X-Men Alpha
Brian Arbizo
Recap
Age of Apocalypse is arguably one of the greatest X-Men storylines of all time. X-Men Alpha is the starting point of the new world that we have never seen before. Alpha brought us a new version of the X-Men, these were no longer the X-Men that lived in the suburbs. This started a world that has ended, human life was scarce, Apocalypse was the ruler of America and soon the rest of the world. Apocalypse and his four horsemen are destined to rule the world unless The X-Men and a stranger by the name of Bishop can change the world as they knew it.
Review
I was hesitant to reread this series. As a teenager, it changed how I viewed comics. It was the first series I bought every issue too. I was afraid that nostalgia was going to oversell it or it wouldn’t be as good as I remembered.
Alpha was the starting point for the other series, Lobdell and Waid had their work cut out for them. As this story will set off Astonishing X-Men, Amazing X-Men, X-Calibur, Factor X, Generation Next, X-Man, X-Men Chronicles, Gambit and X-ternals and Weapon X, followed by the conclusion X-Men Omega.
In the primer issue, we see what happens if Charlies Xavier dies and Magneto takes his place to head the X-Men. We also see what happens when Apocalypse rules the world. I believe they did an outstanding job making the reader want more. We see a dark world that I don’t feel we ever saw the X-Men in before. We see the X-Men kill when needed, we see them die (And stay dead). Everything was darker and you felt it. We also see different romances. Rogue and Magneto have a child named Charles. Jean is with Logan, Cyclops is a bad guy with his Brother Havoc. Even Beast is a villain.
Waid and Lobdell had their work cut out for them, not only did they have to change the world they also had to make sure that the X-Men still had their purpose. Even at the end of the world the X-Men still saves mutants and anyone who needs help. Their ideas of living a normal life with humans still remained in the darkest of times.
The art is nothing less than spectacular. The number of colors and attention to detail in almost every panel is stunning. There was almost zero empty space per page. The splash pages in this 44-page issue were stellar.
Overall this is probably the easiest review I have ever written. Waid and Lobdell are both legends. Maybe it’s nostalgia for me, however, this book gives me the same feelings it did almost 30 years ago. It is still awesome.
If you have read this book, I would love to hear your thoughts on it please feel free to comment below.
Final Thoughts
I read X-Men Alpha as a young teenager, I reread to see if it stood the test of time; In short, it did. Rereading it as an adult I understand so much more and how truly amazing Alpha was to set the stage of what could be called the greatest X-Men story of all time.
SUNDAY CLASSICS: Age of Apocalypse starts with ALPHA
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10