sister, his brother and his parents at the hands of unimaginative writers who could think of no better plotline than to kill off a supporting cast member for angst value. Nightcrawler is also not mired in angst, but rather has a healthy dose of rough times thanks to his socially-unwelcome appearance combined with a generally upbeat attitude that serves his swashbuckling persona well.
While the stories are solid from the start, there's a noticeable uptick in quality of story when John Byrne comes aboard as co-plotter. Perhaps Byrne and Claremont shored up each others' weaknesses, perhaps they were just both young and at the top of their game, but at any rate, this run on Uncanny X-Men is probably the best argument there is for the perfect synergy that can occur in comic-book creating. With innovative new villains, constant surprises and status quo changes, all without resorting to cheap shock tactics like crossovers, deaths and "everything you know is wrong" revelations, these comics read like a manual on how to write the superhero genre.
The plotting of these X-Men issues shows off Claremont's reputation for long-developing subplots. In later years, he was known for creating dangling stories that never resolved, but at this point in his career, these one- and two-page teasers sprinkled into current stories paid off, sometimes a year down the road, in stories that benefitted from the build-up. The Dark Phoenix saga, which just gets rolling as this book closes out, has its beginnings early on as Jason Wyngarde begins influencing Jean Grey's mind. The story of Proteus, Moira MacTaggert's powerful and evil mutant son, gets started in the return of Magneto issues and only comes to fruition almost two years later, with scenes sprinkled throughout to build up to the epic conflict. Even Claremont's scripts, now so easily mocked for their over-the-top style, are fresh and evocative. The first time you hear Wolverine's catch-phrase, it's a clever summing-up of who he is, not a cheesy cliche. The same goes for Claremont's description of the awesome power at Storm's command, the physical strength of Colossus or the scary cosmic energy that Phoenix wields.
Some, including the artist himself, would probably argue that Byrne's best work is to be found later in his career, and certainly he has some fine work to his name, but it's hard not to look at these issues and see an artist working at peak skill. Byrne depicts stunning vistas in Japan, the Savage Land, Scotland and a snowed-in Canadian airport, as well as plenty of believable New York scenery. Byrne's take on many of these characters, from Cyclops to Nightcrawler to Colossus, is the definitive one in my mind, and it takes only a glance at any of these pages to see why. He captures the savage danger barely restrained of Wolverine, the allure of Storm and Jean Grey and the anguish of Cyclops when he believes Jean to be dead (not once but twice during these tales). Byrne delivers any number of exceptional action scenes as well. In one particularly memorable example, the Alpha Flight/X-Men battle starts with Sasquatch, barely visible except for muscular arms, holding back a DC-10 as it tries to take off, followed by a full-on well-choreographed battle between two superteams that closes out with an infuriated Cyclops about to knock out Northstar's teeth. Dave Cockrum's work is solid and grows stronger with each issue, and George Perez's guest turn is some of his strongest art, with plenty of the detailed fantasy backgrounds to be expected, but artistically, Byrne steals the show.
Beyond its impressive contents, the Marvel Omnibus is a triumph of production values. It's the same oversized trim as Marvel's other hardcovers, and it's printed on a nice, thick paper that has just the right balance between flatness and glossy. The colors have been "reconstructed" in some places, but not "remastered," and the result is that this is like the original comics, presented on the best possible paper for their style of illustration and coloring. There are also a few nice extras, including a few pages of original art, text pieces by Chris Claremont and Stan Lee, Dave Cockrum's original sketches for some of the characters (with copious design notes), pinups and a puzzle page (!) by John Byrne and even the 37 covers from the '80s Classic X-Men that reprinted these issues. The inclusion of these covers was a big bonus for me, as I first read all of this material in Classic X-Men and those covers stimulate my memories of the stories in a nice, pleasant nostalgic way. They're also just plain terrific covers by guys like Art Adams and Steve Lightle. These extras give a strong indication of the attention to detail that the editors and designers put into this book. Mark Beazley, Cory Sedlmeier, Michael Short, Jennifer Grunwald and Jeof Vita should all take a well-deserved bow.
Another bonus that makes the Omnibus special is that it contains the letters pages from all the issues, which helps to put the issues in the context of their time. Many of the fans were in an uproar about this complete change of cast and new creators, and it was clear that the book was struggling in the marketplace. Ironically, most of the books that were selling well in this time period are either looked down upon or forgotten, while this is held up as the gold standard of superhero comics. This might provide a slightly bitter comforting thought to creators struggling with low sales and critical acclaim in today's market, although I suspect it's about as helpful as struggling artists hearing that most artists are only appreciated after their death. The letters pages were an interesting place for debate, though, as the editor ran not just positive buzz but several negative (often brutally so) letters, and responded thoughtfully to all of them. It's still not as stimulating as the fondly-remembered letters pages of Cerebus, Grimjack, Starman and other esoteric books, but it's much more interesting than most current letter columns and their modern equivalent, the message boards.
If you do check this one out and wind up digging it, you might want to know that this is the second such volume, the first one containing the first thirty issues of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby Fantastic Four. With any luck, we'll be seeing more in the future... at the very least, a volume two (and maybe even more?) of Uncanny X-Men would be nice to complete this well-regarded run.
boonman's review against another edition
4.0
This omnibus starts the Claremont era, with the introduction of the new X-Men team. I enjoyed the introduction and development of characters into the iterations I first encountered in the mid-90s. Highlights were following Jean Grey as she becomes, and then grapples with the power of, the Phoenix. Like most of the world, I am a big Wolverine fan, and he was great. I didn't expect to enjoy Cyclops as much as I did, but his development as leader and the personal challenges he faces in this role were done really well. Overall the tone is a transition between the preceding run, which was much lighter and the darker tone that I know is coming. All the bigger story arcs were enjoyable, and this volume really ends with a bang, can't wait to get into volume 2.
mpasch's review against another edition
4.0
4.5, a great intro to the X-men. It takes a little bit 0f time to get off the ground, but once it gets going it is cruise control greatness. Great stories about great characters, classic arcs for a reason.
neon_capricorn's review against another edition
4.0
This was a lot of fun to read. It took me a while to get through it, but the trip was worth it. I became an X-Men fan in the 90s when the cartoon show aired on Saturday mornings. It was nice to read the books that heavily inspired the stories I watched as a kid. The comics are very camp, and embraces this whole heartedly, but the character developments are what pulls me in, and I like how Claremont gives each character their own unique voice.
Overall, I really loved my time reading this book, and I think this is one of the penultimate examples of Broze-Age comics.
Overall, I really loved my time reading this book, and I think this is one of the penultimate examples of Broze-Age comics.
the1germ's review against another edition
2.0
At last, I have finished this beast!
This is the beginning of Chris Claremont's legendary run on X-Men, and where most fans instruct you to start. This is a project that's been intimidating me since the early 00's - when I started with New X-Men as my first X comic, and I quickly set it aside telling myself I needed to read this stuff first. 20 years later, here we are. Sort of.
Claremont is considered legendary for good reason - he resurrected a dying series that had been running nothing but reruns for several years, and made it one of Marvel's most popular series. This is where we're introduced to some of the characters and stories we're most familiar with - Days of Future Past, Dark Phoenix Saga. Wolverine, Storm, Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, etc, it all starts here.
There is no disputing his talent and what he did for this series. Reading it in 2021 though... was a bit of a chore lol, especially for me who is relatively new to comics in general.
Claremont is WORDY. What I thought would take me just a week or two to read ended up taking, uh, however long it took me to read this. The pages are so dense, and that's not always a good thing. Whoever decided teachers needed to hammer in "show, don't tell" at writing class probably did so after reading some of Claremont's stuff because he is the MASTER of telling you what you can see perfectly clear on the panel. Tons of thought bubbles, narration, and a lot of it (especially in the earlier issues) are pretty unnecessary. It comes across like he either didn't trust his artist or trust the reader to put 2 and 2 together.
This may also have just been the style at the time - I don't know, I haven't really read a lot of comics from this era.
Fans encourage you to read basically this whole thing, insisting it's only really slow for the first five issues or so. For me, most of this was pretty grueling and miserable lol. It's worth noting that this omnibus, despite its size, really only covers the start of it. It ends just as we're getting into Dark Phoenix, and many of the other notable stories don't happen until later. Of the stories here, the only really memorable events for me were Proteus and Jean first gaining her Phoenix powers.
With that said - it DOES pick up, but only around the last 5 issues that are in this omnibus, as it introduces Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, Dazzler, and begins ramping up to the Dark Phoenix event. Claremont begins to relax on all the unnecessary handholding around this time as well, and for the last section of this omnibus I finally found myself excited to read more.
They're old, they're hard to read, but it is fun to see where it all started. I am actually excited to delve into the 80's X-Men from here, and I'm sure I'll be a Claremont stan the same as anyone else by the end of it. Just being honest on my experience with this particular bit of it.
This is the beginning of Chris Claremont's legendary run on X-Men, and where most fans instruct you to start. This is a project that's been intimidating me since the early 00's - when I started with New X-Men as my first X comic, and I quickly set it aside telling myself I needed to read this stuff first. 20 years later, here we are. Sort of.
Claremont is considered legendary for good reason - he resurrected a dying series that had been running nothing but reruns for several years, and made it one of Marvel's most popular series. This is where we're introduced to some of the characters and stories we're most familiar with - Days of Future Past, Dark Phoenix Saga. Wolverine, Storm, Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, etc, it all starts here.
There is no disputing his talent and what he did for this series. Reading it in 2021 though... was a bit of a chore lol, especially for me who is relatively new to comics in general.
Claremont is WORDY. What I thought would take me just a week or two to read ended up taking, uh, however long it took me to read this. The pages are so dense, and that's not always a good thing. Whoever decided teachers needed to hammer in "show, don't tell" at writing class probably did so after reading some of Claremont's stuff because he is the MASTER of telling you what you can see perfectly clear on the panel. Tons of thought bubbles, narration, and a lot of it (especially in the earlier issues) are pretty unnecessary. It comes across like he either didn't trust his artist or trust the reader to put 2 and 2 together.
This may also have just been the style at the time - I don't know, I haven't really read a lot of comics from this era.
Fans encourage you to read basically this whole thing, insisting it's only really slow for the first five issues or so. For me, most of this was pretty grueling and miserable lol. It's worth noting that this omnibus, despite its size, really only covers the start of it. It ends just as we're getting into Dark Phoenix, and many of the other notable stories don't happen until later. Of the stories here, the only really memorable events for me were Proteus and Jean first gaining her Phoenix powers.
With that said - it DOES pick up, but only around the last 5 issues that are in this omnibus, as it introduces Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, Dazzler, and begins ramping up to the Dark Phoenix event. Claremont begins to relax on all the unnecessary handholding around this time as well, and for the last section of this omnibus I finally found myself excited to read more.
They're old, they're hard to read, but it is fun to see where it all started. I am actually excited to delve into the 80's X-Men from here, and I'm sure I'll be a Claremont stan the same as anyone else by the end of it. Just being honest on my experience with this particular bit of it.
jekutree's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a while to read this but oh boy this is the epitome of Bronze Age greatness. The plots are creative and fun, the characters are well rounded and likable and the art is gorgeously kinetic. It takes a bit to get going, but once Byrne hops on the book it’s pure magic.
The best part about this book in my opinion, is the characters. Claremont does a great job developing them and turning this completely different characters into a team and a family by the end. The creative team continues to add to the X-Men mythos with every issue, it’s like watching the wheel get invented.
8.5/10. There are a few stinkers in this omnibus, but it gets better and better as it goes. By the end, the 1-2 issue plots get stretched into 3-5 issue epics.
The best part about this book in my opinion, is the characters. Claremont does a great job developing them and turning this completely different characters into a team and a family by the end. The creative team continues to add to the X-Men mythos with every issue, it’s like watching the wheel get invented.
8.5/10. There are a few stinkers in this omnibus, but it gets better and better as it goes. By the end, the 1-2 issue plots get stretched into 3-5 issue epics.
lcush98's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5