Ultimate X-Men #92 By Zak Edwards Mar 28, 2008 - 1:55:28 PM

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Ultimate X-Men #92
Marvel Comics
Written by Robert Kirkman
Pencils and Cover by Salvador Larroca

Wait, I didn’t say this book was good, just that it’s not bad and, for Ultimate X-Men, that is a massive leap forward for a title that one can actually watch the quality noticeably drop with each successive issue.  I simply did not review the last issue because of how terrible it was.  But for some reason I keep hoping with every issue that something will happen, something amazing, something ultimately uncanny.  But for some time now, this title has become a terrible car accident from which I cannot look away.  But this issue specifically manages not to be as bad of a car crash.

And the accident is almost all Robert Kirkman’s fault, for Salvador Larroca’s art has continually improved as the quality in writing drops.  This issue opens with Wolverine randomly in a hospital, bandaged up and threatening a doctor.  Why is Wolverine in the hospital?  Has Apocalypse decided that everyone needs a break from him controlling every mutant in New York City?  Nope, Kirkman just wanted some humour.  The rest of the issue is a giant fight between Apocalypse the X-Men and a select few of the random cameos from the last issue.  While the last issue of Ultimate X-Men was filled to the brim with what seemed like an unnecessary amount of characters, the majority are forgotten this issue.  Only Carol Danvers and the Fantastic Four are still around, and then only briefly.  After these are dealt with, the X-Men band together to fight against Apocalypse.  That’s about it.  So what makes this issue not bad?  It would be the lack of things that have made this series terrible lately.  This story has managed not to become a terrible summary of X-Men plot-lines from the nineties, staying away from adding unnecessary new characters in an attempt to keep readers interested.  Instead, Kirkman works with what he has introduced previously.  Kirkman is actually managing to bring some of his many dangling plots to fruition, most notably the death and immediate revival of Professor X, the mystery of Ultimate Cable and Bishop, and their plans for the Ultimate X-Men.  The battle is of epic proportions without being the over-the-top mind control infighting of the last issue that was pointless and poorly dialogued.  So Kirkman has succeeded in dodging the mistakes he has repeatedly made during his run this issue.

As I mentioned earlier, Salvador Larroca is not to blame for this series as his pencilling is steadily getting better.  The action-filled issue is filled with plenty of dramatic posing, exaggerated fighting, and characters growling at each other.  The issue looks great and flows nicely.  The characters look great, fight great, and stare each other down with great enthusiasm, what more can you ask for in an issue that is cover-to-cover over the top fighting?

4/10    It’s not bad, which is a long way from good.

If you have any comments or complaints, feel free to e-mail me mature responses to zak@comicbookbin.com

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