X-Men, Vol. 1: Primer

The Marvel Now launch for the X-Men, or I should say X-Women, gets off to a strong start. I'm surprised it took Marvel so long to put together an all-female team that isn't cobbled together (like The Fearless Defenders). These characters have been working together since the beginning, albeit always with men in the group, and so this line-up not only makes sense, it actually works.I've never read any of the X-Men series until now because I was intimidated by so much continuity/backstory for so many major characters. So, I freely admit I bought the first volume of this X-Men because it was all women. I've been hoping for a strong female-led series, besides Captain Marvel, and it's great to discover one here. First off, the story jumps right in without burdening readers with background. Storm, Rogue, Psyloche, Rachel, Jubilee and Kitty Pride work at the Jean Grey School. Sublime, who I am not familiar with, has the power to possess bodies. He arrives at the school to warn them that his sister Arkea has returned to Earth and is a major threat. And what Sublime can do to people, she can do to technology. The team comes together naturally, but was not planned. And that leaves Storm and Rachel butting heads on who exactly the leader should be. But, it's not outright antagonism; they do respect each other, even if they do not agree. This was a refreshing change from the big personality clashes that occur in Avengers' teams. And, the villain is unique and original, in addition to being a threat that is most certainly going to return. The story has resolution, but also lays the groundwork for future plotlines.Overall, this was a very strong start to the new series. Unlike Defenders, which I keep reading hoping it will improve, X-Men fulfills most of its potential right out of the gate. Highly recommended.

This book is the first ongoing X-Men series to have a primarily female cast. Most of the characters involved (Omega Sentinel, Rachel Summers, John Sublime, etc.) are given a fair amount of focus. Olivier Coipel provides truly gorgeous visuals, especially with the big fight scenes. They also include a fun issue from Claremont's good years.My issues with this? 1) Vampire Jubilee as a mom is a really, really stupid idea. It's stupid that she's still a vampire, and it's really stupid that everyone just rolls with her thinking she's ready to take care of a small child. 2) I wish this book consisted more of the X-Men/X-Women that aren't already given good time in other books, like the X-students. The biggest problem, 3) the dialogue is, at times, very stilted and awkward.Having mentioned all those issues, I still think the series has potential. Most of the issues mentioned can be easily resolved. Give it a chance, and see what you think of it.

I'll admit it was a cover of an all woman line up that first got my interest. The storyline and dialogue is what really made me enjoy this comic. As a fan for over 30 years, I knew each of the characters and really liked how they have changed but still remained true to who they were deep down. I also liked the addition of a reprint of X-MEN 244, the first appearance of Jubilee. There were neat nostalgic bits here for longtime fans.

Do not buy this X book!Now give me a second to explain. X-Men volume 1: Primer is not worth your time. This sucks because they idea to have a mainstream X book devoted to female mutants is a good one (this does make me wonder why the book isn't more accurately titled X-Women). The characters on display are some of the greatest marvel has to offer. The problems is they don't feel like characters. For the most part Brian Wood writes the book with the same monotone voice. None of the characters seem unique and the actual story of the book is the a cookie-cutter mess with nothing interesting and incredibly forced character development. Also the art offers nothing past doing it's job. It's not original, pretty, or emotional. It simply exists to fill pages. Now if you're drawn in by the female X-characters, many of them have better presences in the other current X-books. Kitty Pride is great in All-New X-Men and Rachel Grey and Storm are both better in Wolverine & the X-Men. Sadly some characters are only really appearing in this book but Rogue, Psylocke, and Jubilee don't justify purchasing this book.

Pretty good launch of the all-female X-team. I went into this run fairly cold, not knowing a lot that had happened before this arc started. As such there were a few plotlines/characters where I was lost as to who they were or why they were at the school. Even so this was a fun read, great to see some of the "B" list X-men get more of the spotlight. Even Jubilee (who I always found to be extremely annoying) wasn't too bad here.

Loved it. It was great to read a comic where many of my favorite Marvel characters play a major role, and it's also exciting to see a series that focuses on female superheroes without treating them differently from male heroes. I enjoyed both the story and the art. I also really liked that the comic featuring Jubilee's first appearance was included in this volume.

Well here we go with another X book, but one with a unique twist, that features an all female cast. Brian Wood has begun this series with a feel of classic Claremont. Someone who also wrote great female characters. Wood really seems to get the characters & it will be nice to see where he goes as the series progresses. The Olivier Coipel art is also very pretty, wish he was staying on for a longer arc.

To get this out of the way, I do not know a lot about the x-men. I like them but I didn't read a lot of their comics. I wanted to buy this to get more of a solid footing in the x-men mythos and I actually did. The story is good, the characters are funny, realistic and awesome and I want to read more.

Never ones to avoid flogging a franchise for all its worth, Marvel hit us with the third Marvel NOW! X-book (although I guess there are more if you count Wolverine, Uncanny X-Force, Cable & X-Force … even Uncanny Avengers). This one has the distinction of being an all-female line-up, with Storm leading a team which includes Psylocke, Rachel Grey, Rogue, and Kitty Pryde.Full disclosure: Olivier Coipel is by some distance my favourite comic artist, and so I will immediately love anything he draws, which includes the first three issues of this title. As ever, he is terrific. He perfectly matches Brian Wood's excellent script and a story which grabs you from the get-go. Jubilee is back, with a baby in tow, pegging it to the Jean Grey School followed by old X-villain John Sublime. But Sublime isn't on the attack - he's looking for allies against his 'sister' Arkea who, like him, is a community of sentient bacteria. Invading the school, Arkea assumes control of the comatose Omega Sentinel and battles the X-Men (and the students, who are not hidden away - including Hellion, who was responsible for her coma in the first place).As the struggle against Arkea rages, tensions between Storm and Rachel come to the surface, with Grey resenting Storm's automatic assumption of leadership and some of her choices in battle. Narratively it's slightly hard to fit these events in with everything else that's going on; it presumably happens at around the same time as the third volume of All-New X-Men, so Kitty is obviously a very busy person, and both Storm and Psylocke are in Uncanny X-Force. Perhaps everybody has developed Multiple (Wo)Man powers.The first three issues are a great ride; things slow down dramatically for issue four, which allows the series to breathe for a second and allow for Jubilee's proper re-introduction. She and Wolverine basically have a day out discussing life, including a visit to the mall where Jubilee's first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #244 took place. That back issue is reprinted here, too; it was set at the time when the X-Men were hiding in the Australian outback post-Onslaught. It serves as an interesting counterpoint to the modern-day, all-female, kick-ass line-up - in what strikes me as a perfectly anachronistic set-up, all the X-women are bored, so naturally they decide to go shopping and get their hair done.Given the two 'filler' issues, I suppose this is a thin collection - made necessary by the fact that issues five and six are part of the 50th anniversary crossover, "Battle of the Atom". But issues 1-3 and the presence of Coipel just about push it up to four stars for me.

Team or Uneasy Coalition?If you happen to be a reader of the X-men-verse then you know there is never going to be just one team, and since Schism and AvX Marvel have had great fun in setting up several new line ups, which following those events have a reasonable logic to their existence.In this case we are introduced to an all-female line up; Storm, Rachel Summers, Psylocke, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde and Rogue.Rather than put together as a pre-emptive plan this teaming arises out of linked events. Starting with Jubilee( who in recent times has been seen in eastern Europe) adopting a baby orphan as a result of a disaster at an orphanage in Bulgaria; the said disaster lies with the arrival of this arc's main nemesis. Secondly the arrival at the Jean Grey School of John Sublime one of the X-men's older adversaries (if you've not met him, he's actually a community of bacteria). In this case he wishes to let bygones be bygones's because a common foe has arrived his `sister' Areka. Now whereas he just takes control of folk and wishes to run the world she takes over technology and seems intent on destroying the world. At first put-together team are alerted by Jubilee fleeing and attention is focused on her, but Areka gets into The Jean Grey School's computer system and away we go.There's much action, blended with dialogue and questions of ethics. For once the students aren't all immediately locked away; some of the more experienced ones get involved. There are a myriad of issues and potential future arcs set up. Jubilee taking on the responsibility of a baby, tensions between Rachel and Storm/Psylocke over a course of action and an intriguing couple of panels involving a set-to between Mercury and Bling, which just has to be going somewhere. Although a somewhat fractious team, when on the same line they are portrayed as being just a tactically and strategically sound as Cyclops ever was. As for their differences, well it's The X-Men; when does anything go smoothly? The story then has a rationale, and it's always entertaining to see a long-term villain come begging the good-guys for help.The art conveys the action and the moods very well, and one facet of Oliver Coipel's work that I like is that he does seem to have a knack of conveying contrite male expressions. Have a look at John Sublime's expressions.There are two other quite short stories; one magazine versions:Firstly: One of two parts -There's gruff ol' but loveable Wolverine with one of his adopted nieces, Jubilee, a bit more bonding a bit more life lesson, and in fact all sunshine and happy faces. Then there's the second bit which intercuts in which the team have a seemingly simple rescue mission but Rogue gets a bit carried away and has a big dollop of hubris served up.Secondly: The classic Claremeont story of Rogue, Storm, Psylocke and Dazzler going shopping and the introduction of Jubilee, although it takes place during the time that Carol Danvers(Ms Marvel) and Rogue inhabited the same body, it's quite tongue in cheek fun, with a team of the more inept mutant hunters featuring. Good for nostalgia value (particularly for me as my version is in the b&w Essential X-Men series).Overall then a good collection of differing tales. How this team will shape- up remains to be seen, my only misgiving is that as Storm and Psylocke are also featuring in new Uncanny X-force line up will they suffer from cases of Wolverine-Syndrome and thus appear in suspiciously too many places at once!

There has been a lot of fuss about this book. I hesitated a long time to give it a try. Wood's first take on the X-Men (Vol. 3 #30-37) had not convinced me before, and I found it bold by Marvel to collect a three-issue arc with a fill-in issue and a reprint (that has only recently been reprinted in the "Wolverine & Jubilee" Trade) in a pricey volume. The book contains #1-4 of Brian Wood's new X-Men title (the adjective-less one) with art by Olivier Coipel (#1-3) and David Lopez (#4). It reprints Jubilee's first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #244 (Claremont/Silvestri).I have to say that the first 3 issues are intriguing with the mystery of Jubilee's baby, a new villain and splendid art. The fill-in is not overwhelming, the bickering between Storm and Rachel maybe a little out of character. Jason Aaron in "Wolverine & the X-Men" does this better. Maybe I will give the book one more try when the Dodsons take over the art with #7 (#5-6 will be reprinted in "Battle of the Atom"), but all in all this one is hyped in my humble opinion. If I want to read a good all-female team book, I prefer the (alas! cancelled) Fearless Defenders, if I want fun X-Men I prefer Aaron's take on them. This one is just so so ok.

only gave it 4 stars because even thought both stories are amazing and reminded me of old school 80s X-men stories - and I haven't enjoyed X-men stories ina very very long time as much as I enjoyed this- as I was saying, only because the second story is not illustrated by Coipel...The storyline of the second one is good too but the art is not yet to the level of Coipel's.Good effort though and I am sure it will improve :)

I bought this only so that I could read the entire battle of the atom crossover but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was already a fan of Storm, Rogue and Psylocke so it didn't take long to get into this new team. Story and art are vvey good and I recommend this to any x men fan