Review: X-MEN: SEASON ONE

X-MEN: SEASON ONE
Written by Dennis Hopeless
Art by Jamie McKelvie
Release Date: March 14, 2012

I am still at a loss for the purpose of the Season One graphic novels, mainly because they are such a complete and utter failure at the stated goal of being origin stories accessible for new readers. The case in point, X-Men: Season One, is a so-so origin story of Jean Grey – a character who has been dead for years. Since Cyclops is the second (or tied for first) most important X-Man in the present continuity, why then is he essentially a supporting character? I will also be up front that I am not going to be trying to introduce new people with $25 hardcovers that have no relationship with the current story lines.

Once again we have a very specific pop culture reference to a time period. In the Fantastic Four: Season One a character mentioned the TV series Mad Men (2007 to present) and in this book Jean is carrying an iPhone (again 2007 to present). Considering the bl0wback when DC said there were 4 Robins in 5 years, I am astounded that no one is questioning every X-Man ever in 4 years.

The book is paced very poorly and jumps around in time far too much, sometimes page for page, and not to any discernible story purpose. The dialogue and narration are very off character and provide little that would be useful to a new reader, and nothing to interest an existing reader. Jean is a stereotypical teen girl who narrates like Gossip Girl. The love triangle between Jean, Warren and Scott is handled very poorly and ultimately undermines Scott’s character further. The final confrontation with Magneto is a high point of the book and Hopeless would have hit this pace sooner rather than later.

McKelvie’s art isn’t poor, but it certainly isn’t innovative either. Saddled with the restrictions of Season One books that there be no 2-page spreads (to be more accessible digital), he has little room to do more than very standard layouts. There is some promise in the action sequences, again the section with Magneto later in the book has some interesting choices.

It is disappointing that a very interesting and useful concept has been given such poor thought and planning. Abandon all hope for these graphic novels. Use that $25 to buy two or three better versions of each of these origins in the back issue bins or an Essential collection of the original issues.

The Verdict: 2.0/10

Keith Co-hosts the podcast We Talk Comics.

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