| Title | : | Astonishing X-Men, Volume 4: Unstoppable |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0785122540 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780785122548 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 200 |
| Publication | : | First published April 17, 2008 |
Collecting: Astonishing X-Men 19-24 & Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men 1
Astonishing X-Men, Volume 4: Unstoppable Reviews
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The only major complaint I can make about the run of Joss Whedon and John Cassady on this title is that it didn’t last nearly long enough.
The storyline about an X-Men being the predicted destroyer of the alien Breakworld wraps up with the team taken to the planet by Agent Brand to stop them from destroying Earth first. A whole lot of banter and fighting occurs along with one of the most moving and heroic moments I’ve read in mainstream superhero comics.
As with the rest of the series Cassady’s crisp artwork with some excellent coloring done by Laura Martin is the perfect compliment to Whedon’s writing. This is an X-Men book where knowing the history is rewarded in a hundred small moments, but it’s still satisfying for anyone who isn’t a hardcore fan. There’s also some great cameo moments from other Marvel heavy hitters that make me wish that Whedon will someday write a Fantastic Four and/or Spider-Man book for them. (Or if I’m really gonna dream I’ll cross my fingers that Marvel gets the F4 film rights returned to them and coax Whedon back to finally do a good movie about them.)
Usually I’m not a fan of the X-Men going into space and their alien storylines, but this is something that you could easily rate as one of their finest hours. I kinda wish that there had been a bit more focus on the idea that this version of the team was trying to boost the mutant community by being public superheroes, but although they spend most of this story off-world it was ultimately still up to them to save the planet. It’s tough to imagine better PR than that. -
Score: 4.54 out of 5
Grade: 91% (A+) | Astonishing
Everything has led to this! It’s the final push for the X-Men to astonish us, the world, and maybe even the universe. Here is my review of Astonishing X-Men Vol. 4: Unstoppable:
The Good:
The highlight of this book (and the series) is Kitty Pryde. She’s my favourite character, which is saying something because Wolverine has always been my #1 guy. But f***…[sniff]…Kitty…all I can say is she’s a motherf***ing badass and proved once again why her phasing abilities are cool as f***. I damn near teared up by the end.…(but, man tears of course).
There are so many holy sh** moments in this that left me in awe. Cyclops showed us exactly why he’s the leader of the X-Men. He’s gained so much of my respect. There’s a moment with him that gave me literal goosebumps. The art is just the cherry on top! Everything is clean, consistent and beautiful to look at. AND WE GET TO SEE SPIDER-MAN!!!
We’ve heard so much about this Breakworld place, and we finally get to see it! We also get a quick peek into the lives of the alien inhabitants. I wasn’t expecting to actually sympathize with them the way that I did. Whedon did a good job of making them feel almost human. In the end, I had more sympathy for Ord and General Kruun than I did for Aghanne!
Ya, I know, sympathy for the guy below with another guy impaled on his sword….
This book probably has some of the best humour I’ve ever read in comics, period. There are moments that had me in stitches. (I had to put the book down to collect myself.) Even Colossus makes a funny joke….ya, Colossus! The humour never undermines the dramatic/tense moments, but rather it enhances the sequences that may feel more boring/dull if the humour wasn’t there.
The Bad:
Of the few things that I wasn’t a fan of, none of it really undermined my overall experience. These are just some nitpicks of mine.
Agent Brand’s men fall so far into the background that I forgot they were even on Breakworld. It’s also funny how Agent Brand gives the X-Men the exact gear that allows them to breathe in space and understand alien language. It was almost too easy – Kitty captures my expression perfectly when I read that part….
Sometimes it feels like the story jumps around a little too much just trying to set up everyone’s arcs. This could have been disastrous if the payoff wasn’t worth it, but it was totally worth it. We also have unresolved plotlines with Xavier and Danger. This subplot is so brushed over that it could have been left out, and nothing would have really changed.
Does Wolverine get Xavier a cheese pizza?!?! I NEED to know!!! (Just fyi, this wasn’t in the book…)
Conclusion:
As far as finales go, this was amaz-…I mean… astonishing! It had humour, action, beautiful art, tear-jerking moments, and so much more. This is probably the best X-Men run I’ve ever read! I’d recommend this series to readers of all kinds. Even if you aren’t big into comics, this would be a great jumping in point. Highly, highly recommended.
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Wow what an epic ending!
Cyclops and his team are sent to Breakworld and we see the team splintering off and fighting enemies there and well the enemy being Powerlord Kruun, the warlord of that place and well we see the team going about their ways and gathering up together and spending their final moments and then maybe losing and then deceiving the enemies and such a beast moment for Cyclops and its one of my favorites for him easily and we see him break the breakworld and all the drama that follows from there.
Plus when the missile/bullet heads for earth and the other heroes aren't able to stop it, its a big moment for Kitty which changes the whole series and Colossus also gets a big moment like will he fulfill the prophecy or not and such big turns there. Its such a wild volume like it has so much going on and its an epic battle on Breakworld and everything is on the line and the aftermath of which is even more interesting. New status quo and stories and loves found and lost and some sacrifices we won't forget.
Its a great volume and sure its long, but its that emotional pathos and all that will make you love this whole thing and the art is so good, it gets better with every page and it has some iconic scenes which you will never forget! Amazing epic run in every sense of the word. -
I honestly don't even know where to begin with this besides blaming Joss Whedon for all the heart breaks in my life: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse, Avengers, and now I am just going to go ahead and add X-Men to the top of that list.
We get the classic funny humor in the wrong time with Whedon:
That's what I love about Whedon's writing. It is always so dark and intense, and then he throws in some weird humor that makes you laugh and believe that everything is going to be fine because no one that funny and awkward could do any harm. And then he (Whedon) kills you. But we will get to that.
Logan and Hisako Ichiki (Armor):
Logan seems to develop deep relationships with kids, and not in some creepy way. I was thinking back to Rogue in the movies and comparing the relationship between her and Logan to Hisako and Logan and they are very similar. They are both kids not afraid to stand up to him and that also learn from him. He shows them a softer side to him that he doesn't let his fellow X-Men see.
So the story picks up with the team taking their problems straight on: They are flying to the planet of humanoids that are trying to kill them to basically scare them into not killing them.
As you can imagine, things don't go smoothly. Things get so not smooth and so crunchy that every other marvel superhero basically makes an appearance:
I'm not even kidding. And the thing is they all save the world, or they all think they do. Whedon basically spits on every single Marvel superhero ever and tells them who the real hero is (which will not be revealed at this time) and the sacrifice that is made (don't cry Wren, you are too old for this crap).
I love this team. Whedon fix the mess you made or there will be hell-in-a-five-foot-three-girl at your door.
-
Joss Whedon and John Cassady end their brilliant run on “Astonishing X-Men” by crossing the X-Men with Star Wars. Immediately hitting the ground running where the third book left off, the X-Men find themselves onboard a SWORD spaceship heading toward the Breakworld. Once there the supposed prophecy of one of the X-Men destroying the Breakworld will either be fulfilled or not. Meanwhile it’s up to the X-Men to stop a Death-Star-ish space station from firing a ten mile missile at Earth. It’s all kicking off in this book!
I’ve enjoyed each book in this series and have really been impressed with Whedon’s writing and storytelling (though not enough to read the Buffy and Angel comics – sorry!). His experience with Firefly shows in this book as there’s lots of space stuff, lots of alien battles, spaceships fighting, etc. Scott (Cyclops) seems almost to act like Mal Reynolds in some of the scenes. And of course the famous Whedon quipping doesn’t let up in this book either – which works well as a relief when the book becomes heavily convoluted with (maybe overly) intricate plotting.
Whedon’s very inventive with lesser-known characters like Kitty Pryde and Peter Rasputin (Colossus) as well as the new characters of the Breakworld rather than the more famous Wolverine and Xavier (who barely figures in this story arc). And as you would expect on the end of a run, deaths of characters occur (though this is comics so don’t expect them to stay dead) which raises the stakes in this story and adds spice to the plot.
The book ends on an extra-long issue with other Marvel favourites Spiderman and the Avengers in “Giant Size X-Men” and showcases John Cassady’s wonderful artwork at its best. He’s always been an impressive artist and this series is no exception (I like his take on Spidey’s outfit, very classic).
“Unstoppable” is a great ending to a superb series. Anyone following this series thus far won’t be disappointed with the finale and the series as a whole is a tremendous achievement of storytelling. No wonder Whedon went on to create such a well-crafted and imaginative movie like “The Avengers” years later. A brilliant read, Whedon and Cassady’s “Astonishing X-Men” is a masterpiece of superhero comics. -
Review is also on:
Rabbit Ears Book Blog
6 stars!!!
Flashback:
After reading the first three volumes of “Astonishing X-Men” by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, I was waiting with anticipation in reading the final volume of this fantastic series, “Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable” and I was perfectly astonished and not disappointed! This volume will definitely not disappoint X-Men fans and will stand the test of time as one of the best endings to a comic book series!
What is the story?
After the events of the third volume “Astonishing X-Men: Torn,” the X-Men are transported into outer space and meet up with Agent Abigail Brand who informs the X-Men that recently the resurrected X-Men member, Colossus is the one who is destined to destroy the Breakworld, the planet that the alien invader Ord came from. What is worse is that since the inhabitants of the Breakworld has learned about Colossus’ destiny; they plan on destroying the Earth by firing a giant bullet towards the Earth! Can the X-Men stop the bullet from hitting Earth and will all of the X-Men members make it back alive? Read this volume to find out!
What I loved about this comic:
Joss Whedon’s writing: As always, Joss Whedon really knows how to weave a brilliant story with even more memorable characters to match! I loved the way that Joss Whedon truly makes this volume dramatically climatic as the story got more interesting and intense as it went on and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how the X-Men would be able to stop the bullet from hitting the Earth. I also loved seeing the relationship between Kitty and Colossus become more serious and intimate in this volume as they truly care about each other and there is a really hot scene between the two lovebirds in this volume! I also loved the relationship between Emma and Scott and even they had their moments of doubt in their relationship and I thought that Joss Whedon had written that strain in their relationship extremely well. I also loved the fact that in the “Giant Size Astonishing X-Men One” which continues after the “Unstoppable” volume, we are introduced to other Marvel super heroes such as Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and many others and it was interesting to see them try to help out the X-Men in saving the world and I loved the jokes that Joss Whedon provided for Spiderman since it really fit his character. I also loved the humor that Joss Whedon incorporated into this volume as it made this final volume not only intense to read, but light-hearted in a way that will make you laugh so much at how the characters in this book took this worldwide threat in a more hilarious light. I especially loved the little quote that Colossus has when he attempted at making a joke at a serious situation:
Abigail Brand: “I’m assuming you’re as mystified by this as the rest of us, Rasputin.”
Colossus: “No. I’m not. I have been planning to destroy the Breakworld since I was a child.”
(silence)
Colossus: “This is why I don’t make so many jokes. I never know when is good.”
John Cassaday’s illustrations: John Cassaday’s illustrations are just are brilliant and gorgeous in this volume as it was in the first three volumes! I loved how all the characters have looks of shock and anger on their expressions when they found out the true scope of the plans for the Breakworld, especially Colossus’ shocked expressions when he realizes that he is the one destined to destroy the Breakworld. I also loved how John Cassaday did an excellent job at illustrating all of the other popular Marvel characters such as Spiderman and Iron Man coming together and the image of all the Marvel super heroes coming together in a space ship reminded me of DC comics “Justice League.”
Shadowcat (once again!): Joss Whedon has truly done an excellent job at portraying Kitty in this volume. I loved how she would try anything to save the world and how she was so brave and heroic throughout this volume because it really made her character truly stand out even more in this volume. I also loved her relationship with Peter as she truly cares about him and I loved the moments between them.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
The only problem I had with this volume was how one of my favorite characters died. I will not tell you who die because that will spoil everything, but it is a character that I have grew fond of since I read this series and that character will be sorely missed.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable” is a brilliant conclusion to this fantastic run by Joss Whedon and X-Men fans will definitely savor this series for all time! -
"Step back and think about this one. It's ridiculous. Giant silver bullets? Another genocidal X-Man story? Death and resurrection and death and ...? Another super-powered alien race? Space S.H.I.E.L.D.? Another big 'sacrifice' that won't be a sacrifice. And the inexplicable failure of all the big brains to save things in the end"
"I know. It sounds crazy, but I can't help myself."
"So nothing I say can change your mind?"
"'Fraid not.'
"Why?"
"That Joss Whedon is pretty good."
"How? He wrote all that silliness."
"Yes, but he made all that silliness work, and then it isn't silly in his hands. Is there anyone else who can do what Whedon does with Marvel Superheroes?"
"Sure. There's gotta be."
"No. There doesn't. Just like the Avengers movie, Whedon doesn't just offer the ultimate X-Man team experience (gloriously devoid of the always excruciating and self-righteous Professor X)--"
"--Not devoid!"
"Yeah, yeah, a one frame, hinted at deus ex machina cameo, but at least we didn't have to listen to him yammer on about 'my X-Men.'"
"No. We had Cyclops for that."
"Exactly! But Cyclops didn't go on about it. Whedon used it as a passing of that hat, a true claiming of leadership. He made it the ultimate Cyclops moment. And THAT is what Whedon does best. He doesn't just make a great team story, he turns his team stories into the best possible individual stories."
"Such as?"
"Best Colossus moment ever in the energy core. Best Wolverine moment ever after burning his way into the atmosphere. Best Kitty Pryde moments ever while in bed with Peter and then saving the Earth. Best Emma Frost moment ever facilitating the plan. And as I said, the best Scott moment ever when he releases his blast and calls his X-Men to him."
"What about Beast?"
"Okay, 5 of 6 is pretty damn good. I guess Beast got the Hawkeye end of Whedon's stick."
"Yeah, Hawkeye sucked in the Avengers."
"A waste. But everything else was so good, as it is here in Astonishing X-Men, that I feel compelled to let it go."
"So you dig this?"
"Love it. Second favourite complete comic story I've ever read."
"Really?! That good?"
"That good."
"What beats it?"
"C'mon. You know the answer to that."
"Oh yeah. I guess I do." -
"You keep waiting for the dust to settle and then you realize 'this is it' - the dust is your life going on."
Whedon's finale on the series is a gut-punch - the intense and tricky volume has all the requisite colorful action, cameo appearances, and brisk dialogue (including a full page of humorous double-speak/thoughts to mislead the bad guys), regaining the series' momentum after a slightly shaky third volume. It concludes with a (beloved, as least by me) character saddling up to ride the pale horse, as it were. Not the way I intended to round out 2017 with my final book completed, but as my minister said in this morning's sermon "Sometimes you're simply stuck asking 'why?' when the bad things happen." -
The end of a truly great run at a property I walked away from a long time ago. Whedon's strengths are in full force: compelling characters, realistic interactions, and fantastic and even witty dialog. Ok, so maybe the end is a bit of a mess. Nobody's perfect. But for the X-Men, this is remarkably close. Cassaday's art remains top-notch.
One very silly complaint: I did feel sort of ripped off that Nightcrawler appeared on the cover of the last issue in the trade, but only actually showed up in a few panels with a couple of lines. Got me all excited for nothing. -
Outstanding, as the previous four. They bring together a story-ending with several plot surprises. I'd like to follow-up on the Kitty Pryde situation, although I cheated and researched her on Wikepedia. Fabulous writing, storytelling and artistic talent. A must read for comic fans, especially if you love Marvel comics.
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Plot-wise, this volume was a tad overcomplicated and messy, honestly. But man, that ending is absolutely soul-crushingly brilliant.
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The epic space stuff is really awe-inspiring, and the sense of humour on display is simply wonderful. (Emma's mental distraction in ep. 20 had me rolling on the floor.)
Awesome twists and turns the story takes, and I'm particularly enjoying the adult-sized dialogue. Why doesn't everyone write like this? The sarcasm is especially refreshing for comicdom - again, why can't everyone write like this?
I can't freaking believe how well-plotted a story this is - compared to the Firefly graphic novels, this is bloody epic in its layers.
And what creeps up on me - despite how smart I am - is that the visuals not only *add* to the story. They are as much a part of the story as the plot, dialogue. I can't be sure it isn't Cassaday inventing things not in the script - he's a talented artist obviously - but I kinda think that Whedon is just that *good* at seeing how a good visual metaphor and repetition at just the right moments, not to mention some beautiful "reaction shots" make the story leap off the page an embed itself in my imagination. -
The Breakworld space armada heads to intercept the S.W.O.R.D. ship carrying the X-Men - specifically Colossus, who is predicted to somehow destroy the Breakworld. The team makes it to the planet and begins trying to shut down the Breakworld's leader and the giant space bullet pointed at Earth.
Joss Whedon's run ends with this excellent final volume, creating an epic and bittersweet conclusion while giving most of the X-Men heartfelt moments. The Breakworld and Danger plotlines are resolved as . Whedon gives everyone a chance to shine, though my favorite had to be . -
i’m clearly in the minority here but LOOK HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO READ THIS?!?!?! this was SO dry , i couldn’t even tell you one important plot line that happened other than the small one between emma and danger.
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Holy. SHIT.
My heart felt everything while reading this work of art. I am awe struck. To say that I loved all of the other volumes is so silly because that was just "like". Like when I liked a boy in the seventh grade. Volume four is PURE LOVE. I have no idea how they do it. How I feel everything that the X-Men are feeling. My god.
You have Emma and Scott off being disgustingly in love. Kitty and Peter making bedroom eyes at each other around every frame. Even Brand and McCoy are doing their mating ritual dances. Refreshing point: Logan and ARMOR's (yes, I am calling her Armor because NO ONE DID UNTIL THE END! Ugh) relationship. She looks up to him so much, and he eats it up. They are wonderful and sarcastic and just work well together despite the obvious age difference. They were awesome.
Kitty kicked it into high gear in this one. She saw what she needed to do, and she never hesitated. And then shit got REALLY real and she sucked it up, pushed Emma's help aside, and accepted everything. She was a true hero here, and that can't be denied. Speaking of, Emma was pretty fantastic. Remorseful, loving, and her reactions to Kitty were nothing short of perfect. I'm definitely interested to see how she plays out.
Humor and wit were not AS prevalent here, but that's because tensions were SO high and there were so many bad things happening, that there wasn't a ton of time for it. But it was still slipped in whenever it was needed to break the ice. And it always worked incredibly well.
OH! And the Giant Size! All sorts of super heroes running around, being spectacular, bickering, Spider Man punching Storm, HOLY SHIT. It was so silly but worked just as well. Since I haven't seen a lot of those characters drawn yet, it was really nice to see how they're portrayed in ink.
This is going to be hard to beat, Whedon and Cassaday. They are like a dynamic duo in my mind now, and the upcoming Astonishing X-Men volumes are going to have to be pretty spectacular since I will be comparing them all to the first four.
Joss is really great at four different things, all of which are proven in this particular volume of Astonishing X-Men.
1. Joss creates a plot that sucks you in and spins you in circles while you're trying to catch every detail.
2. Joss is witty as fuck. I will say that one last time about this run.
3. Joss lives to rip your aching heart out of your chest, cook it up with soy sauce, cut it up and eat it like a gentleman, and then shit it out and flush it down the toilet without a care in the world.
4. Joss is a major nerd. And I love his nerd soul with everything that I am. What a fucking run. I am SO sad that he didn't help with this entire series.
Onto the Ellis run! -
Joss Whedon is a bad, bad man. -
the whedon/cassaday run goes out with a bang, but, like the rest of his run, a bang as dissonant as it is compelling.
the fundamental dilemma of the run is taken to its logical extreme here. as usual, you can't put the book down for the panel-to-panel dialogue, art, action, and character development. of special interest here is the great writing of scott summers, the establishment of hisako as a part of the x-canon, and the fleshing-out of abigail brand.
but as with volumes 2 and 3, the overall plot just doesn't make sense.
peter rasputin is going to destroy a planet? except he's actually saving it? and he was fated to do it? but he doesn't actually have to? except he does? and there's a giant bullet aimed at the earth? and all the world's heroes come together to stop it, except they don't, and we never find out why? and we're supposed to care about a whole bunch of aliens we've never met? and earth takes over their planet, or something, by ripping off some dude's arm? it's nearly incomprehensible, this plot.
but, if you ignore all that (and, strangely enough, you really can ignore all that), it's a gripping read and a satisfying conclusion to a run that was as fantastic (dare i say "astonishing?") as it was garbled.
and hey, you can read all 4 volumes in a couple sittings, so why the hell not? stay at least for john cassaday--he's the best in the business, and this run was proof.
now, if only warren ellis could have kept up the momentum after whedon left... -
Crazy good. Astonishing, if you will.
Bonus points for making me sing a variation of the Kimmy Schmidt theme song every time I picked it up.
"Unstoppable! They alive, dammit! 'Cause female mutants are strong as hell." -
3.5 Stars
I thought this as a decent end to the Whedon/Cassady run. The whole prophecy thing was a little confusing, but the big ending worked.
Overall this was a good run. Not on the level of Claremont/Byrne, but better than many of the later runs. -
The Whedon/Cassaday run ends moderately entertainingly. I suppose one could argue that them going yet again to the death/resurrection of a core character as a major plot element is evidence of just how bankrupt the superhero genre has become, though this time at least the overall narrative has built into it a sort of rationale for it (they resurrected Colossus, so if they think Cyclops has something useful for them, they'll resurrect him, too. Good thing for Cyclops that was correct!) of course it ends with yet another team member apparently forever lost--or until some subsequent writer decides to bring her back. Not surprising, but disappointing: the whole major threat represented by Cassandra Nova in volume three is never explicitly referenced, though I suppose her presence might explain how all the other superheroes get brainwashed into inaction; certainly, there is no clear explanation provided for this. For completists and fans only, I'd say.
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The final chapter in Joss Whedon's era of Astonishing X-Men comes to a satisfying close. After wandering a bit during the third story arc, the fourth arc sends the X-Men into outerspace with the fate of the world in their hands. Whedon brings together plot threads from his entire run into a satisfying, page-turning conclusion that I'm glad I read as a trade paperback instead of having to wait a month or months in between issues to get the full story and scope. A major character does shuffle off the mortal coil in these pages and it should be series changing.
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It's nice to see that I can still fall asleep reading a comic. I don't know what that says about its quality, though.
The X-Men are heading towards Breakworld, a planet ruled by a dictator and Ord's homeworld, to destroy the weapon it intends to use against Earth in order to prevent its own destruction. The X-Men use a pretty clever ploy that saved this arc from a 2-star rating. Even better, the ending was sad, emotional and very worth it. -
Wow. Another female character falls under Joss Whedon's pen. Twenty-five issues just to see you punt Kitty Pryde into outer space? And everyone just watching her go? It's a comic book, let her make the ultimate sacrifice and then be saved when she thinks it's all over. Yeesh.
-
I am still not a fan of pairing up Emma Frost with Cyclops. But, the end of this story run by Joss Whedon broke me, so I'll forgive him, I guess.
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Whedon ends his run with his best issues yet, bringing all his story threads together for an epic conclusion that’s action-packed and heartfelt and still frequently hilarious. Logan and Hisako are a fun new mini team-up that works really well, as are Agent Brand and Beast. Emma and Kitty continue to be great while carrying the weight of the biggest story moments, and even Cyclops gets some fist-pumpingly awesome action moments and genuinely moving acts of leadership. A feel-good redemption or two round this out to be an incredibly fun and engaging bit of classic superhero storytelling at its best.
“You keep waiting for the dust to settle and then you realize this is it. The dust is your life going on. If happy comes along—that weird, unbearable delight that’s actually happy—I think you have to grab it while you can. You take what you can get, ‘cause it’s here, and then...” -
I forgot how much I love the grandiose insanity of the X-Men series. The movies that mainstream audiences are familiar with never really get into the fact the X-Men spend so much time battling space aliens that they don’t really think much of it. This volume spends all of its time either on an alien planet (the Breakworld) or in space battles above it. It neatly wraps up Whedon’s run on the series, though I am glad I was familiar with the preceding volumes before reading these issues.
Whedon has a talent for weaving large story arcs. Most of the major plot points from the last three volumes (all of which felt decidedly standalone) are effortlessly connected in this last volume. The character work is still perfect, and Cassaday’s art is back to the high standard set in the first volume. His renditions of Kitty in particular were interesting; he continues drawing the distinctive features that began emerging on her in the last volume (which disoriented me a little, back then). The plot in this arc also gives him a lot of panels to really zoom in and draw her in intimate, emotive detail. The result is a character that looks a lot more like a living, breathing individual, rather than a stock brunette superhero (Whedon’s deft characterization and dialogue notwithstanding).
The story does seem to bulge a bit at the seams in a few places, mostly because there’s not enough room in the comic format to slot in all of the necessary exposition and connecting action. It’s hard to track exactly where everybody is at any given time- they’re on a ship! They’re on a planet! Back on a ship! Now on a moon, or something! Somebody’s gravely injured! Now they’re all back on the ship, somehow! There’s also a short sequence that brings together a lot of Earth’s superhero heavy hitters for no discernible reason other than to indulge in a couple of fun cameos.
Also, I’ve realized that Whedon has a very distinct writing style that I can easily recognize now that I have some experience with it. The clever bookends and writing tricks that are the hallmarks of his screenwriting are still evident here, which can be a little taxing in individual issues but are extremely effectual in a read-through volume. Also, in a few scenes, Kitty Pryde sounds an awful lot like Buffy Summers. I don’t have a huge problem with it, fanboy that I am, but it’s worth noting.
So, all told, this is a great conclusion to the Breakworld story. Even better, it continues the superhero soap-opera tradition of irresistible open-ended plot threads and cliffhanger endings. I wasn’t particularly planning to continue with the series after Whedon's run, but I don’t think I can help myself. I can’t just stop after that last page. -
Whedon's Astonishing X-Men run wraps up with volume 4, Unstoppable, and it was my favorite volume of the run. This is a nice 200 page extra large volume that was much more centered in its plot than the previous volumes. The X-Men find themselves visiting the alien world called The Breakworld where one of the X-Men is prophesied to destroy their civilization. The characters are so on point during this volume, each character has enough page time to really tell their own story within the larger story. A lot of times the X-Men are split up from each other doing their own mission and this allows the individuals that are together to have a better connection dialogue wise. The stakes of volume 4 are earth ending and that amps up the tension quite a bit.
What I'll remember most about this Whedon and Cassaday run are the great moments of character connection. I've always thought that Whedon does the in between dialogue scenes so truthful to real life in any medium he works on that this was the highlight of the run for me. So much of it had to do with the relationships between Scott and Emma, and then Kitty and Rasputin.
Where this entire run missed the mark with me is mainly knowing the background information between Scott and Emma. There is so much history between Emma Frost and the X-Men and now Cyclops that I missed a lot of details jumping into the story at Astonishing X-Men. I also don't really care for Emma Frost's character all that much because she is just all over the place most of the time.
I will be continuing the Astonishing X-Men run with Warren Ellis' storyline and I'm looking forward to his writing. I recommend Whedon's run as borrows and not buys even though I liked most of it. It wasn't up to the quality that I look for in graphic novels when buying but I'm so glad I borrowed them from the library. -
I've got to say, I'm really disappointed with this story. The last volume of this four volume comic continues the plot of the first, but the middle two are entirely filler. The story itself isn't too great anyway! It's a standard superhero plot (evil aliens are out to destroy the world and only the X-Men can stop them). I can definitely tell that Astonishing X-Men was written by Joss Whedon, though. You can always tell be the clever dialog. The art is fantastic....for the first issue. While I was really impressed by the coloring at the beginning, I could tell part way through the first volume where things were going. For the first few issues the art is good but it ended up getting worse and worse until it just looked like another average superhero comic. I'm not sure if they changed the colorist or not, but the it's a shame that they couldn't maintain the same quality art. Astonishing X-Men's meandering plot and generic art doesn't stand out in the crowded superhero comics business. Unless you're a hardcore X-Men fan, I can't recommend this to any one, even if it is written by Whedon.
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Take the intensity of Vol 3 and ratchet it up even more. Push the team to the limit, and watch sacrifices be made. I really loved the end of Joss' run on X-Men here, there's also a lot of the humour still there, even in the midst of all the chaos. The art is still great, and story doesn't disappoint.
Also, I have to tip my hat to Whedon, he made me LOVE Scott Summers in this book. There's even a panel where he looks so badass, I think even Logan might stop and take notice.
Yet again, JW's taken the women and made them strong. Not just Rogue strong, like lift trucks, but emotionally strong, powerful, and capable of leading the team, or saving the world.
Bravo, what a run, I can only imagine how spoiled you'd feel going from Morrison's run to Whedon's on X-Men when it was brand new. Truly a great read. -
This has one of the absolute best 'Ohhhhhh shit!' moments I've ever read in any comic book. I won't spoil anything here, folks, but Joss Whedon really out does himself. I mean, the crazy hijinks he puts characters through is Shakespearean; there's always a slight of hand - an illusion that plays out beautifully in everything thing that he does, whether it's in the pages of Astonishing or in the show Dollhouse, or Cabin in the Woods. Love this guy! Creative genius. Please, go read this. You'll be happy you did.
