Tuesday 9 March 2010

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-men: Utopia HC

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-men: Utopia is probably one of the best built Marvel HC collections I've read. It includes Utopia by Matt Fraction and Dark Reign: The Cabal, Dark X-men: The Beginning and two numbers of X-men Legacy. 
Even for one who knew nothing about the "Dark Reign", this was a very good start, being a great take on the theme, showing the X-men's role and Norman Osborn's scheme to take care of the mutants. It allows the reader to peek into Osborn's mind, to understand his behaviour and his plans for the humanity he somewhat and somehow leads. I was amazed by Emma Frost's part on the whole creation of the Dark X-men, her secrets from everyone, even the reader, her aims and preparations, and with how it all connects with Cyclops' program for the mutants he leads. 
Matt Fraction's Utopia is, in my opinion, the best written and the most engaging part of the book and Dark X-men: The Beginning was probably the least integrated part (unavoidably, given it consists of small takes on the recruiting of different characters), although still very important to understand some motivations behind those mutants that seem to follow Osborn and to see how he comes to surround himself with so many powerful people. 
I recommend this for any X-men fan and for all that enjoy reading about the Dark Reign arc, mainly for those who are curious to understand how the mutants came to be where, who and how they are now.

Ratings(1-10):
   Style - 6
   Creativity - 8
   Entertainment - 7
   Relevance - 4

   Overall - 7

I'm now planning to follow the Avengers and the X-men as much as possible, and I'll keep an eye on what Matt Fractions writes, he seems to know what he's doing quite well. And I expect this new turn on the X-men's destiny doesn't come to be another "history repeats itself" moment. I've read Mighty Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Premiere to get me started on the Avengers though I didn't enjoy it as much as Utopia.

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