X-Men United #4 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 4th issue of X-Men United from Marvel Comics!
Things at Graymatter Lane have been tumultuous to say the least. So is an effort to smooth things over and bring the team going to work? Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // X-Men United #4 by Eve L Ewing (Writer), Tiago Palma (Artist), Brian Reber (Color Artist), VC’s Joe Sabino (Letterer), Stefano Caselli & Federico Blee (Cover Artists)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Eve Ewing gets things started with a new story that was not what I expected. I really enjoyed the concept of what plays out in the issue and where it appears to be headed. The series has a lot of potential and it should be interesting to see where it goes.
The bulk of the story surrounds a group of X-Men (Emma Frost, Cyclops, Rogue, Deathdream & Ben Liu) coming together for a little team building exercise in an effort to help with the overall success of the school. Things have obviously not worked out between Cyclops & Emma thus far and Iceman figures this is the best way to get them to work together.
What plays out is a simulated game called Ancient Orc Oaken Arclight, aka Dungeons & Dragons. I love the idea that you’re going to force key members of the mutant community to come together and try to work out their differences through Dungeons & Dragons. The whole sequence feels like something that you might’ve seen in an episode of the X-Men animated series or even something from an one shot in the 90’s.
The other side of the story in the issue sees Emma Frost sit down for a conversation with none other than Lourdes Chantel. The conversation feels innocuous enough, and even Emma goes so far to call it “extortion”. However it does feel slightly ominous and foreboding when you pay attention to what Lourdes says. It feels like everything is great and going well for the X-Men, however as any seasoned reader will know that can only last for so long.
The Artwork
Tiago Palma & Brian Reber are on the artwork for this issue and they continue their fantastic work. The way they were able to draw the Dungeons & Dragons section particularly was a highlight for me. It was great to see characters we know so well thrust into a situation that feels so out of place for them. The way the issue is drawn also makes it very accessible for new fans to jump into. The way the characters are drawn feel very familiar and make it very easy to jump into.
Overall Grade: 8/10
Eve Ewing presents the X-Men in a unique situation that works on so many levels. It’s a fun story that evolves into a larger threat for the team that should be very interesting to see play out. Together with artwork that is simply stunning, this is a series you’re not going to want to pass up on.
